3rd Annual MuST Golf Tournament, Hosted by Tré Cool!
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended and supported the annual gathering of the tribes, the 3rd Annual Music in Schools Today Golf Tournament, Hosted by Tré Cool at beautiful Sequoyah Country Club in the Oakland Hills on Monday, April 20, 2009! Golfers included Tré Cool, Mike Dirnt, Don Bleu, Eoin Harrington, Bobby Hutcherson, Lawrence Karnow, Tom Luce and Brian Zalewski, Lon McEachern, Butch Vig, and Vinnie and Icky from RadioAlice.

Clorox Corporation's "Blue Sky Project" CD Benefiting MuST
Due to overwhelming demand by consumers, The Clorox Company has created a compilation CD of the music in their new series of advertisements, which were created by their marketing communications partner, DDB. Clorox has chosen us as the beneficiary of the proceeds of The Blue Sky Project: A Clorox Charity Collection! It is also available for download on iTunes. The CD features original compositions, as well as popular recordings from independent artists featured in the commercials. For more information, visit the Clorox website.

KFOG's "Local Scene 5" CD Benefiting MuST
For the fifth year, MuST is honored to be the beneficiary of the KFOG Local Scene 5 CD. We would again like to thank KFOG, as well as the eighteen participating bands: Zydeco Flames, Aidan Hawken, Pine + Battery, Austin Willacy, Trevor Childs & The Beholders, Beautiful Losers, Tim Hockenberry, Brandi Shearer, Aaron Durr, Houston Jones, Tia Carroll, The Swamees, Sean Hayes, Five A.M., The Uptones, Danny Scherr, Cyndi Harvell, and The Heavenly States.

Death Cab for Cutie Fans: Wear Your Music, and Support MuST!
Ben Gibbard, lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie, has chosen Music in Schools Today as the recipient of the proceeds of the sales of bracelets made from his guitar strings for Relix Magazine's Wear Your Music campaign. Through this program, fans are able to purchase jewelry made from the guitar strings of their favorite musicians, with proceeds going to the musicians' favorite charities. Buy your Ben Gibbard / Death Cab for Cutie bracelet today, and support MuST!

Opera and Music Garden at El Dorado
At El Dorado Elementary School in San Francisco, the 2nd grade students will create a mini opera, integrated with Language Arts concepts during this semester, through SF Opera's new education department.

El Dorado is also in the process of establishing a Music Garden, to study how music is integral to nature, and the importance of protecting them both. El Dorado recently received a grant of 30 fruit trees from the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation for this garden. We also donated the leftover baby redwood trees from the 3rd Annual Music in Schools Today Golf Tournament to El Dorado's Music Garden.

MuST's Newest Fiscal Sponsorship: Enriching Lives through Music
Enriching Lives through Music (ELM) provides an individualized music program of theory, ear training, and instrumental music to elementary-age children who live in San Rafael California's Canal neighborhood. All children are on full scholarship. ELM's vision is to nurture children who are interested in music but lack exposure, mentoring, and access to instruments and teachers. It is founded on the belief that all children deserve the opportunity for a high quality music education. All students are encouraged to continue to the highest level of musicianship of which they are capable. ELM is supported by the Marin Arts Council, the Isabel Allende Foundation, the Fred Gellert Family Foundation and Pickleweed Community Center. Read the Marin Independent Journal article about Jane's program. For more information about ELM, please e-mail Jane Kramer, Ph.D. Executive Director or call her at (415) 847-8540.

Ongoing: Free Basic Instrumental Music Training in Oakland
The Golden Gate Branch of Oakland Public Libraries offers free music training to all children. The beginners class is held on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for ages 7 and up, and the advanced and intermediate Jazz combo class is held on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m., for ages 12 and up. For more information, call the library at (510) 597-5023.

Ongoing: Free Percussion Workshops at Red Poppy Art House
The Bay Area's own drummer/producer Jaz Sawyer teams up with the Red Poppy Art House's Family Art Project to produce a monthly workshop series for youth of all ages, on the first Saturday of every month! This is a FREE music education program whose aim is to inspire youth to start music creation, encourage self-esteem and most importantly for everyone to have fun! In order to keep these workshops FREE to the community, we are in need of percussion instruments. If you have any extra egg shakers, cow bells, maracas, triangles, or any other percussion instrument lying around, we would greatly appreciate your donations. Please e-mail famileeart@gmail.com if you would like to sign up or learn more about the event.

Ongoing: Free Music Lessons from San Francisco Rec & Parks
"Close Encounters of a Musical Mind" is a citywide after school music program that offers free music lessons to 180 children and youth at their own neighborhood recreation centers. The lessons are offered Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. The music schedule offers a variety of lessons that include basic instrument instruction and band ensemble.

Ongoing Fridays: "Weekend Wake Up" Free, All Ages Events in Oakland
Every Friday from now until the end of the school year, different community centers, venues and parks will host a weekly gathering of the grassroots hip-hop community. These are free, all ages, spontaneous, community hip-hop events, featuring grassroots artists and up-and-coming youth in our community, with an open dance floor / linoleum for the B-Boys and B-Girls. Regarding the content, they say, "You DO NOT need to be on the flyer to perform ~ just holler at the DJ or the Host. BUT ~ You gotta bring some TRUTH to the stage. We get enough lies on TV," and "We represent ourselves to all generations, our ancestors & those still to come, so keep the language and content positive." For more information, visit their website.

