“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community”
-Anthony J. D'Angelo
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The Music Loft is Honored
Council for the Arts of Herndon Annual Awards Ceremony
TML was awarded Program of the Year for the Play it Forward instrument donation drive. Additionally, Leanne was awarded Volunteer of the Year for her work coordinating and participating in the Herndon Festival's Hands on Art program which serviced over 2000 children.
The Herndon Connection featured the "Play it Forward" program in a newspaper article that also features Herndon area teachers.
THANK YOU to all our supporters, clients, and students for your help in making The Music Loft a Center of Excellence in Music Education, and a place to experience community!
Playing it Forward
Successful Instrument Drive “Played it Forward” for Herndon Elementary schools!
The first annual “Play it Forward” instrument donation drive was a huge success. The Council for the Arts of Herndon and The Music Loft collected 23 instruments for Herndon Area schools. The drive kicked off April 1st and concluded at the end of the month. Jimmy’s Old Town tavern was the host to a great “Play it Forward” fundraising event. Signe Friedrichs, Executive Director for CAH was on hand to support the event as well as Board President Mike O’Reilly, and Board members Grace Han Wolf, Elysa Birman and Laura Readyoff.
Raffle tickets were sold by the wingspan for the event. Jerry Irwin, professional musician donated a hand crafted wooden electric guitar to be raffled off for the event. The Music Loft staff was on hand to guest bar tend and to lend their support for the “Play it Forward” program. Local attendees said they were overwhelmed by how much the Music Loft and the Council for the Arts of Herndon care about children and music in the community. They said they had never seen that level of commitment anywhere else.
Local Businesses supported Council efforts and got involved by donating prizes for the raffles. The Great Harvest Bread Company, Friendly Computers, EmbroidMe, Mary Kay, Jimmy’s, The Music Loft, Paisano’s Pizza, and Potbelly were among the generous contributors. A total of $500 was raised for the program, in addition to the instruments. The evening was capped off by one of Herndon’s own local bands “The Franklin Project” which rocked the house with the classics like “R-O-C-K in the USA” and “Sweet Home Alabama”.One heartwarming donation was a concertina trumpet from the mid 1900s that was mailed to The Music Loft. The trumpet was donated by Lucille from North Carolina, who wrote that her father worked on a farm in Michigan, and had played trumpet in his marching band when he was young. The donor continued, “I feel confident that my father would be pleased that this instrument is being given to the “Play it Forward” program so that someone who might not otherwise have an instrument to play will now have one.”
The program concluded at the Herndon HS Pyramid concert on April 24th. The pyramid concert showcased the Herndon elementary schools’ area bands, the Herndon Middle school band and the Herndon High School band. The concert was a spectacular event.
All of the bands wowed the audience with their performances. At the Pyramid Concert, Herndon Elementary School Principal Ann Gwynn was on hand to donate one of her own flutes for the Play it Forward program. The night concluded on a high note will all of the students performing “Stars and Stripes Forever”. The Council for the Arts of Herndon and The Music Loft thank all of you for “Playing it Forward” for our future musicians.
Buckets of Fun for Herndon ES students!
Herndon Elementary School students signed up by the bucket load to take part in an 8 week after school bucket drumming program called “Percussion Works”.
The Council for the Arts of Herndon, in conjunction with the Nelson J. and Katherine Friant Post Foundation and The Music Loft of Herndon, has initiated this program to help students at Herndon Elementary school use the ARTS, specifically MUSIC, to help develop their understanding of critical math skills while encouraging musical experimentation. The program enhances academic performance in the classroom while building important interdisciplinary skills such as fine and gross motor skills, verbal and math skills and working cooperatively in a group setting.
This is part of an educational plan called STEM to STEAM. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and STEAM adds the word ART. Why is there a STEM TO STEAM movement? Because as our children grow, they will need critical math and technology skills along with creativity to solve the problems of the future. Percussion Works is one of the ways we can encourage children to understand math better, and encourage their creativity in the arts.
The percussion works program is designed to reach all learners at a universal level. Percussion is something everyone can participate in, no matter what their educational background, or skill set is. Every child can play a bucket with sticks which made the program inclusive instead of exclusive. Percussion Works provides high -caliber learning opportunities and fun for all.
The Music Loft’s owner Laura Readyoff supervised the program. Teachers Ashley Birman and Alex Ashardi used innovative teaching methods to inspire the students. One of the pieces Ms. Birman created called “Rain” simulated a rain storm by striking different parts of the buckets to create a soft rain which then rose to a crescendo of huge storm and then disappearing again.
Mr. Ashardi had the students rocking with a piece called “Bucket Rock” where the students broke out into drum stick tricks! Two of his students composed their own piece as well. The “Percussion Works” group performed at the Herndon Festival as well as the Herndon elementary school day and evening concert.
The Council for the Arts looks forward to expanding the after school program to other local Herndon area schools.
Our Awards & Honors:
Laura Readyoff receives the 2014 presidents award from The Council for the Arts of Herndon.
The Music Loft has been awarded with:
“Business of the Year 2012”
“Program of the Year 2013”
“Volunteer of the Year 2013”
“President’s Award 2014”
The Council for the Arts of Herndon
“Top 20 Afliate 2012 & 2013”
Veritas Instrument Rental
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The Music Loft sits on The Board of Directors for the Council for the Arts of Herndon.