Music Authority Family Newsletter - March 26, 2024

Martha Berry, founder of Berry College in Rome, Georgia, started her career as an educator teaching poor mountain children. These children were academically able, but finances prevented them from attending school. Her school proved to be successful and soon, she was unable to support the school financially by herself. So she went to her father's friends, and their friends, and their friends, steadily building a financial support system of donors.

One day, she was given the opportunity to talk to Henry Ford, the car manufacturer from Michigan. He listened to her story about her school and her children, and gave her the only money he had on him at the time - a single dime.

Miss Berry invested that dime in peanut seeds that her students would turn into a crop. Once harvested, the crop earned enough money to buy a grand piano. Mr. Ford was so impressed with Miss Berry's resourcefulness that he would become a donor to the school, ultimately building the Ford Complex, at a cost of over a million dollars, an impressive price tag for the mid 1920's.

So what does that have to do with Music Authority?

It's all about the seeds. Our teachers plant seeds every day. Seeds of music, courage, self-esteem, and teamwork. Your students take those seeds, care for them, water them, and harvest them. The fruit of their crop they take with them when they leave Music Authority to go out into the world - to become surgeons, attorneys, teachers, and musicians.  They change the world with the seeds we plant.

And you? You're Henry Ford. Every time you buy a guitar from us, or a drum set, or a piano, you're investing in Music Authority and in your children. You are the ones who allow us plant seeds, to build better programs, to offer activities like recitals and Spring Shows. I know we aren't the flashiest or most exciting music store around. But when you trust us with  your purchase, you know where your investment is going - to a family operated business with owners who have dedicated their lives to supporting our students and our community.

So, before you make that next purchase, I want to encourage you to consider - what are you investing in?

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

#MusicAuthorityFamily

Music Authority Family Newsletter - February 27, 2024

Being part of a band is being part of a team. The band members are going be working together for a common purpose, making music. They will struggle together, support each other, laugh together, cry together, and ultimately succeed together.

Just like in baseball, you can't play alone. You'll never be the best pitcher in baseball if you don't play a game with other players. Even great concert pianists eventually will play with an orchestra. 

Sometimes, another musician on your team will struggle. I've seen more advanced musicians throw their hands in the air and say, I'm too good for this. Better musicians will realize that there will always be challenges in a band and do their best to help the musician who is struggling.

When band mates feel like they're being supported instead of criticized, they will work harder to overcome. The band will feel closer together, which will make their music tighter and more cohesive. Then, when they go out there and play that big show, the whole band will share the feelings of accomplishment.

I can't express enough the importance of being part of the team. Be honest, but kind, with your band. If you're struggling, ask for help. If you see someone do something outstanding, compliment them. If your guitar player is having trouble getting the timing down, maybe spend some time together outside of rehearsal to help them.

I had the experience this week of the team getting a win that I'd like to share. 

One of our Showcase bands needed to come up with a set list for an upcoming gig. While we worked on the list, I realized it was mostly coming from one member and that no one else seemed to have an opinion. As an experienced musician, I realized this might be a problem later. Just as I suspected, there was some strife after rehearsal in a group text over the list.

Here is a piece of advice for bands. Don't discuss important things through text. Benign comments can feel accusatory. Tone matters. You should wait until you're together again and discuss the issue in person.

The important learning came at our next rehearsal. We sat down and discussed the situation. No one had spoke up the first week because they didn't want to hurt the feelings of the member who had put together the first list, but overall, they felt the list didn't represent the whole band. I pointed out that if you're not willing to speak up, you can't expect the rest of your band to read your mind, and that there is a kind way to express your opinion. They agreed and decided as a team to remake the list with everyone's opinions.

Was everyone perfectly happy with the final list? Not exactly. All the members of the band had to give a little. It ended up a compromise of five opinions comprised into a two hour setlist. I was proud of them. No one yelled. No one got mad and walked away. They listened to each other and came to a solution with minimal adult interjections. It was a good day to be part of that team and they'll be stronger for it.

Part of Music Authority's philosophy is to help your kids learn how to be part of that team, because even if they aren't in a band later in life, they'll be part of some team. A team at work. A recreational team at Parks and Rec. The team of being in a family. 

There's a saying at Rock Camp, you succeed as a team and you fail as a team. We laugh about the failure part because no one really fails in music. It's not a zero sum endgame with a finite number of points and a winner and a loser. We can all win in music. Why not help each other along the way?

Melissa A. Loggins, Owner

#MusicAuthorityFamily