The Peggy Johnson Foundation for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Peggy Still School of Music, Cooper Piano, and Grammy Senior Executive Director Michele Caplinger, have reached out to local schools by offering them a Music Club focusing on the music-entertainment industry and performance.

The Peggy Johnson Foundation for the Performing Arts (PJFPA) has been reaching out to local schools in the community for over 20 years, helping schools with all of their music resource needs. PJFPA has helped schools with PTA Reflections, Allstate, Governor’s Honors, concerts, contests, Career Days, finding musicians and clinicians, locating equipment and much more for these schools. PJFPA is committed to strengthening and upholding music and arts programs within the schools and local community.

In the Fall of 2010, the Peggy Johnson Foundation for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Peggy Still School of Music, Cooper Piano, and Grammy Senior Executive Director Michele Caplinger, have reached out to local schools by offering them a Music Club focusing on the music-entertainment industry and performance. Through extensive research and experience, we have found that music education for students not in chorus, band, or orchestra is a highly overlooked area in our schools. These existing clubs overlook musicians who do not or cannot participate as well as non-musicians. This club is revolutionary in that it allows non-musicians and all musicians to come together, learn, and discuss music and the entertainment industry.

Members of the club discuss various music topics that are voted by students as interesting or intriguing as well as other controversial topics that engage students intellectually, and cause students to consider various perspectives, all the while learning more about music and the industry. Topics will also range from music history, to stage production, lighting and sound, to performance techniques, networking and promotions, and various other careers in the music industry. The overall goal is to provide students with adequate knowledge about the various careers in the music industry as well as provide leadership opportunities for students and a strong sense of belonging to a club. Because this club is more discussion based than lecture based, students will have a voice which will increase their confidence and self-esteem during a time in their lives in which this is critical.

With this club, we intend to increase overall student interest in music, which in retrospect will increase student participation in other music clubs such as band, chorus, orchestra and other programs already established within the schools. The Music Club will also introduce another outlet for expression which will lower stress for students and thus lower the rate of violence and drug use in our schools.

For more information about the music club, or to find out how to get your school involved, please contact us at 404.408.5283 or info@peggyjohnsonfoundation.org.