Keep Music Alive

A little back story on myself... I graduated from SUNY Oneonta in May 2010 with my BA in Music Industry.  I initially went to college with no specific major in mind.  I enjoyed the freedom and the social life more than my studies.  As my junior year was approaching my parents sat me down and told me that it's time I finally declare a major if I want to be out of school within the 4 years.  I talked to friends on campus, looked at my options of different majors to "declare" and finally decided that if I wanted a 4 year degree within 2 years, the only major that would make that possible would be Music Industry.

Having both of my parents as music teachers throughout my ENTIRE year of schooling was a big helping factor in the decision.  I never enjoyed playing music or performing it so at first I was very skeptical to choosing this major.  As I got into the major I found that I really enjoyed the curriculum they had set out mostly because we had a huge array of classes we could pick from to gain our credits.  I found that I became really close to some kids in my classes and to some of my teachers.

I was recently informed that due to recent cuts SUNY Oneonta will no longer be offering about 11 Music Industry classes.  Initially, I was pretty taken back by this news.  To me one of the things SUNY Oneonta is known for is their kick ass Music Industry program and as a graduate of that program I can attest that the program really is awesome.  I think the program is so awesome because the amount of classes that are offered leave room for every single person to take classes that they are interested in, not just classes that fulfill a credit.  For me, not being a performer I was still able to get the most out of my major and I was able to go to performances to watch my fellow classmates who do like to perform, play their hearts out!

The classes listed to be cut are:

More Music for Listeners

Jazz Improvisation

Music Cultures of the World

Performance Practice Workshop

Music Ensemble: Jazz Small Group

Music Ensemble: R&B Band

Music Ensemble: Guitar Orchestra

Music Ensemble: Jazz Octet

Music Ensemble: World Percussion

Music Ensemble: Zappa Band

Music Ensemble: Funk Band

Not only are these classes and ensembles great classes that they are deciding to cut, but music is huge outside of the class room on campus and in the town of Oneonta.  Bands are performing constantly on campus and at events; Battle of the bands, the fashion shows, and the Jazz festival to name a couple.  As for downtown, a majority of the downtown scene is filled with open mic nights or class bands that are performing for crowded bars.  Music is a HUGE part of Oneonta as a whole.

Since receiving the news about the cuts, I'm embarrassed because I helped an incoming freshmen of 2012 pick Oneonta over the other colleges so got into because I was bragging about the music program.  Now she is there and she is going to be right in the middle of all of this chaos as classes are cut.  She's not going to be able to experience the entire music program like we were when we were in school.

The other thing that really blows my mind about these cuts is all the new work they did in the Music Department's building.  My senior year they were building all these additions onto the building.  After I graduated and the work was finished the Music Industry majors finally had their own theater and sound proof practice rooms - we never had ANY of that while I was there we had to "share" the stage with the theater majors and there was NOTHING silent about our practice rooms we had.  So after putting all of this money into a new music building they decide to start cutting classes from the curriculum?  I don't get it.

Thanks to social media the news of these cuts spread like wild fire.  I know myself and others within the major wrote letters to the provost and the president sharing our overall disgust for their decision to cut these classes from the major.

People have even started a petition to stop the cuts.
If you haven't signed this petition already or want to help out, sign it!  

We all need to help keep music alive!  Do your part!