Me too, VP Harris, me too…

It’s not every day that U.S. Presidential politics shows up for band rehearsal. But that’s what happened this week. I shared a few thoughts on social media, which I quote below, followed by a passage from her brief talk, and a link to both the campaign video and a complete video (albeit of mixed quality) from the back of the rehearsal. It appears to be Liberty High School in Hinesville, Georgia. Go band!!

This is going to strike some as corny. That’s ok. But I’m truly agog at this. Never in my life has a major party nominee for President shined their flashlight directly on music education. “I was a band kid,” was not on my bingo card. I’m genuinely moved by this brief shout out to the people and the place where I first found my purpose in life as a young person. “our country is counting on you” - maybe that sounds cheap to some. But for me, one of my directors would shake my 14 year-old hand before every performance, look me in the eye, and say “good luck, we’re all counting on you.” He’d take the time to say it to around 50 kids roughly twice a week all fall long. I believed him! I believed that what I did mattered, that my role was small but absolutely critical to my team and our community. I believed it then and I believe about kids like these, and like my nephew, here and now. Thank you Kamala Harris!!

Posted by Jordan Smith on Friday, August 30, 2024

The full visit included some stirring words about the socialization of learning and the amount of rehearsal time involved….

And being a role model means that there are going to be members of your family, people who live in your neighborhood, your classmates who watch you, and say, “Oh! That's how it's done!” And in that way, you are showing what hard work can achieve, what discipline can achieve, what teamwork can achieve.

Full remarks and (apparently) the Liberty High School fight song by the LHS marching band, below:

Cover Image: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin | August 28, 2024

N.B. I don’t use this blog to wade into politics but it’s important to bring attention to world leaders and candidates for office who emphasize or speak to issues in the arts, education, and music and music education in particular. In the future, I would gladly feature any candidate who attends a concert or visits a rehearsal room.

Jordan Randall Smith is the Music Director of Symphony Number One.