Phila. students attend White House music program

Taking a musical journey to the White House, 15 Philadelphia public school students got some lessons yesterday in the ways of country music from some of its top performers.

The students from middle and high schools were among 120 from around the country who heard performances and lectures by country stars Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss as well as Krauss' band, Union Station.

"I really liked the program. I learned a lot about country music," said Veronique Myers, 16, a junior at Central High School.

"I don't really listen to country," said Myers, who said she normally listens to hip-hop and R&B. "It was really interesting what they played for us."

Dennis Creedon, director of arts education for the Philadelphia schools, hailed the White House visit and the music program as enlightening for the students.

They arrived by charter bus and were ushered into the formal State Dining Room, where they listened to the performances and talked to the artists. While Michelle Obama organized it, neither she nor the president was able to attend. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan introduced the program.

"Alison Krauss spoke directly about how she began her career studying classical music and then transitioned into country and bluegrass because she was having fun with it," Creedon said.

Myers said she especially liked hearing that Krauss, who has won Grammys and Country Music Association awards and whose latest album is Essential Alison Krauss, also gets nervous when she performs.

"I could relate to that," Myers said. "When I play, I get nervous, too."

Paisley is a Grammy-winning artist from West Virginia whose latest album is American Saturday Night.

Moira Mack, a White House spokesman, said yesterday's music program was one in a series devoted to students. The Obamas are encouraging musicians who perform at the White House to participate in educational programs for children, Mack said.

The Philadelphia students were selected to attend the White House program by the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in public schools. They are participating in the WorkReady Philadelphia Summer Music Program at Benjamin Franklin High School.

Creedon said the foundation had donated $300,000 per year to the district for the last five years for the purchase of new musical instruments. The money has been used to buy more than 2,000 instruments for students, he said.

Creedon said there are instrumental-music programs in 150 of Philadelphia's 267 public schools.

He said about half of the schools have music programs, and half have art programs, noting that the numbers have been improved significantly in recent years. Whether music or art is offered is decided by the school principal and committees.

The school district will add 50 art teachers and 38 music teachers in September for a total of 530, the highest number in 10 years, Creedon said. The district is looking to hire 10 additional vocal-arts teachers.

Andrew Lawson, 17, a senior at Girard Academic Music Program High School who plays tenor and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet, said he appreciated hearing the artists talk about their music.

"The experience was great because they are professional singers and musicians," Lawson said. "Anything you can learn from somebody that does that for a living, that's a good thing."

Lawson, who focuses his instrumental work on jazz and who wants to do vocal work in classical and opera, said he was impressed by Krauss' remarks.

"Alison Krauss talked about learning to accept your voice and working with it," Andrew said. "I want to sing and play."