Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member

May 15, 2005

Music Education: A Pillar of Strength in 
Gwinnett County Public Schools

  The National Association for Music Educators selected Gwinnett County as one of the Best 100 Communities for Music Education in 2005. At the May 2005 Board of Education meeting, the School Board recognized Mr. Robert Andrews, Fine Arts Coordinator, for his leadership of the program that received this significant national honor. 

   In receiving the national award, Mr. Andrews acknowledged “the 223 hard working and dedicated music teachers who deliver quality music instruction to over 90,000 students who appreciate that music is a vital part of a complete education. Students in our school system benefit greatly from making music.”

   According to a news release that announced Gwinnett County’s selection, music is an indispensable part of every child’s education—but in these days of budget cuts and eroding priorities, or the sixth year in a row, a coalition of music and educational organizations conducted an exhaustive nationwide survey to find out where the best music education was to be found. 

   The following organizations sponsored the survey: the American Music Conference; the National Association for Music Education; the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation; the Music Teachers National Association; the Music for All Foundation; the National School Boards Association; the Perseus Development Corporation; VH1 Save the Music Foundation; and the Yamaha Corporation of America.

   In accepting the Board Recognition for the “Best 100 Communities for Music Education,” Mr. Robert Andrews cited the importance of music in the lives of great national leaders:

   “Music was the first subject that Plato presented to his pupils and he said that ‘Musical Training is a more potent instrument than any other.’

   Albert Einstein said, ‘If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.’

   “General Norman Schwarzkoph said that ‘During the Gulf War, the few opportunities I had for relaxation I always listened to music, and it brought to me great peace of mind. I have shared my love of music with people throughout this world, while listening to drums and special instruments of the Far East, Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Far North—and all of this started with the music appreciation course that I was taught in a third-grade elementary class in Princeton, New Jersey. What a tragedy it would be if we lived in a world where music was not taught to children.’”

   In 2004-05, Gwinnett County Public Schools had 285 All-State Band, Chorus, and Orchestra students; 15 Governor’s Honors Finalists; 19 students who passed the AP Music Theory exams, 125 middle school and high school bands, choruses, and orchestras who made superior ratings at the Large Group Performance Evaluations.

   Music Education in Gwinnett County Public Schools provides a strong pillar of academic strength. As the school year moves toward its conclusion, it is important to salute the teachers, staff, parents, principals, and students who enrich our community through their dedication to transmitting music education and appreciation to the next generation.

   Congratulations to all the music educators and students in District III who have achieved recognition for exemplary musical performance and leadership during 2004-05. A special salute to the Duluth High School Orchestra on being selected as the country’s Number One Public School Orchestra at the National Orchestra Festival. Duluth’s was the only orchestra from Georgia selected to complete, and the first orchestra from Gwinnett County to be rated in a national competition. Judith Kim is concertmaster and Mrs. Reva Kuzmich Paget and Dr. Peter Lemonds direct the orchestra.

   Congratulations, also, to the Duluth High School Concert Band, under the direction of Mr. Brad Barnes, on Excellent ratings from the Georgia Music Educators Association, and to the Duluth High School Chorus, under the direction of Mr. Greg Smith, on Superior from the Georgia Music Educators Association.

   Other music educators of special note in District III include Ms. Cathie Hudnall, director of the Norcross High School Concert, Philharmonic, and Symphonic Orchestras on achieving Superior ratings from the Georgia Music Educators Association, and to Mr. Rudy Gilbert and Mr. Keith Matthews, directors of the Norcross High School Symphonic and Wind Symphony Bands, on Superior ratings from the Georgia Music Educators Association.

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