Ongoing: San Francisco Recording Studio for Teens
At the Recording Studio at the Boys and Girls Club in the Excelsior in San Francisco, members can create their own beats, write their own music, learn how to play an instrument, sing, deejay, and learn the production side of the recording industry. All activities are free for members ($10 annual membership fee). For more information, check out their online brochure (PDF).

Ongoing: Weekly "Jazz 'n Juice Jams" in Oakland
The Oaktown Jazz Workshops is sponsoring weekly jam sessions for all ages, where young musicians are encouraged to come and learn jam session do's and don'ts. They're being held every Thursday night at 7:00 pm at 2232 Martin Luther King Drive in Oakland, hosted by Khalil Shaheed. There is a $5 cover charge.

Oaktown Jazz Workshops also host jam sessions on first and third Sundays of each month. Oaktown Youth Showcase will showcase a youth band twice a month, followed by a jam session for musicians of all ages. It is free and held at the African-American Museum and Library at 659 14th Street at MLK from 1pm - 5pm. There will be piano, bass, and drums there.

For more information on either of these events, please call 510-206-4509.

Ongoing: REMO Drums Hosts Free Workshops for Kids in Los Angeles Area
If you live in the Los Angeles area, join REMO Drums for a free drum circle for kids at REMO's Recreational Music Center in North Hollywood on most Saturdays. Journey and explore music making through rhythm, song, and fun activities. For more information, check out Remo's online calendar.

Ongoing: Get on The Bus!
See if John Lennon Songwriting Contest Educational Tour Bus is coming to your neighborhood this year (tour schedule). Learn how to play music, write songs, engineer recording sessions and produce music video projects using the latest audio, video, and live sound equipment. And it's all free!

Ongoing: Donate Your CDs to Musicians On Call's CD Pharmacies
New York-based Musicians on Call is a non-profit organization that sends musicians into hospitals to play for patients as a form of music therapy. You can help this important cause by donating CDs to their CD Pharmacies program.

Thank You: Life is good Festival
Music in Schools Today had a very popular outreach booth and Instrument Petting Zoo at the Life is good Festival at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, May 16. The Petting Zoo was be staffed by MuST teaching artists and music therapists, with special guest star visits by the members of ALO! The day began with the Good Walk for Kids, followed by performances by ALO, Martin Sexton and the Sippy Cups!

Thank You to Kohl Mansion
For the third consecutive season, Music at Kohl Mansion partnered with us to place donated instruments in the hands of public school children. Members of the audience donated musical instruments to our for our Adopt an Instrument program. Thank you, Kohl Mansion staff and volunteers!

MIGGS Show at Red Devil Lounge: MuST Benefit
We would like to thank MuST Board member Don Miggs for donating proceeds from his January 11 show with his band MIGGS at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco on Sunday, January 11 to Music in Schools Today!

Thank You to KDFC and the Palace Hotel!
Music in Schools Today was selected as one of the recipients of funds raised from KDFC's participation in the Palace Hotel's 2008 Gingerbread Competition. Not only did KDFC raise $3714 for MuST, theirs was the winning entry in the competition! Congratulations and thank you, KDFC!

Thank You: Silicon Valley Rocks!
Our deepest gratitude to Alison Murdock, producer of Silicon Valley Rocks!, the first music showcase featuring performances from Silicon Valley's tech community, which raised money for Music in Schools Today. The event was held at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on December 3. We would also like to thank premier sponsors Nokia, theMIX agency, and Strands, the fantastic auction donors, all the members of the great bands that played, and everyone who attended the show, for supporting music education!

Stars on Staff Celebrity Waiter Luncheon
VIEW PHOTOS!
We would like to thank the hundreds of people who made this year's Stars on Staff a huge success! It was held on Saturday, November 8 at San Francisco's fabulous Ana Mandara restaurant! This year's co-chairs were MuST Board member Don Miggs and his lovely wife, Lisa DeBartolo. Honorary Co-chairs included David Gockley, Mayor Gavin Newsom and Michael Tilson Thomas.

Willie Brown served as maitre d' and Bob Sarlatte was the master of ceremonies. Our celebrity waiters included Roger Craig, Harry Denton, Peter Finch, Herb Gold, Natasha Miller, Dianne Nicolini, Joel Selvin, Robin Sutherland, Keena Turner, Tom Vacar and Jan Wahl. Entertainment was provided by Larry Batiste, the Dick Bright Trio, Don Miggs and Robin Sutherland.

As always, we had amazing auction items this year!

Media sponsors included KDFC and KFOG, and our sponsors included Candy & Eddie DeBartolo, Lisa DeBartolo & Don Miggs, Denise DeBartolo York, Another Planet Entertainment, The Clorox Company, Michael Wilkins, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the San Francisco Business Times.

