Giving a Presentation to a Group

By Dan Lutz

This information is intended to be used at a school music parent meeting or event. Ideally the presenter would be a parent from the school.

INTRODUCE yourself as a member of the Coalition for Music Education in B.C. and also explain how you are affiliated with the school as a concerned parent, teacher, or administrator, etc.

Be PASSIONATE about the value of a musical education; without this, it is near impossible to MOTIVATE a group into the desired ACTION.

These issues are national, regional, and LOCAL. What is happening in your district? In your school? Attempt to meet with your teachers and administrators in advance to clarify the current conditions. Is music education being threatened in your area? Is there a situation requiring an immediate response? If so, what actions can be taken? e.g. a letter writing campaign, or a board meeting to attend?

Be POSITIVE. If possible use personal examples (you, your family, your friends) of what the study of music has given you in life. These first hand experiences are always the most believable and convincing arguments to motivate others into wanting the benefits of music for their children and community. (Having a musical guest or student musician is great if time allows.)

Study the resource material available from the Coalition and other sources. You will find a more than adequate library of studies, articles, posters, pamphlets, and letters of support from celebrities to site examples from and support your beliefs. Choose examples that are the most INTERESTING and true to you; these will be likewise to your audience. Begin your search at the Coalition website: www.BCMusicCoalition.org

Music is such an historical and integral part of human life that it is sometimes taken for granted. We just can't allow any young person to be denied a musical education for lack of awareness and ACTION. It's just too important for their development as a human being.

Have a PLAN OF ACTION ready! The Coalition for Music Education in B.C. brochure, including registration information, could be handed out, or otherwise made available to your audience. The registration slips could be collected after the presentation or event, be sent home with students and returned to you, or sent to the Coalition for follow-up, depending on your needs.

Do you:

Want to form a Parents Group? If so, have the Coalition registration slips returned to you and set up a meeting with supportive parents. Forward the registration slips to the Coalition after you've made a list of names.

Have an immediate issue that requires action? If so, explain the problem and inform your audience on what they can do; for example, a letter or phone campaign, or an important function to attend. Of course, have the necessary times, places, numbers to call, etc. available for them.

Want more people involved in an immediate issue? Contact the Coalition, explain the situation and discuss a Coalition ACTION ALERT.

Never forget to THANK the people for their time, and again, ENCOURAGE ACTION; without it, people will assume we don't care. At that point, we risk losing one of our most positive human rights.

"And thank YOU, for your time and caring."

We lost Dan Lutz on a spring day in 1996. Strange, how a heart that beat so strongly, that gave pace to the music of so many, should suddenly abandon this grand parade. Yet, three years hence we hear the hearts' echo, its pulse in perfect time, sustained in the rhythm of a hundred school bands as we envision once more a grade seven classroom, the sight of Dan in recruitment, sounding the first notes from a magical mouthpiece as they gather around, that first tentative yet enticing step that leads to commitment. A child in awe, warm and confident in his shadow, saying "yes, I want to play in the band".