The month of March is Music in Our Schools Month.

For 40 years, March has been officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools and communities across the nation. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children—and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music.

Knoxville has successful musical programs between their choir and band programs. The band program has had three division one ratings in a row at their state contests for marching, and there is also color guard and the drumline included. Throughout the year, there is concert band, jazz band, and pep band, along with students who prepare for solo small group ensemble contests and large group contests. For choir, Knoxville High School offers concert choir, which has grown significantly in number in the last few years, and a chamber choir, which is an audition group that consists of roughly 20 members. The high school also just recently wrapped up their spring musical. Knoxville Activities Director Ryan Paulsen encourages the community to come support the musical talent in Knoxville on display. 

“Just the facility that our kids get to perform these concerts in, KPAC is just an elite facility for any high school regardless of size and anytime you have community members come out and watching and supporting our kids, our kids notice that and they really appreciate it. It’s really great when the community comes out and let’s these kids perform and lets them display their passion in front of an audience and we are really thankful for that.”

Hear more about Music in our Schools Month from Paulsen on Monday’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.