Music Education Events

Dr. Eugene G. White, Superintendent of the Indianapolis (IN) Public Schools, has been named the recipient of the fifth annual Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education. White was chosen for his commitment to ensuring that music education is part of the core curriculum in all 64 Indianapolis Public Schools.

On Friday, November 13th, the cast of the hit Broadway musical ROCK OF AGES joined the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to celebrate the show’s support of music education in our nation’s schools. This past spring, ROCK OF AGES donated $30,000 to the Foundation through a month-long ticket promotion, which enabled the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to grant a full set of new musical instruments to jumpstart the  music education program at PS/IS 111 in New York City this school year. 

Through a series of fundraising initiatives, Houlihan's raised over $54,000 to benefit VH1 Save The Music Foundation and to restore one full instrumental music program in Jersey City.  Delivery of Houlihan's donation took place on October 9th at Ezra L. Nolan School in Jersey City.

Through a series of fundraising initiatives, Cheeseburger in Paradise raised over $30,000 to benefit VH1 Save The Music Foundation and to restore one full instrumental music program in Jersey City.  Delivery of Cheeseburger in Paradise donation took place on September 29th at Academy I in Jersey City. The representatives from Cheeseburger in Paradise were treated with a performance by the Academy I band, including Jimmy Buffet’s famous Cheeseburger in Paradise song. 

Beginning in August and continuing through the month of October, the new Broadway musical Memphis, written by Joe DiPietro and longtime Foundation supporter and Bon Jovi keyboardist, David Bryan, will donate a portion of each ticket sold to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation with the goal of supporting the restoration of a full instrumental music program. A special kick-off event took place on Wednesday, August 26th in Shubert Theatre Alley with an appearance by David Bryan, Joe DiPietro, Memphis cast members Chad Kimball and Montego Glover, along with performances by the Memphis cast and VH1 Save The Music Foundation student keyboard ensemble from Jersey City’s MS 41: Fred W. Martin Middle School. Throughout the event B. Smith’s Restaurant provided Memphis Style BBQ to all guests.

On Tuesday, July 21st, 15 students from VH1 Save The Music Foundation grant recipient, The School District of Philadelphia participated in the White House Music Series in Washington D.C. To date, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has granted $1,180,000 worth of new musical instruments to restore music education in 45 Philadelphia public schools over the last 10 years.  The Foundation will be granting $60,000 worth of new instruments to two more Philadelphia schools this Fall.

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation, with the help of the Brown Foundation, the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, Comcast and Yamaha, presented $450,000 worth of new musical instruments to restore instrumental music education programs in 15 schools in Houston Independent School District (HISD) for the 2008/09 school year. 

On May 13th, 2009, The VH1 Save The Music Foundation and NAMM: The International Music Products Association hosted a Congressional Reception at the United States Capitol. Congressional leaders and staffers gathered to celebrate and discuss the benefits of music education.  Matt Goldman, Founder of Blue Man Group spoke to attendees about the impact music education had on his creative process. 

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation with the help of Bright House Networks have made it possible for all Indianapolis Public Schools to either have music education programs in place or will begin new ones in the 2009-10 school year. To celebrate that accomplishment and award $240,000 worth of new musical instruments to eight IPS schools, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and Bright House Networks hosted a special community-wide concert on Thursday May 7, 2009.

On March 20, Abbott Nutrition, the makers of ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars, hosted a live concert event featuring emerging artist Jason Reeves. In its ongoing support of the arts, the makers of ZonePerfect also presented the Austin Independent School District with a check in partnership with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation to enhance and improve an Austin elementary school’s instrumental music program.  The concert was opened by rock band, Outerheaven, comprised of student musicians from the Edgewood Academy of Fine Arts of the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, and who earlier attended schools with VH1 Save The Music Foundation grant-restored music programs.