When Bay Shore High School, New York sophomore Sodasia Thompson entered her song “The Power of Music” in NAfME’s 2012 Electronic Music Composition Contest in April, she didn’t know that it potentially could be viewed by the entire NAfME membership. Sodasia and her classmate, Joe Pastore had collaborated on “The Power of Music” music video as part of an assignment received from their music theory teacher, NAfME member Ted Scalzo. Their music video ultimately received the Grand Prize in the VH1 “Battle for the Bands” contest, earning $5000 for their school’s music technology lab.
NAfME thanks Sodasia for giving permission for “The Power of Music” to be included as a song selection in the 2013 Concert for Music In Our Schools Month. The powerful advocacy message of the song is most appropriate for MIOSM 2013—“Music Education * Orchestrating Success!” The score and music video are posted on the Concert for MIOSM web pages.
The Concert for Music In Our Schools Month is a highlight of March and is an advocacy opportunity for schools as they perform the free music provided by NAfME and Hal Leonard Corporation to show administrators, parents, and communities “The Power of Music” in a comprehensive education for all students!
—Susan Lambert, September 11, 2012 © National Association for Music Education (www.nafme.org)
