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Advocacy for the Choral Art: Empowering Our Communities

portant boards or council meetings. Thank the mem- What are the ramifications if we do not advocate
bers and leaders for supporting music and give each for music? If we do not step up, who will? How will
of them a one-page handout that summarizes three our singers be better off in ten or twenty years? I
points to advocate for music study. strongly encourage all of us to reflect on these ques-
tions. Each one of us can start advocating in our own
• Show the Scope of What You Do: When an ad- comfort zone, then progress to a more expanded ver-
ministrator comes to visit or observe a rehearsal, pro- sion of advocacy strategies.
vide them a spreadsheet of your plans for the next
three to five years: travel plans, community service ex- Music sobs for you,
changes, outreach activities, performances, fundrais- It laments,
ers, music standards that are covered each month, etc. It rejoices,
It explodes with vigor and life. (Anais Nin)
• Utilize Social Media: Leverage social media plat-
forms to amplify your message and connect with a All of us who love the profession of choral music
broader audience. can probably relate to this beautiful, succinct poem.
We have had the opportunity in our lives to sob, la-
• Share Research: Print summaries of quantitative ment, rejoice, and explode with vigor through singing
studies of why choir is good for your school and com- in a choral ensemble together. Our future generations,
munity. Hand out information physically or provide of all economic backgrounds, deserve that privilege,
a QR code so parents and administrators can access too. Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little;
details regarding the research. together we can do so much.” What is one step to take
today to advocate for music? Embrace advocacy as
• List Websites: Provide links for arts organiza- a powerful tool for creating positive change and en-
tions that provide easy access to additional materials sure a brighter horizon for all students through music
for advocacy. For example: ACDA.org, NAfME.org, education. Our singers and our choirs need us to ad-
NAMMfoundation.org vocate for their future and this profession that we all
cherish.
We can all learn practical strategies for effective
and user-friendly advocacy that can be implemented
right away in our schools, as well as our local and state References
communities. Take these ideas and communicate how
all students deserve access to music education in every L. M. Brinckmeyer, Advocate for Music! A Guide to User-
public, private, homeschool, and community setting. Friendly Strategies (Oxford University Press, New York,
2016).

Embracing Advocacy Together
Advocacy for music learning is not exclusive to a
small number of elected leaders; it is a collective effort
that requires the engagement of educators, parents,
elected leaders, policymakers, community members,
and many more. By sharing stories, engaging with
diverse perspectives, and taking actionable steps, we
can do our part to preserve music learning as a funda-
mental component of our educational landscape for
future generations.

26 CHORAL JOURNAL October 2024 Volume 65 Number 3