The National Music Council of the United States, along with its music community colleagues, is extremely gratified that its efforts to curb the illegitimate expansion of the fair use doctrine in various foreign nations during the global pandemic have met with success! The United States Trade Representative and the Biden Administration has heard our voices, and responded by ensuring that while massive global efforts to fight COVID-19 must and will continue unabated and at full speed, those actions cannot be permitted to lead to the gutting of global copyright protections for no valid reason.
Final wording of the joint agreement, which further delineates Covid-19 exemptions to the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO), are still being worked out. The Trips Agreement establishes minimum standards of protection that each government has to give to the IP of fellow WTO members. The new agreement will continue to narrowly define Covid-based, fair-use exemptions for unauthorized copyright uses, consistent with the strict, general limits currently in place.
JOIN US IN CREATING A HISTORIC DATABASE OF
PANDEMIC EXPERIENCES IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY
The US and global music communities have suffered through two difficult years of a viral pandemic that took the lives of nearly a million of our fellow Americans, well over five million lives worldwide, and crushed the livelihoods of tens of millions more. As we know, with a music economy based upon live performance and socially close collaboration among creators, educators and business people, our industry was affected far more than most.
Now that the storm seems to be receding, it’s time to take stock. Just as in the aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy, our stories of survival and perseverance are the best gifts we can give to future generations. That is why the non-profit, Congressionally-chartered National Music Council of the United States is launching the NMC Pandemic Memory Database project – a collection of first-hand video, audio, and written accounts of the experiences of music community members – focused on what we felt, how we reacted, what worked, what didn’t, and how we move forward. It is our hope that this historical record will serve as a blueprint for future generations to better cope with similar emergencies, drawing knowledge, inspiration and wisdom from our shared experiences and reflections.
Please join us in the simple process of video recording, audio recording, or writing your own stories and experiences of the pandemic and its effects on your music, your music career, and your lifetime musical aspirations. Then have YOUR STORY become an important part of the NMC Pandemic Memory Database. You may even do so anonymously, if you wish.
Only through our efforts can we forge a better future for those who follow us on the musical path.
How to Submit:
Record your message (preferred formats: mp3, mp4, or .mov), or write your story/experience, and then visit https://app.upmetrics.com/data_collector/cl0q0gb6dcstv0854ogbkuak9 to upload your Pandemic Memory contribution.
Pandemic Reflections Prompt Questions
For Music Educators
For Music Industry
For Live Performers
For Music Creators
U.S. Music Leaders to Present “Pandemic Reflections on The Future of Music: Education, Creation, Performance and Business” Public Education Webinar on Monday, March 14, 2022.
2022, the Second Anniversary of the US Covid-19 Shutdown
(Tuesday, March 8, 2022 New York, NY) The National Music Council of the United States (“the NMC”) announced today a symposium marking the second anniversary of the nation’s initial Covid-19 shutdown.
This symposium, “Pandemic Reflections on The Future of Music: Education, Creation, Performance and Business,” will be presented by music leaders from all facets of education and industry who will discuss the pandemic’s profound and lasting impact on all who value this vital human resource. The online event will take place Monday, March 14, 2022 6:30-9:30 PM EST.
The NMC has tapped notable industry experts from these four facets of music in American life, work and society to speak of their direct experiences creating, working, and teaching at a time of global health crisis and isolation.
Leading the Music Education panel will be Dr. James Weaver, Director of Performing Arts and Sports for the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) with Chris Woodside, Executive Director of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). This panel will focus on the challenges and opportunities that were created during the past two years and where music education is heading next. The panel will feature leading music educators and administrators from around the country.
Deirdre Chadwick, Executive Director of BMI Classical and President of the BMI Foundation, will lead the Music Industry panel of prominent business leaders who observed and felt the effects on the music supply chain firsthand.
Dan Beck, now serving as Trustee of the recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund and former record label executive, will host the Live Performance panel in the context of noting the multi-billion-dollar impact on live touring professionals and related community industries.
Nina Ossoff, a multi-genre and multi-platinum professional songwriter, will lead the Music Creators panel as they discuss how the pandemic impacted their creativity and livelihoods.
International music copyright attorney and NMC board chair Charlie Sanders will host the event. According to Sanders, “All of us in the music community have just come through a challenging two-year period of physical isolation from one another. During that time, even as we witnessed and
perhaps experienced illness-based tragedies, we also succeeded in finding innovative ways to continue creating, interacting, teaching and earning under some of the most difficult circumstances in music history. It now falls to us to analyze and preserve what we have learned and experienced – both the good and the bad. The National Music Council believes that establishing an archive of recollections regarding this period of struggle will be of enormous value to future generations.”
