About the boosters
Williamsville Music Boosters Inc is a non-profit organization of enthusiastic parents and teachers dedicated to the promotion, support and enrichment of the instructional music programs within the Williamsville Central School District.
The objectives of the Music Boosters are to stimulate an appreciation and interest in the district music programs and to provide musical enrichment and enhancement opportunities that go beyond the classroom.
To find out more about the Music Boosters stop by the information table at any district wide school concert or call 626-8040 weekdays.
Click Here for Forms and Membership Applications.
Williamsville Music Boosters holds numerous fund raising and music-enrichment events throughout the year and strives to add new and different events each year. Booster events in the past have included:
Creating a “Crescendo Club” for those individuals wanting to show their support of Boosters via voluntary donations to the organization. In addition, membership in Boosters also supports the organization; members have the option to provide Boosters with their email address in order to receive monthly updates about music events in the district
Hosting performances by world renowned musical ensembles including the Count Basie Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band, Chuck Mangione and the Chuck Mangione Quartet, Ed Shaughnessy and the Tonight Show All-Stars, Spyro Gyra, Rockapella and the River City Brass Band.
Selling Music Booster bumper stickers, unique Booster-member-recipe cookbooks and Booster ‘support music’ key rings as well as vouchers/coupons for local eateries
Thanks to the various fund raising events, community-wide public relations endeavors and musically-oriented creative ideas, the Boosters group is able to provide the following:
Support for special music-enrichment projects for students in the district, such as the commissioning of new music works by distinguished composers, the hosting of renowned guest conductors and clinicians who work directly with music students, and the sponsoring of other music events that go beyond the student’s classroom experience
Sponsorship of college scholarships for district students pursuing college music programs after high school graduation
Sponsorship of the Williamsville Summer Music Program
Advocacy
Studies and Statistics
Cortical organization in attention, skill, anxiety management and emotional control accelerate the more a child trains on an instrument.
University of Vermont College of Medicine / Washington Post 2015
Music Education Aids Cognitive Development ... brain scans show that music students had more-developed auditory pathways than their peers ... these pathways had an impact on students' academic progress as well as their musical abilities. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience 2016
Students with coursework/experience in music performance scored 53 points higher on the verbal portion of the SAT and 43 points higher on the math portion than students with no coursework or experience in the arts for a combined total of 92 points higher.
The College Board, Profile of College-Bound Seniors National Report for 2006
Students in high-quality school music programs score higher on standardized tests compared to students in schools with deficient music education programs, regardless of the socioeconomic level of the school or school district. Students in top-quality music programs scored 22% better in English and 20% better in math than students in deficient music programs.
Christopher M. Johnson and Jenny E. Memmott, Journal of Research in Music Education, 2006
Data shows that high earnings are not just associated with people who have high technical skills. In fact, mastery of the arts and humanities is just as closely correlated with high earnings, and, according to our analysis, that will continue to be true.
Tough Choices or Tough Times: The report of the new Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, 2007
College admissions officers continue to cite participation in music as an important factor in making admissions decisions. They claim that music participation demonstrates time management, creativity, expression, and open-mindedness.
Carl Hartman, “Arts May Improve Students’ Grades,” 1999
Over nine in ten adults (93%) surveyed agree that music is part of a well-rounded education.
Americans’ Attitudes Toward Music, 1997
Music students receive more academic honors and awards than non-music students. A higher percentage of music participants received A’s, A’s/B’s, and B’s than non-music participants.
National Center for Education Statistics, National Education Longitudinal Study
Music can make a difference for young people from low socioeconomic status (SES). A 1998 research study found that low SES students who took music lessons from 8th through 12th grade increased their test scores in math and scored significantly higher than those of low SES students who were not involved in music. Math scores more than doubled, and history and geography scores climbed by 40 percent.
Americans for the Arts
Studying music strengthens students’ academic performance. Studies have indicated that sequential, skill-building instruction in art and music integrated with the rest of the curriculum can greatly improve children’s performance in reading and math.
Martin Gardiner, Alan Fox, Faith Knowles, and Donna Jeffrey, “ Learning Improved by Arts Training”
The College Board identifies the arts (including music) as one of the six basic academic subject areas students should study in order to succeed in college. “Preparation in the arts will be valuable to college entrants whatever their intended field of study.”
Academic Preparation for College, The College Board
An analysis of the U.S. Department of Education NELS:88 database of over 25,000 students followed over a ten-year period found that a higher percentage of students who were involved in music scored higher on standardized tests, reading and reading proficiency exams than those students who were not involved in music programs, regardless of their socio-economic background.
Dr. James Catterall, UCLA, 1997
Honor Groups:
Williamsville Music Students average 30% of the All County Bands, Orchestras and Choirs every year. One out of every three students at All County is from the Williamsville Schools.
Williamsville Music Students are consistently selected to ECMEA All County, NYSSMA Area All State and All State, NYSBDA Honor Bands, Jazz Ensembles and several national organizations.