Music education vital to Iowa City schools

Music is the mathematical genius of millennia of melodic and rhythmic evolution.

It's a common language to communicate emotion, values and mutual understanding. It's the creative expressions of history, cultures, philosophies and metaphysical exploration.

Music is storytelling and music education is the vehicle that allows societies to communicate the story of music to our children.

At the center of everyday life, music helps shape our lives. The athlete jams the headphones to motivate for the big game. The scientist listens to jazz to clear the mind for new ideas to form. The philosopher dials up a Bach concerto for inspiration. The dancer expresses movement in harmony with song. The mathematician learned the violin at a very young age and still loves to play.

English, math, physics, language, philosophy, sports, art, dance, chemistry and history are paramount to education. Let's not forget; music is the language that binds these disciplines together.

As a parent, community member and musician, I avidly support everyone joining in the chorus to express concern that music education is threatened by budget cuts in the Iowa City Community School District.

It is critically important to preserve current levels of access to music education, especially for children whose parents can't afford private lessons.

Our job as citizens is to let the ICCSD board and administration members know that any cuts to music programs in our public school system are unacceptable.

Chad Slater-Scott

Iowa City