Liberty for All–A Musical Journey, Interactive CD-ROM from MENC: The National Association for Music Education Recognized as Gold Winner in 15th Annual GALAXY Awards Competition
Voices of General Tommy Franks, Amy Grant, Chely Wright, Gary Sinise, and Richard Marx Featured with U.S. Marine Band Performances
RESTON, VA (October 18, 2004) — Liberty for All–A Musical Journey, an interactive CD-ROM featuring “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band performing such inspirational patriotic tunes as “God Bless America,” “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” and “The Star Spangled Banner,” has been recognized as a Gold Winner in the Interactive Media—Educational category in the 15th Annual GALAXY Awards Competition, sponsored by MerComm, Inc.
Liberty for All–A Musical Journey was released by Altissimo! Recordings on September 7, 2004, as a joint project with MENC: The National Association for Music Education. The project was funded in part by a grant from The Lockheed Martin Corporation. As a Gold Award winner, the CD-ROM is eligible for the Grand Award competition, the winners of which will be announced later this fall.
The CD’s never-before-released live musical performances trace America’s history from the American Revolution through the 20th century. The enhanced CD-ROM provides insight that places the musical selections within a historical time line. The compilation includes an introduction by Army General Tommy Franks (Ret.). GRAMMY® award-winning artist Amy Grant, Country Music Association award winner Chely Wright, Academy Award-nominated actor and director Gary Sinise, and GRAMMY award-winning producer Richard Marx contribute narrations to the CD from the six historical eras featured. The CD-ROM includes 15 stirring musical selections that build pride while enhancing the knowledge of America’s special place in history.
“MENC’s mission is to advance music education by encouraging the study and making of music by all,” said David E. Circle, president of MENC, the world’s largest arts education association. “We entered into the Liberty for All project to insure that this important music is preserved and available to all generations of Americans and to make everyone aware of its historical significance. We also wanted to spotlight the musical excellence of our country’s Marine Band.”
A portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation of volunteer men and women dedicated to providing financial assistance in the form of scholarships for higher education to deserving sons and daughters of United States Marines and children of former Marines. (Visit www.marine-scholars.org for more information.)
“We are delighted to collaborate with MENC for the release of this CD,” said Al McCree, president of Altissimo! Recordings. “This production is a wonderful example of how MENC includes the celebration and preservation of our cultural heritage in its mission to advance music education.”
Liberty for All-A Musical Journey (#3050) is available from MENC for $17.00. MENC members receive the discounted price of $12.75. To order, call 1-800-336-3768.
Track Listing
1) The White Cockade — Anonymous
2) Washington’s March — Hopkinson/Schumann
3) Chimes of Liberty — Goldman
4) Liberty Bell March — Sousa
5) American Salute — Gould/Lang (Mills Music)
6) Stephen Foster Medley — Foster/Nestico
7) George M. — Cohan/Jolly
8) Hands Across the Sea — Sousa
9) God Bless America — Berlin/Know (Williamson Music)
10) Semper Fidelis — Sousa
11) Victory at Sea — Rodgers (Williamson Music)
12) Eternal Father — Dykes/Smith
13) Taps — Butterfield/Knox
14) When Honor Whispers and Shouts — McBeth
15) The Stars and Stripes Forever — Sousa
16) The Marines’ Hymn — Offenbach/Phillips
17) The Star Spangled Banner — Key/Smith
For more information, call 1-800-336-3768, or visit www.menc.org.
MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the world’s largest arts education organization, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. Nearly 120,000 members represent all levels of teaching from preschool to graduate school. Since 1907, MENC has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive, and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. MENC’s activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.
Altissimo! Recordings — Since its inception in 1991, Altissimo! Recordings has been dedicated to the continuing production and distribution of the vast array of music from the wonderful musicians of the U.S. military bands, orchestras, ensembles and choruses. Prior to the founding of Altissismo!, these phenomenal recordings were not available to the general public.
