"Music is Instrumental" End-of-Year Concert Tonight at Cranston West

Music is Instrumental (MII), a volunteer run music program in Cranston elementary schools, will be holding its end-of-year concert Friday, June 10 at 7:00 pm at the Cranston High School West auditorium.  The concert will showcase the almost 200 students who participated in the program and will include beginner band, beginner strings, and intermediate strings.

MII was created by BASICS (Benefiting All Students in Cranston Schools), a non-partisan organization dedicated to finding practical solutions to the City of Cranston's educational financial crisis.

“When the elementary music program was cut last year, we knew we had to do something to help the kids.” said Kerri Kelleher, President of BASICS. “Music is too important to not have available for the students who want it.”

BASICS sprung into action and recruited music teachers, reached out to parents and coordinated a program that allowed almost 200 Cranston elementary students to learn such instruments as violin, drums and saxophone.

The concert will feature songs performed by students from elementary schools across Cranston.  Both beginning and intermediate students will perform songs.  Baked goods, pizza strips and refreshments will be available for sale at the concert.  All sales will benefit the music program.

In addition, tickets for a raffle to benefit the music program will be sold at the concert.  

“The students have worked really hard at learning the music for the program” continued Kelleher, “We’re really proud of them and look forward to celebrating their accomplishments at the concert.”

BASICS meets monthly.  The next scheduled meeting is on June 30, 2010 at 6:30 pm at the Cranston High School East Library.