INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 3, 2010 / Coles Marketing Communications) – More than 1,100 elementary student musicians from Indianapolis Public Schools will perform May 6 at Conseco Fieldhouse in celebration of the successes of a 10-year partnership between Bright House Networks, VH1 Save the Music Foundation and Indianapolis Public Schools that has restored music education programs in all IPS elementary schools.  Broad Ripple Magnet High School student musicians, many of whom directly benefited from the restored elementary music education programs will also perform at the concert.

 

The 7 p.m. concert is a free event, although tickets are required for admission. Tickets are available at any IPS elementary school.

 

In 2000, Bright House Networks and VH1 Save The Music Foundation joined forces to combat disappearing instrumental music education programs inside IPS. Since, Bright House Networks and VH1 Save The Music Foundation have provided 42 IPS schools with $1.13 million worth of new musical instruments to restart IPS’s instrumental music program; including band and strings programs, for elementary school students.

 

When Bright House Networks first joined forces with VH1 Save The Music Foundation to help IPS, music programs were virtually non-existent in the elementary schools and suffering badly in the higher grades because of budgetary constraints and the high cost of instruments, according to Karen Broach, regional vice president of operations for Bright House Networks Indiana.

 

“We at Bright House Networks have a strong commitment to education and value the importance of providing young students the opportunity to express and challenge themselves through the arts,” Broach said. “Today, these schools have dedicated and talented teachers leading vibrant musical exploration instructions keeping these young minds engaged in developing skills for their future. This far-reaching and high-impact initiative would not have been possible without the long-lasting team effort between Bright House Networks, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, IPS and Dr. White.”

 

IPS Superintendent Dr. Eugene G. White, who received the fifth annual Administrator Award for Distinguished Support of Music Education from the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and American Association of School Administrators in February, will speak to students and their audience via a special video message that will be played on the video board at Conseco Fieldhouse.

 

“Music education is critically important to the success of our students,” White said. “With school funding continually a challenge, there is no way IPS could have possibly restored its music education programs without the support of Bright House Networks and VH1 Save the Music Foundation. Generations of IPS students can thank these two community partners for providing them with the tools they need to reach their potential.”

 

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in American public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's complete education. Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has provided $45 million worth of new musical instruments to more than 1,700 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of more than 1.4 million public school students.

 

“It has been our great pleasure to work with Bright House Networks and the amazing administrators and teachers of the Indianapolis Public Schools to completely restore instrumental music education in all of the district’s schools,” said Paul Cothran, executive director of VH1 Save The Music Foundation. “At one time, the American public education system was the envy of the world. It was an education system focused on developing the entire individual to succeed in life. With shining examples, like Indianapolis Public Schools, we see that, even in today's economy, that educational system is still attainable. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation continues working toward ensuring that every student receives a well-rounded education and returning our public education system to that gold standard.”

 

The winner of American Idol Season 8, Kris Allen will also be in town courtesy of VH1, and make a guest appearance during the concert. Kris won the hearts of America each week by adding his signature pop-rock sound to each performance he gave. His self-titled debut album was released in late 2009 on 19 Recordings/Jive Records. Kris’s first single, “Live Like We’re Dying,” recently went platinum with 1 million downloads.

 

For more about Bright House Networks Indiana, visit brighthouse.com. For more about VH1 Save The Music Foundation, visit vh1savethemusic.com.