YARMOUTH PORT, MA -- February 5, 2009The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra (CCSO) has signed an exclusive agreement with Tall Timbers Publishing Corporation of British Columbia, Canada, to implement The Brummitt-Taylor Music Listening Program: A Non-Directed Approach in Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket school systems for students K-6 as an integral part of its MusicWorks! Education Programs. MusicWorks! Everyday will be free to public schools in the region. Private schools are asked to pay a nominal fee.

At a time when many education budgets are shrinking, this is a unique opportunity for students in participating schools to listen to classical music of all kinds and form different eras for five minutes at the beginning of the school day, five days a week, for five years. An emphasis on repeated listening to the same composition enables students to gain familiarity with some of the world's greatest music and learn about composers, historical setting and classical art form while improving their listening skills. And since the music has a calming effect, they also learn to sit still for longer periods of time and remain better focused in the classroom environment.

“We are very excited about our ability to provide this program Cape-wide, which we have entitled MusicWorks! Everyday,” said CCSO Executive Director Jerome Karter. “We first saw it in action at the Peebles Elementary School in Bourne and immediately recognized its potential for the schools in our region.”

“The beauty of the program is that it’s designed to reach all children, not just music students,” commented George Scharr, CCSO Director of Education. “It follows a non-directed, non-prescriptive approach which encourages each child to engage with the music in a way that is uniquely personal for him or her. After a few months, many students are able to remember the names of composers, and some even come to recognize the music of particular composers. Plus, teachers and administrators find that the materials are very easy to use. It’s really a turnkey program.”

Scharr also notes that MusicWorks! Everyday integrates extremely well with other CCSO educational offerings including Composing Kids, In-School Ensembles and the annual spring Young People’s Concert, all of which feature composers and compositions students have heard in their daily listening experience—providing a classical music foundation. The CCSO intends to provide the same level of program integration for Cape Cod schools who already have implemented the program under a prior separate agreement.

Incorporating the proven Brummit-Taylor curriculum—which has been successfully implemented in a variety of school settings in the United States and Canada and enthusiastically received by students, teachers, administrators, and parents alike—MusicWorks! Everyday is available to all public and private elementary schools on Cape Cod and the islands and made possible in part through a donation from a generous CCSO supporter.

Program highlights:

· A comprehensive resource book is provided for teachers and administrators with a list of 131 musical selections organized by composer, daily scripts for each musical selection, learning outcomes, steps for successful implementation, extension activities, reference materials, and a set of NAXOS CDs containing all musical selections.

· Taking five minutes at the start of the school day and played over a school’s PA system, the program features the same composer and composition each day for one week and runs from September through June. Materials cover a period of five years, and can be adapted to suit individual school requirements.

· Sign-up begins February, 2009 with program implementation slated for September, 2009.

Schools interested in taking advantage of this unique opportunity to broaden their students’ music listening horizons are encouraged to contact the CCSO immediately for complete details about the program and its many benefits.

CCSO Contacts:

Jerome Karter

Executive Director

508-362-1185, ext. 103

jkarter@capesymphony.org

George Scharr

Director of Education

508-362-1185, ext. 102

gshcarr@capesymphony.org

About the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra

The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra is one of the largest professional orchestras in Massachusetts. With a reputation for blending innovation with accessibility, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra combines a polished, professional standing ensemble with world-class soloists and featured artists in compelling programs that have entertained and inspired both Cape Cod residents and vacationers for nearly 50 years. For additional information, visit www.capesymphony.org

The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra holds all its performances at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Hyannis is centrally located, near the following towns and villages: Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Buzzards Bay, Centerville, Chatham, Cotuit, Craigville, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Harwich Port, Hyannis, Hyannisport, Marstons Mills, Mashpee, Orleans, Osterville, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, Woods Hole, Yarmouth, and Yarmouthport

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