About the Purdue University Bands & Orchestras
“Roy A. Johnson Partners in Music Education”
During the fall of 1999, Purdue University Bands & Orchestras launched “Partners in Music Education” as a pilot program. Its purpose was to establish a true partnership between Purdue University Bands & Orchestras and Indiana high school instrumental music programs involving all facets of performance, from symphony orchestras, jazz and concert bands, to athletic pep bands.
At a minimum, Purdue University Bands & Orchestras “partners” one of its athletic pep bands with the host school for a high school boys/girls basketball game and also “partners” a concert ensemble. The “partner school” concert ensemble is expected to travel once during the school year to the Purdue campus for a day of clinics and “side by side’ rehearsals with Purdue students and faculty, followed by a performance by that same Purdue concert ensemble at the host school. Other optional clinic and performance opportunities are available in the partnership.
The resulting message of the “partnership” is a reminder to everyone that high school graduation need not be an end, but rather a bridge to new opportunities for exciting and rewarding lifelong musical experiences; whether in the local community, or on any college campus, including Purdue University!
And since there is no School of Music at Purdue University, the Purdue band and orchestra students are the “living examples” of high school graduates who made the choice to continue participating in music and are experiencing the joy and friendships inherent in the performing arts!
For more details, visit us online at:
www.PURDUE.EDU/BANDS