Music Comes to the San Diego Schools

Over the last decade, schools across the nationDiego schools, Presidio Brass presents various
have experienced the loss of music. The Sancustomized programs for the different grade
Diego schools also had to replace music in manylevels that fits any educational or outreach school
of its schools with other curriculum dictated byrequirement.
the state or federal law. The San Diego schools'Glasson and his ensemble want to create
budget only stretches so far and, unfortunately,relationships with the San Diego schools students,
the arts have felt the biggest hit.not just play music for them. Within that
Frank Glasson and the Presidio Brass are changingrelationship, he hopes the children will grow to
all of that for the San Diego schools. A trumpetappreciate live music and keep it alive by
player by profession, Frank is also president ofbecoming tomorrow's supporters of live
Local 325 of the American Federation of Musiciansinstrumental music. He plans to eventually do 200
and director of Presidio Brass, a brass quintet.programs per year all over Southern California.
The veteran musician has performed with theFor kindergartners through fifth graders, Presidio
San Diego Chamber Orchestra, the San DiegoBrass introduces the brass instruments, their
Opera, and San Diego's Westwind Brass, as welldevelopment, and historical context. The quintet
as ensembles in Europe, Africa and Asia.members also give some basic musical concepts
Glasson saw that music was steadily disappearingin a fun and engaging manner.
from the San Diego schools and wanted to doFor fourth and fifth graders, the ensemble can
something about it. He believes that the constantintegrate music into the core curriculum by
influence of television, movies, computers andteaching language arts, mathematics, social
CDs could erode the senses of youth to thestudies, and science through the language of
more refined music. He enlisted the help of themusic.
other members of Presidio Brass - Ray Nowak,For middle and high schoolers, they present their
Mike McCoy, Sean Reusch, and Scott Sutherland,Residency-for-a-Day program, which exposes San
who play the trumpet, French horn, trombone,Diego schools students to the brass quintet. The
and tuba, respectively.hope is to inspire students to promote and
Working under the umbrella of the nonprofit Sancultivate their own musical abilities. Additionally,
Dieguito Performing Arts Association, Presidiothey want to give encouragement and instruction
Brass developed the "Musicate the Mind" programto those already playing instruments, knowing that
for the San Diego schools. Musicate is ansuch support is crucial.
educational and musical outreach program,For high schools, Presidio Brass gives master
developed specifically to fill the musical void in theclasses and concerts for their school orchestras
schools. With Glasson's wife Robyn coordinatingand bands.
the events and developing contracts with the San