(We do it well! Hazing in the news this past year may have put a dark cloud over the overall band culture, and has caused schools to re-look practices, but it doesn't change the accomplishments HBCUs have made and continue to make in music. This excerpt from a Chicago Now blog was published last week):
... Historically Black Colleges and Universities excel in teaching music
and music theory. They do have bands that play today’s music. They do
have teachers who concentrate on creating musical geniuses. They do
focus on recruiting teenagers from high schools that have a strong band
and music programs. Many of the graduates and individuals who have
attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities are successful
music executives and musicians today. Sean”P Diddy” Combs, Erykah Badu,
Common, Yolanda Adams and Reuben Studdard just to name a few. Notice
that difference in the musical acumen of each of artists. P Diddy is
arguably one of the greatest to have ever promoted music. Erykah Badu
has been compared to Billy Holiday for her unique voice and her music
style. Common is one of the greatest lyricists in Hip Hop. Yolanda Adams
is responsible for the re-birth of Gospel Music scene. Finally, Reuben
Studdard has one of the greatest singing voices of all time that of
which is comparable to Luther Vandross.
Yet if it wasn’t for the ability of the Historically Black Colleges
and Universities to open the glass ceiling of musical creativity we may
not even have had the opportunity to accept their pool of genius into
our lives. ...
If you would like to read the full blog by D.J. Fink that talks about why it's important not to let the arts take a back seat to XBOX, starting as early as elementary school, visit http://www.chicagonow.com/real-music/2012/08/we-have-to-find-a-way-to-keep-music-in-all-levels-of-the-school-systems-unfortunately-that-will-still-not-fix-the-problem/
