MAKING MUSIC

EDITOR: Two weekends ago, I heard a great concert of the American

Philharmonic with the Mariachi group, Solde Mexico, performing for free in

Julliard Park. Last Friday, the Baroque Sinfonia performed superbly under the

baton of Nick Xenelis.

In both orchestras, there were students who learned their musical skills while

going through Santa Rosa City Schools.

In the past, there was support for musical education in our schools. Now there

is little of this support, and our community will suffer for this in the

future.

The small elementary schools outside of the Santa Rosa City Schools still have

musical education; however, in Santa Rosa, our Board of Education can spend a

half million dollars on exploring a teacher housing project but has little

money for elementary musical education.

I hope that our community and our representatives on the school board will

reinstate musical education in the elementary schools. Children cannot live by

test scores alone and do not thrive in an educational environment devoid of

music. The arts enrich our lives, speak to us of the meaning of life and make

our community a better place to live.

PATRICK TAYLOR

Santa Rosa