Music in Motion, Pioneer of the Music Education Industry, Celebrates 30 Years of Supporting Music Programs in Schools
  

“Art is the great democrat, calling forth creative genius from every sector of society, disregarding race or religion or wealth or color.” John F. Kennedy

DALLAS, TEXAS Oct. 25, 2006: With funding for Arts programs in schools quickly diminishing, one company strives to keep the music alive in schools.  Dallas-based Music in Motion, a family-owned mail-order music education business, celebrates 30 years of providing quality music and movement resources to music teachers and musicians of all ages.

Founded in 1976 by music teacher Mary Ann Stewart, Music in Motion has long been recognized as a pioneer and industry leader in the field of music education. To commemorate 30 years of success and leadership in the field, Music in Motion created the “Butterfly Award”, a program which encourages schools and organizations to develop exceptional music programs which help transform the lives of children or adults who are in special need. This award was created in memory of the 15,000 children who were imprisoned during the Holocaust in Terezin, Czechoslovakia, whose spirits were kept alive by music and the arts. To find out more details, visit: http://www.musicmotion.com/content/mim/CustomPages/butterfly_award.htm

In 1974 while teaching music in Panama at Florida State University in the Canal Zone, Mary Ann Stewart began to develop music teaching aids and games for her piano students. After returning to Dallas, she began to publish her materials. At that time, very few hands-on, movement-based music games and aids were available, so interest in these products quickly spread. In the fall of 1976, she founded Music in Motion in her garage, providing a few one-of-a-kind teaching aids and games to music educators. 30 years later, Music in Motion now has over 5000 music education products, a loyal customer base of music teachers and music lovers around the world, and is recognized internationally as an innovative market leader in the field of music education.

In addition to providing practical music education resources that are not usually available through music stores (games, books, videos, ethnic and classroom instruments, software, gifts, and awards), owner Mary Ann Stewart scours the internet and music/arts industry publications to find unique and hard-to-find products that tell inspirational stories of the power of music:

●“Breaking the Silence” is a moving documentary that tells the story of Afghani musicians regaining their musical freedom after the fall of the Taliban, who prohibited all music and destroyed all instruments.

●In “The Journey of Butterfly”, the American Boychoir meets survivors of the Terezin concentration camp, and performs on location “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” This choral work, based on poems of the children in the camp, was composed in memory of the 15,000 children who perished, who had expressed their indomitable spirit through music, art and poetry.

● “Song of Survival” is a stirring documentary about women imprisoned for over 3 years by the Japanese in Sumatra, who from memory arranged orchestral and piano works of Beethoven, Chopin and others, and formed a “vocal orchestra”—a life-affirming symphony of human voices that sustained them during their ordeal.  

● “The Dancing Man” tells the story of tap legend “Peg Leg” Bates, who despite having a wooden leg, would not let his physical disability, nor racial discrimination, prevent him from becoming a world-renowned tap dancer.

According to Mrs. Stewart: “Music is essential to every child’s development— physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. Music transcends all barriers of culture, language and race.  My hope is that Music in Motion will inspire parents, teachers and students to recognize the power of music to transform lives.”

For more information or a free catalog, visit www.musicmotion.com , or call: 800 445-0649.

Press Contact:   Skyler Bentsen, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ph: 512-789-1280 or
        Jimmy Stewart, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it ph: 512-507-5794