What would we do without music?

It only takes a short time to consider the prevalence of music in our world and to realize how integral music is in so many aspects of our daily lives.  Go to a movie, attend a sporting event, shop at a supermarket, eat at a restaurant, or even just turn on the television, and you will hear the pleasing strains of this wonderful art and recognize it's effects on our disposition or mood.

Music is an art, a science, and a physical activity and it uniquely combines mathematics and language into one integrated phenomenon.  Both our children and we as adults come together when we participate in a variety of bands, orchestras, and choirs for enjoyment and education, and these activities often remain the fondest of memories throughout our lives.  Consider also the special friendships that are built upon the unifying bond of music: where would we be without the encouraging word of a piano teacher or the unforgettable stories shared with a fellow musician?

We must do all we can to keep this music alive!  With its tremendous integration into the daily lives of every musician and non-musicians alike, the question of what we would do without music will most likely never have to be answered - and thank goodness for that!

Metro Musicians Bill Malone & Pat Daugherty

April 1974, Polk Elementary School