On today's date in 1808, Beethoven debuts his Fifth Symphony to a crowd of patrons in Vienna. I'm really glad that there was another key date in music history falling on a date in my Advent. I had planned on covering today's important music charity a few days ago, when my students alerted me to a cause that was important to them. Hey, better late than never, right?
The charity I have chosen for today is the Save the Music Foundation. I'm not musically inclined. My artistry is in other things like culinary and crafts. As much as I love music, I just can't make the notes on paper come alive. However, that doesn't mean that I don't see the value in music programs in elementary, middle and high schools.
So why are music programs important? Along with boosting confidence and self expression in children, studies have shown that kids who play an instrument do better in science, math and enhance their cognitive function which in return, helps boost testing scores. With this information, why in the world do state and federal governments want to shut down school music programs???
The Save the Music Foundation was founded in 1997. VH1 executive John Sykes started the charity after he acted as a principal for a day at a public school in Brooklyn. During his tenure, Sykes noticed that the school's music program was in disrepair and in danger of being scuttled. Inspired to save the program, he worked to found VH1's Save the Music. In 2019, the organization rebranded, dropping the sponsorship name in order to become a separate entity. Since its founding, the Foundation has raised over $75 million dollars, purchasing technology, equipment and qualified teachers for almost 2000 schools nationwide and Puerto Rico. The majority of the funds come of grants. Countless millions of children have benefited exponentially thanks to the protection of school music programs.
If helping a child develop social and school skills through a love of melodious sounds is music to your ears, then please donate to the Save the Music Foundation here.
We're going to enjoy a Beethoven holiday opus for today's Advent song present. Ode to Joy was composed as a part of Beethoven's Symphony #9 sometime between 1822-1824. Based on the 1785 poem of the same name written by German poet Fredrich Schiller, the central theme is universal brotherhood and peace. Despite this, it wasn't originally a Christmas poem, nor set to music as a holiday carol.
It wasn't until the world was in the throes of the first World War that the song became associated with the holidays. Thanks to German POWs sharing the song with their jailers, along with the song's call for peace, it became a Christmas time tune in Japan of all places. and it has a reputation of being the most requested song during the month of December on many classical radio stations across the country and of course, it's place of origin, Germany.
You've probably heard the song if you watch Die Hard as a part of your controversial Christmas movie viewing. It's with that in mind that I share this version of Ode to Joy. It's a epic edition, remixes by YouTube artist Epic Music VN. Such an awesome version that I have made a part of my Christmas playlist for the year.
Be sure to really crank up the volume.
Enjoy...
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