Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

A student musician, one of the students = in the=20 "Pick up the Baton" lesson led by Jeff and Steve Chambers of = Pioneer,=20 plays during a recital in a music performance at Faith Lutheran = Church in=20 Pioneer.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch

Amador County student Kellsey Long, 15, = performs=20 during the Amador Save the Music Fund's inaugural "Save the Music = Concert"=20 fund-raiser in June.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch

Over the Edge, featuring Adam = Gottstein,=20 guitarist and vocalist, and Dave Holob, electric violinist and = vocalist,=20 perform at "Save the Music Concert."

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch
Lynnette Lipp, who taught = for 30 years in=20 the Los Angeles Unified School District, remembers using music to help = teach her=20 students English.

Most of those years, Lipp taught elementary = school, but=20 for a slice of that time she taught English language learners, then = referred to=20 as ESL (English as a Second Language) students. "They loved it," she = said of=20 having music in the classroom. She also took them on field trips to = symphonies=20 and other music-related events to help enrich their education and expose = them to=20 various types of music.

Because of dire cuts in education, = funding such=20 events is not as easy for teachers and districts these days, said Lipp, = now=20 retired. This, coupled with her passion to keep music programs in the = schools,=20 is the reason she helps run the nonprofit Amador Student Music Fund with = co-founder Michael Smith.

Members of ASMF, an umbrella of the = Amador=20 Community Foundation, are dedicated to raising money for music programs = and=20 opportunities for public and private schools and homeschool programs = throughout=20 the county. ASMF also helps underprivileged students rent musical = instruments so=20 that they may participate in band programs.

Those who wish to = contribute=20 to the foundation may sign up to contribute $5 a month via Lipp's = "$5-a-month"=20 club. "If they can't pay it each month, I don't go after them," Lipp = said,=20 adding that the donation program is very flexible. Donors may also pay = in=20 six-month or one-year lump sums, she said. "The main thing is, if they = want to=20 see music in the schools, every penny helps."

Last month, ASMF = awarded=20 its first grant, which went to the Amador County Unified School District = for use=20 by the music/band teacher Chris Tootle, "in the form of the purchase of = a very=20 upscale, highly accurate hand-held recording device," Lipp = stated.

The=20 recording device, technically an H4 Zoom Handy Recorder, was given to = the school=20 district for use in the instrumental classes, according to the ASMF Web = site.=20

Tootle is quoted on the Web site saying that as a music = educator, he is=20 able to "use the H4 to record concerts into MP3 or audio format and then = burn=20 them to disc for fund-raising or just personal archives. The H4 can also = be used=20 to record student auditions for area honor bands - very useful!" He has = already=20 used the H4 to record rehearsals and as "instant playback to the = ensemble so=20 that students can immediately critique their own performance. (It's) = great for=20 standards-based learning."

Lipp said that the recording device is = a great=20 learning tool for student musicians. Tootle, she added, can record = individual=20 student musicians playing. These students, she said, can use these CDs = in=20 college applications.

This month, Lipp will be applying for = several=20 grants to help fund music in the schools.

Lipp recently sent out = a press=20 release stating the needs for various grade levels throughout the = county.=20 Kindergarten through second-grade classes need CD players, CDs to sing = along=20 with, song books, classroom rhythm instruments and more, the release = states.=20 Third- through fifth-graders are in need of song books, recorder music = books,=20 and more.

"Your gift of any amount at all will help us to provide = these=20 'extras,' especially those normally provided by the school districts, = whose=20 budget woes are headlines these days," Lipp stated in the release. "The = state=20 has made so many cuts, the schools cannot even use certain funds they = used to=20 use to provide any and all of the above."

ASMF is also seeking = new or=20 used (but playable) instruments. "Please contact us and we will be glad = to see=20 that a child has use of your old instrument," she said. For more = information,=20 call 296-4754.

Lipp also said that people may donate any CDs, = used or=20 new, that would work in a rhythms lesson in a classroom. Recordings of = classical=20 symphony music are most needed. Other items needed for donations are CD = players,=20 pianos and electric keyboards.

Music is good for students, she=20 said.

"It gives kids great self-esteem," Lipp said, adding that = music=20 isn't for "geeks and nerds" anymore. Student musicians also get the = chance play=20 as an ensemble, where they have to listen to others. "Studies show that=20 analytical and math skills increase greatly when students study=20 music."

One of Lipp's goals is to raise enough money for teachers = in the=20 county to be able to take their students to symphonies in Sacramento. =

"I=20 saw my first ballet when I was 4 years old and I never forgot it," she = said.=20 Being exposed to music at an early age "can lead students toward a love = of=20 music.

"And if they want to take lessons, that's what we want to = do -=20 help them."

For more information on donating, or for general = information=20 about ASMF, visit www.amadormusicfund.org, call 296-4754, or e-mail=20 asmfund@gmail.com. Click on "Music Happenings" on the ASMF Web site to = view=20 upcoming music concerts and events in the county.

Bethany A. = Monk