My heart goes out to all of those affected by Hurricane Helene. If you have been impacted and there is anything I can do to be of assistance, please feel free to reach out.
For the past three weeks, I have been (re)thinking and writing about music education and its fiscal viability. The urgency of this issue has been weighing heavily on my mind. I started at the micro-level, comparing collegiate NILmonies and high school music musicians. Next, I zoomed out and considered how investing in individual programs might yield long-term growth. Finally, I looked at how we might view funding our industry as a solution for cancer, global warming, disease, and other national problems. For the final installment, I am going to explore...
Wait! Before I do that, let me first share a secret of mine. It's nothing Earth-shattering, but you might find it amusing.
Every six months or so, I email Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple.
I try a different tactic each time, but the ask is generally the same: "Tim, let me show you how, together, we can change the world for the better."
Below is what I sent him today.
Dear Mr. Cook,
My name is Scott Lang, and I have been passionately involved in music education for over three decades.
As someone who has experienced the profound value of being in a band, you understand music's transformational impact on a young person; however, you may not see the depth of the need for music education and the incredible scope of its impact on our schools and communities.
So, I have a proposition for you.
Give me just three minutes of your time, and I will show you how we can make a significant difference in our schools and, ultimately, our country. With 30 years of experience, a proven track record of success, and a clear, actionable plan, I am confident we can create lasting change.
If nothing else, I promise you will find the three minutes well spent and intriguing as I share a unique perspective on our (already highly successful) public education system.
Sincerely,
Scott Lang
Music Education Advocate & Apple Aficionado
Full disclosure - I am an avid Apple fan. I always have been and likely always will be. Setting that aside, unlike his predecessor, Steve Jobs, I have always found Tim Cook to be an even-keeled, thoughtful, and insightful leader. I deeply admire how he treats people, and his philanthropic work is above reproach as a person and steward of Apple's corporate charitable work. Each year, Mr. Cook gives tens of millions of dollars to over a dozen charities, including the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation (RPAF), which provides inner-city youth across New York City with significant exposure to the arts. He even donated $100,000 worth of equipment to his high school alma mater, the Robertsdale High School's band program. The donation helped the school purchase over a dozen new instruments that were high-dollar items.
But that's not all.
Cook, 63, who took over as Apple's chief executive in 2011, told Fortune magazine that he planned to donate all of his wealth ($2.2 billion) to charity after providing for his 10-year-old nephew's education. Tim, who has spoken publicly about the importance of giving, hasn't specified which causes he would support but stated that he had already begun donating money quietly.
I know the chances of him responding are between slim and none, but much like a lottery ticket, I hold out a sliver of hope that one day he will appear in my inbox.
And if he did? This is what I would say:
Tim, I would like you to use a tiny sliver of your wealth to change the lives of 54 million school-aged children. I have a systematized plan to bring awareness to the issue, increase access, and ensure high-quality experiences for every student in America. I won't take a salary to implement it.
I won't bore you with all of the details, but the end goal is to increase awareness and access for all young people to the transformational power of music in our schools.
Oh, yeah, I don't want you to be quiet about it. Please tell the world what we are doing.
Why are all the successful music program graduates (like Tim Cook) giving money to everything but music education?
All across this country are successful CEOs, board members, and rock stars, literal and figurative, who owe a portion of their success to this incredible activity but do not see it in a charitable light. There are likely a million millionaires (I'm not exaggerating) who once participated in a public school music program, and music education lacks a voice and someone willing to put their money where their mouth is.
Why? Have we not:
Made the ask?
Demonstrated a need?
Showed them a plan?
Offered potential impact numbers and possible outcomes?
Asked for their expertise and input?
If not, then the failure is on us. Let's try this again:
Mr. Cook, you have already demonstrated an interest in funding arts education, and you know the impact that music can have. So, be it lack of access, a compelling message, or a complete plan, I suspect the fault of not having your voice in this vital space during these critical times lies squarely on our shoulders. Let me apologize for that.
So, do you wanna help?
Before you give me an answer - consider this.
You are influential; others would follow if you took up our cause. But Tim, we don't need thousands of donors. We need one. We need you! Your support could make a monumental difference, impacting tens of millions of children, and you would be the only one in that space. YOU would be the hero to millions of kids. YOU would be impacting schools and communities. YOU would be making the world better in a demonstrable way. I know you don't want to be the hero - but music education needs a hero, so why not YOU?
So what do you think? Have you got three minutes? It will be interesting.
My iPhone is on - (480) 577-5264.
Thanks Tim, I appreciate you! Can I call you Tim?
Do you think I hear back?
Have a great week, everyone.
Scott
p.s. As the creator of Project Imagine, which delivers free high-qualitycommissioned works to hard-working teachers and their students, I am proud to announce that our latest offering, In Your Wildest Dreams, by composer Tyler S. Grant, is available starting this morning. This orchestral offering is now available to all who request it via a FREE PDF download. Click the button below to get your copy - or get it as a gift for your string colleague.