And the beat goes on! The Lopez School Music Advocacy Foundation (LSMAF) is doing its part to keep music alive in the schools by bringing professional musicians into the classroom to expose kids to all genres of music and stimulate an interest in life-long musicianship. LSMAF was founded to provide long term financial assistance to enhance the school music program.
Founder Dean Jacobsen says, “I hope to use the professionals’ enthusiasm for their craft to help expose students to the benefits of structured long-term skills development.” Jacobsen hosts the website LiveMusicOnLopez.com, which is devoted to bringing talent to the island for in-classroom presentations and fundraising gigs for the Foundation.
On March 28, in-school presentations and clinics with the Clarence Acox Quintet of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra Education Program will be followed by a New Orleans-style dinner and show at the Galley. “These guys are awesome and I think the students will get a lot out of their visit,” said Jacobsen. All the proceeds from the dinner shows benefits LSMAF. “I am indebted to Jeff Nichols at the Galley restaurant for giving us a venue to raise funds to support the school presentations,” said Jacobsen.
In addition to the school visits, Jacobsen has arranged concerts on Lopez that benefit the foundation. On Friday, April 25, the Randy Oxford Band will appear at the Galley to start off the Tour de Lopez Festivities, entertain the lunch crowd in the village on Saturday after the bike tour and then present their “Memphis to Motown” show at a dance at the Lopez Community Center that evening.
Other gigs being hosted by LiveMusicOnLopez are the Overton Berry Trio over the Fourth of July holiday, Becki Sue and her Big Rockin’ Daddies and The Rock the Rock Mini Blues Festival in August.
Later this summer, LSMAF and the Lopez Island Family Resource Center will sponsor a music camp July 14 to 18.
To view slide shows about the in-school programs, more information on the artists and upcoming events go to livemusiconlopez.com.