Admission is free to attend the symposium, however registration is encouraged.
Read more about the event and all panelists and register to attend by visiting this page or navigating to musiccouncil.org.
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About the National Music Council of the United States: Founded in 1940 and chartered by the 84th United States Congress in 1956, the NMC brings its support of music education beyond national borders through its participation in the International Music Council of UNESCO, representing the United States at the IMC General Assembly. The NMC acts as a clearing house for the joint opinion and decision of its members and is dedicated to strengthening the importance of music in our life and culture. Interested parties may learn more at https://www.musiccouncil.org/.
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For more than 30 years, March has been officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation.
The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. MIOSM is an opportunity for music teachers to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and the community, and to display the benefits that school music brings to students of all ages.
MIOSM and the events surrounding it are the ideal opportunities for increasing awareness of the benefits of high quality music education programs in our nation’s schools. NAfME hopes that teachers, students, and music supporters alike will find ways to join in on the celebration through creative activities and advocacy. Learn more about how NAfME works to support music education.
The National Music Council and an unprecedented coalition of performing arts organizations joined forces in 2020 to commission a study on the effects of COVID-19 on the safe return to music rehearsal and performance spaces. This Performing Arts Aerosol Study has just released updated guidelines for February 2022.
As we are excited to welcome the new year, we must reflect on the past two years and the impact they had on music. 2020 saw the shutdown of music performance, education, and a change in how we approach intellectual property in the United States and throughout the world.
July 19, 2021 — The National Music Council honored iconic a cappella group Take 6, and in an unprecedented move, presented the prestigious American Eagle Award to all music educators across America for their extraordinary service during the pandemic, at the organization’s 37th annual ceremony on Thursday, July 15 at Summer NAMM in Nashville. The honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made long-term contributions to American musical culture, to showcase the ideal of music education for all children, and to support the protection of creators’ rights both locally and internationally. This year’s ceremonies also included a special tribute to the health care community for their heroic work during the pandemic.
The most honored a cappella group in history, Take 6 has been heralded by Quincy Jones as the “Baddest vocal cats on the planet!” With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, 2 NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more, Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) continues year after year to bring extraordinary vocal performances to their worldwide audiences. Jim Ed Norman, who originally signed the group to Warner Records, presented the award, “in recognition of the group’s unique contribution to the artistry, development, and appreciation of vocal music in America, and for their pioneering work as ambassadors of American music to music students and music fans across the world.” In accepting the honor, members of the group lauded their past music teachers, and the tremendous impact they had on their lives and careers. The group then launched into their acclaimed rendition of Nat “King” Cole’s and Irving Mills “Straighten Up and Fly Right.”
The Council likewise took great pride in collectively extending the coveted American Eagle Award to all of the nation’s music educators for their outstanding efforts to “keep the music playing” during the Covid-19 pandemic. Songwriters Rick and Janis Carnes presented the award, saying “In recognition of your courageous and selfless dedication to preserving music education during the 2020-21 global health pandemic. Your determination to carry on for your students is a lesson in perseverance that will forever benefit the young musicians and creators you served, and inspire every future generation of music educators. The two then performed a musical tribute to the teachers with a new song written for the occasion. Nashville music educator Franklin Willis accepted the award on behalf of nation’s music teachers, with representative teachers from each state joining via Zoom. Music teachers across the country can download a personalized and printable certificate of the honor at www.musiccouncil.org.
Concluding the program was a special thank you and tribute to front line health workers, who worked tirelessly and with great sacrifice throughout the pandemic.
Songwriter Eddie Schwartz gave a video introduction, with Janis and Rick Carnes performing his “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (with a new “COVID” verse), joined by Take 6 and Franklin Willis.
The presentation also included video thank you messages to music teachers gathered last year by the NMC from diverse artists from across the country including Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Paul Shaffer, Rosanne Cash, John Rich (Big & Rich), Jim Lauderdale, Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers (Chic), Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Take 6, and the late Chick Corea – along with Country Music Television’s “Next Women of Country” Class of 2021 group Chapel Hart and up and coming singer-songwriter Paige King Johnson, all offer inspirational words throughout the video.
This year’s honorees join a “who’s – who” of musical giants whose careers and works have been previously awarded the American Eagle, including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Crystal Gale, George Clinton, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Vince Guaraldi, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Patti Smith, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café, and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation. Tickets for this event are available to the general public, and the entire ceremonies will be Livestreamed via www.NAMM.com
For more information, visit www.musiccouncil.org or contact NMC Director David Sanders at sandersd@montclair.edu.