Thank You to The Musonics and Dorothy Camat
Local band The Musonics donated 10% of the proceeds from their Halloween show on October 31 at Pier 23 to Music in Schools Today. Corey Action, AudibleSol, DJ Tone and DJ Von also performed, and the event was hosted by A Plus. We would like to thank each of these amazing performers, as well as the producer of the event, Dorothy Camat.

Thank You to BJ Papa
On August 31, the San Francisco jazz scene lost a legend, piano player BJ Papa. BJ's friend, Mary Helene Lolli, chose to donate all of BJ's instruments to Music in Schools Today's Adopt an Instrument program, including two keyboards, two clarinets, a saxophone, a flute, an amp and several percussion instruments. We would like to thank Mary Helene and our dear friend BJ up there in that great jam session in the sky! You will be missed!

Thank You to Penelope Houston!
On September 8, local punk/folk goddess, Penelope Houston performed at Café du Nord in San Francisco. Also on the bill was Colin Gilmore, the son of Austin songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore. A portion of the proceeds went to Music In Schools Today, as well as the Claremont Middle School Band & Orchestra. In addition, 100% of the sales of Penelope's three CDs benefited MuST and Claremont's band. Thank you Penelope & everyone who helped make the event a great success!

Thank You to Bloomingdale's San Francisco & Stanford!
Music in Schools Today was selected as the beneficiary for Bloomingdale's annual Fashionable Fundraiser, which was held on Wednesday, August 20. Bloomingdale's San Francisco and Stanford donated $5,000 to MuST, and we had a community outreach table at the San Francisco location that day. We would especially like to thank Catarina Gallardo of Bloomingdale's San Francisco and Linette Leong of Bloomingdale's Palo Alto for the success of this campaign!

Thank You to Music at Kohl Mansion!
We would like to thank everyone at Music at Kohl Mansion for their tremendous support of our Adopt an Instrument program! (See three photos.) In our first two seasons of collaboration, we have received nearly two dozen donated instruments from them, including a bass, 3 saxophones, 2 cellos, a charango, 2 clarinets, a coronet, 2 flutes, 2 guitars, 2 keyboards, a recorder, 2 trombones, a Turkish Cumbus, and 3 violins. Our gratitude to Music at Kohl Education Chair Anneke Gaenslen, Executive Director Patricia Kristof Moy, and super-volunteer Leanne Burr (pictured) for their dedication to this cause. We would also like to thank Shirley Hort for her generous donation to cover the repair of nine of the instruments in need of a little pick-me-up before meeting their new owners!

Thank You to Guitar Center Music Foundation!
Music in Schools Today is creating a new partnership with the five Rec Connect sites in San Francisco, for our Achieving Through Music program. The generous folks at the Guitar Center Music Foundation have come through for us, and are donating 20 brand new percussion instruments to each of the five sites to get us off to a great start!

2nd Annual MuST Golf Tournament, Hosted by Tré Cool
A million thanks to everyone who helped make our golf tournament on April 21 an amazing day, and a huge success! Over $60,000 was raised for music education in the Oakland Unified School District. There are literally hundreds of people to thank, so we can't list everyone here, but you know who you are! If you are interested in participating in or donating to our 2009 tournament, please contact Mary Destri.

Thank You to Stanford Shopping Center
Stanford Shopping Center again celebrated national Music in Our Schools Month during the month of April with its popular Prelude to Spring classical music series, in collaboration with KDFC this past April. Members of the public dropped off instruments at the weekly concerts and throughout the month for our Adopt an Instrument program.

Thank You to Houston Jones!
We would like to thank everyone who supported the Houston Jones concert on April 26 at the Noe Valley Music Series, which benefited Music in Schools Today!

Thank You to Laura Hinton and Alameda Community Learning Center!
On Saturday, April 5, high school junior Laura Hinton and the Future Leaders Institute chapter at Alameda Community Learning Center held a music competition to benefit Music in Schools Today. The event was a huge success, with $900 raised! Laura's father, Carl Hinton, then had his employer, Wells Fargo, match the donation, for a total of $1800! Per Laura's request, the funds will go to support the music programs of the Alameda Unified School District, where they have launched a campaign to raise $200,000 to save the music programs for the 2008-2009 school year. Congratulations, Laura and all the Future Leaders!

Thank You to Kim Baker and Christy & Eric of Blue Serra!
On March 6, Kim Baker gave a concert at the Little Fox Theater in Redwood City, and donated the proceeds to MuST. Christy & Eric (of Blue Serra) opened the show.

KDFC Islands of Sanity 4 CD Sold Out!
We would like to once again thank KDFC for choosing MuST as the beneficiary of their latest Islands of Sanity CD, as well as thank all the people who purchased it! This all-star escape includes music by Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Lang Lang, Andre Previn and Yundi Li, as well as a variety of major orchestras performing Mozart, Gershwin, Debussy, Puccini, Bach and more!

Thank You to Alan Schacter!
When social work intern Elaine Ellis asked us for help establishing a new guitar class at Aptos Middle School in San Francisco, Alan Schacter was kind enough to sponsor ten new guitars for Elaine's students. Thank you, Alan!

Read our Gratitude page for previous years...