[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 83 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S6945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                             MUSICALYMPICS
 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, earlier this week an article in the 
Science Times section of the New York Times explored what it called 
``the mystery of music.'' Scientists are attempting to find how and 
where the sense and art of music arise in the brain. It is a search in 
which much remains to be discovered, but it has already produced 
fascinating results, including the possibility that, even as it 
provides the child with a constructive source of pleasure and reward, 
early musical training may also enhance the ability to think and reason 
in terms of time and space. That possibility suggests, in turn, the 
significant role that music and musical education play in achieving the 
fundamental goals of our educational system.
  That suggestion lends a special emphasis to an innovative musical 
program inaugurated this spring at three Los Angeles-area high schools. 
This program, I believe, serves as an excellent model for improving 
education through the cooperation of the private and public sectors.
  ``Musicalympics,'' an artistic competition for high schools, was 
conceived by David Griffin, a Warner Brothers Records representative. 
Griffin enlisted the interest of Warner Brothers Records chairman, 
Danny Goldberg, who signed the record company on as the Musicalympics' 
founding benefactor, the first, Griffin hopes, of other corporate 
sponsors to follow. Similarly, he hopes to see this year's inaugural 
competition among the three high schools extended to other schools in 
the future. The thoughtful design of the competition and the solid 
professional backing it is receiving make its prospects good, I 
believe, on both counts.
  Each school participating in Musicalympics has created a team of 
student songwriters, musicians, choreographers, dancers, costume 
designers, set designers and production personnel such as television 
camera operators, lighting designers and recording engineers to pursue 
the creation of a musical performance from the writing of an original 
song to the final television production. Each school has been given a 
small cash stipend to underwrite expenses, and production professionals 
have guided the students in mastering technical production details.
  Professional Musicalympics television crews have visited each school 
periodically to videotape students preparing their productions. David 
Griffin is producing and directing a television documentary special 
which showcases the competition, which will end in a complete 
television performance of each school's production. The competition is 
being judged by Griffin, a Warner Records artist and other television 
professionals. The documentary will premiere early next month and the 
winning school will be announced before each school's participating 
students and invited guests, sponsors, contributors and other key 
supporters. Each participating student will receive a videotape of the 
finished television program, and all three participating schools will 
receive cash prizes, or musical instruments and recording equipment.
  Mr. President, the Musicalympics directly addresses a number of 
educational dimensions which concern the Nation today. In the first 
place, it offers an opportunity for interested students to participate 
directly in the creation of an original artistic performance; it 
provides those students with an intimate, personal perspective on the 
origin and nature of a production in one of the performing arts which 
are a chief feature of our culture. It helps these students develop the 
practical, hands-on skills that make such performances possible. It 
combines the resources of the private and public sectors to achieve a 
worthwhile goal few schools could manage on their own. It provides for 
both the participating students and their schools the challenge and the 
reward of disciplined teamwork focused on a constructive conclusion. 
And, finally, it takes broad theoretical and practical advantage of the 
fundamental, universal, and characteristically human creation and 
appreciation of music.
  Mr. President, I commend the founders and supporters of 
Musicalympics. This is a program that deserves scrutiny, encouragement 
and support.


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