Wednesday, November 16, 2011

RESTON, VA (November 15, 2011) –The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) announced the GRAMMY Foundation^® and The Recording Academy ^® as official members of The Music Education Policy Roundtable, a coalition of music associations that advocates for sequential, standards-based music education.

The GRAMMY Foundation works in partnership year-round with The Recording Academy to bring national attention to important issues like the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage.

"As we continue to stress the importance of music education as our industry's R&D, we are delighted to partner with NAfME and ASTA in The Music Education Policy Roundtable. We look forward to working together toward the goal of music education for every student," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy.

Celebrating music through the GRAMMY^® Awards for more than 50 years, The Recording Academy continues its rich legacy and ongoing growth as the premier outlet for honoring achievements in the recording arts and supporting the music community through advocacy, education and dialogue. Kirk Moss, president of the American String Teachers Association, looks forward to working with the Grammy Foundation and The Recording Academy. "This partnership will help advance state and federal policies that promote music education."

The Music Education Policy Roundtable welcomes these organizations into the fold. "Music education provides all students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in school and in life. As part of the core curriculum, music education provides students with the creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork skills needed to achieve in the 21st century classroom, while also offering new and innovative ways to develop literacy and math skills," said NAfME executive director Michael Butera. "With our new partners' added presence, the call for music advocacy action is louder, and America's students have a better promise of receiving a comprehensive and complete education experience."

For more information, visit www.nafme.org.

National Association for Music Education, among the world's largest arts education organizations, marked its centennial in 2007 as the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. Through membership of more than 75,000 active, retired, and pre-service music teachers, and with 60,000 honor students and supporters, NAfME serves millions of students nationwide through activities at all teaching levels, from preschool to graduate school. NAfME's mission is to advance music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all. Since 1907, NAfME has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. NAfME activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.Follow NAfME on Twitter (twitter.com/nafme) and on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme).