One of the greatest perks about being a journalism student at Hofstra University is the ability to go out and experience the field for yourself. The classes we take and the professors we learn from give us opportunities to develop through hands-on assignments.
As part of my Advanced News Writing and Reporting class, I’m required to cover a beat. I chose to do not-for-profit organizations, since they are very close to my heart. Our first task was to cover an event. With an awesome one just weeks away, I snagged a spot on the press list and found myself up-close and personal with fellow nonprofit enthusiasts.
A Rock Showcase event to benefit scholarship programs for The Music Conservatory of Westchester was held on March 5 at Webster Hall and hosted by thecheappop.com. $250 of the night’s profit went to the school.
The event, which was hosted by Director of Communications for the Conservatory (and founder of the website) Jon Chattman, featured bands Deluka, New Collisions, The Zoobombs, The Almighty Terribles, and J. Aims and the Milk Bottles.
The Music Conservatory, established in 1929, is a not-for-profit community music school located in White Plains, NY. It serves more than 3,500 students of all different ages and skill levels annually from 100 different communities, five countries, and 30 nationalities. Because of this, they are known as the “United Nations of Music.”
“The appeal of doing a show in New York was to spread the word beyond our doors,” said Chattman. “It helps promote the message of our school and what we do here as well as denotes that we’re so much more than just a music school.”
The crowd of about 200 that filled the venue mirrored that of the Conservatory’s student body. Due to the age restriction, people ranging from their early 20’s to late 40’s strolled in. Some were music lovers, others simply supporters of the school. But not all concert-goers knew about the Conservatory and were surprised to hear that the performance was benefiting it.
Lexi Robbins, 28, was among them. She didn’t know about the school but was happy to hear that a portion of the $12 she paid to get into the show would be benefiting it.
“[Music education] is extremely important,” she said. “It gives children an outlet for artistic expression and allows them to filter excess energy into a good cause. It needs more funding.”
Unfortunately, lead singer and guitar player Don Matsuo of Tokyo’s The Zoobombs did not agree.
“To me, music and education are very far apart,” he said.
He believed that a love for music could be found in such bands as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, not necessarily a classroom.
Dave Cahill, 27, lead singer and guitar player of The Almighty Terribles felt the opposite.
“In the town I live in, they just cut the music program because of a funding issue and there was a big petition in town to reinstate that class and rework it,” he said. “What they do instead is put them in study halls and all they do is joke around. So why not get an instructor in there to do a music class instead?”
Although the band had not heard of the Conservatory when they were first asked to perform, they’ve done plenty of non-profit work in the past and, after doing a bit of research on the school, were enthusiastic about helping.
“Paper has no value,” said Cahill. “If you can get a bunch of people out here to raise concern about a good cause, that’s more valuable than any dollar.”
Fellow band mates Nathan Powell, 26, and Ryan Decker, 31, also encourage music education and the goal of The Music Conservatory of Westchester.
“Music is the universal language,” said bass player Powell. “Everyone can relate to it.”
Decker, drum player, considered the current economy and explained why it was important to help fund a school like the Conservatory.
“It’s tough for parents in this day-in-age to drop $40 an hour on a lesson,” he said.
Having a not-for-profit music school is a way to get students involved with music and to do something they love without having to worry about paying to learn.
Chattman, who said the event was equally as successful as past events, hopes to gain a few students as a result.
“I’m very pleased with the event,” he said. “I think it raised awareness about The Conservatory and provided a night of amazing rock.”
For more information about The Music Conservatory of Westchester, to get involved, or to join, you can visit their site, www.musicconservatory.com.