Proceeds from the event support the National Music Council’s music education advocacy efforts.
The National Music Council
The Congressionally-chartered National Music Council is celebrating its 81st year as a forum for the free discussion of this country’s national music affairs and challenges. Founded in 1940 to act as a clearinghouse for the joint opinion and decision of its members and to work to strengthen the importance of music in our lives and culture, the Council’s initial membership of 13 has grown to almost 50 national music organizations, encompassing every important form of professional and commercial musical activity. Through the cooperative work of its member organizations, the National Music Council promotes and supports music and music education as an integral part of the curricula in the schools of our nation, and in the lives of its citizens. The Council provides for the exchange of information and coordination of efforts among its member organizations and speaks with one voice for the music community whenever an authoritative expression of opinion is desirable. www.musiccouncil.org
Franklyn Ellis accepts the award on behalf of American Music Teachers
Take 6 Performs
A survey was conducted beginning April 28, 2021 to assess the level of spread events that occurred in school-based music programs. 3,000 surveys were returned and analyzed in June 2021.
June 1, 2021 — The National Music Council will honor iconic a cappella group Take 6, and pay tribute to music educators across America for their extraordinary service during the pandemic, at the organization’s 37th annual American Eagle Awards on Thursday, July 15, 2021 at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville. The honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made long-term contributions to American musical culture, to showcase the ideal of music education for all children, and to support the protection of creators’ rights both locally and internationally.
The most honored a cappella group in history, Take 6 has been heralded by Quincy Jones as the “Baddest vocal cats on the planet!” With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, 2 NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more, Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) continues year after year to bring extraordinary vocal performances to their worldwide audiences. Take 6 has adeptly crossed almost every musical genre, from straight-ahead jazz to pop, R&B, doo wop and blues. Like a finely-tuned vocal orchestra, the group continues to push the boundaries of creativity and musical genius with every new release, demonstrating excellence for new generations of musicians and fans.
The Council likewise takes great pride in collectively extending the coveted American Eagle Award to all of the nation’s music educators for their heroic efforts to “keep the music playing” during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We wanted to do something special for the music teachers and administrators who have worked tirelessly in our schools and in private studios across the nation for our children under the most challenging of circumstances over the past year.” said NMC director Dr. David Sanders. “We want to let music teachers know that their efforts really do make an enormous, positive difference in the lives of students, especially in times of a crisis.” A representative music educator from each state will participate virtually in the ceremonies.
In 2020-21, the National Music Council brought diverse artists from across the country to produce a series of video messages thanking music educators and administrators for their continuing perseverance during these challenging times. Many of America’s greatest artists and songwriters participated, including Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Paul Shaffer, Rosanne Cash, John Rich (Big & Rich), Jim Lauderdale, Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers (Chic), Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Take 6, and the late Chick Corea – along with Country Music Television’s “Next Women of Country” Class of 2021 group Chapel Hart and up and coming singer-songwriter Paige King Johnson, all offer inspirational words throughout the video. They join us in congratulating our music teachers at this year’s American Eagle Awards.
This year’s honorees will join a “who’s – who” of musical giants whose careers and works have been previously awarded the American Eagle, including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Crystal Gale, George Clinton, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Vince Guaraldi, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Patti Smith, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café, and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation. Tickets for this event are available to the general public, and the entire ceremonies will be Livestreamed via www.NAMM.com
For more information on schedule, location details, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.musiccouncil.org or contact NMC Director David Sanders at sandersd@montclair.edu.
Proceeds from the event support the National Music Council’s music education advocacy efforts.
The National Music Council
The Congressionally-chartered National Music Council is celebrating its 81st year as a forum for the free discussion of this country’s national music affairs and challenges. Founded in 1940 to act as a clearinghouse for the joint opinion and decision of its members and to work to strengthen the importance of music in our lives and culture, the Council’s initial membership of 13 has grown to almost 50 national music organizations, encompassing every important form of professional and commercial musical activity. Through the cooperative work of its member organizations, the National Music Council promotes and supports music and music education as an integral part of the curricula in the schools of our nation, and in the lives of its citizens. The Council provides for the exchange of information and coordination of efforts among its member organizations and speaks with one voice for the music community whenever an authoritative expression of opinion is desirable. www.musiccouncil.org
NAMM
The Summer NAMM Show is the mid-year global gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) and its many member companies, representing the global music products industry, including music instruments and pro audio products, music retailers and educators and house of worship professionals. The awards are presented with support from The NAMM Foundation, a non-profit which works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan through scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.