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Click Here 42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend January 22, 2004 Author stresses value of music programs By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune Among the first school programs cut in lean times, music should be spared and encouraged because of its ability to enhance brain power, says Tim Lautzenheiser, author, conductor and music education advocate who is giving several presentations in the Rogue Valley this weekend. "A lot of parents look at their children involved in music education," Lautzenheiser said in a phone interview, "and don’t see the entire perspective that it’s not just about the obvious joy of music, but it also makes them stronger students in everything, tapping the brain so they can interpret other academic subjects with ease." Lautzenheiser is author of "The Art of Successful Teaching" and "The Joy of Inspired Teaching" and national spokesman for the Music Educators National Conference. Information on his company, Attitude Concepts for Today, is available at www.attitudeconcepts.com . South Medford High School band director Allen Barber called Lautzenheiser an "icon and superstar" in the field of music education. Barber said many music students tend to also excel in sciences, arts, student government and athletics and benefit from Lautzenheiser’s instruction in motivation, risk-taking, self- discipline, dealing with insecurities and setting high standards of excellence. Advertisement "Although music and the arts tend to go on the chopping block in hard times, I want to emphasize that these meetings (with Lautzenheiser) are not about Measure 30 or any politics," Barber said. "People in the Rogue Valley often think music is expendable, but they should know that of the 200-plus music students I have, a huge number are also in honors English, chemistry, physics and algebra. It’s about the importance of music in the broad curriculum and it seems crazy to me that people would take music out of that." Students who have been in arts and music for two years, Barber said, score 29 points higher on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test, while students in arts and music for four years score 60 points higher. "Music students tend to be the talented and gifted, the cream of the crop in public schools and college," said Barber. "This visit by Lautzenheiser is very significant to help further those ends. I’ve tried for years to get him here because he’s the most brilliant motivational and leadership speaker I’ve ever heard and his passion is to keep music at the heart of our much-challenged educational process." John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Three presentations set Music education advocate Tim Lautzenheiser will give several presentations this weekend in the Rogue Valley. They are: Student leadership workshop, 4:30 p.m. Friday, South Medford High School. Cost is $20. Music advocacy meeting: 7:30 p.m. Friday, South Medford High School auditorium. Free. Honors band concert, 3 p.m. Sunday, Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall, Ashland. Free. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times