03/02

Welcome to the latest American Music Conference news update. Our goal is to inform you and your staff on the latest trends, research, education, and advocacy to help you in your music education activities. We will send additional updates from time to time. Please submit comments or questions to JoeL@amc-music.org. For more information visit the AMC web site at: www.amc-music.org. Please feel free to pass this along to others and help to spread the advocacy message!

Sincerely,
Laura Johnson
Associate Executive Director

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Contents:

-- Bid on Olympic Set of Drums to Be Played by Bon Jovi at Olympic Closing Ceremony! eBay Auction Begins Monday to Benefit AMC

-- March is Music in Our Schools Month -- Help AMC Make a Difference and Participate in the Survey Below

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Rare Set of Olympic Pearls:

Tico Torres/Bon Jovi signed Patriotic Drum Set Auction to Benefit AMC

Own a piece of history! If the price is right, you might just be the new owner of a very special collection of Custom Finish Tico Torres/Bon Jovi American Flag Drums. This unique treasure, generously donated by the Pearl Corporation and signed by all Bon Jovi band members, will be played at the Olympic Closing Ceremonies on Sunday, February 24th and will be auctioned on the Music page on eBay.com beginning February 25th - March 6. All proceeds will benefit the American Music Conference.

These custom drums emblazoned with the American Flag are from Pearl's renowned Masters Custom MRX line and were created in sizes preferred by Tico Torres and Bon Jovi for live performance.

Be sure to watch the performance and then check out the eBay Music section beginning February 25th for a full description and picture of the set and to place your bid in support of AMC!

Want to contribute and lend your support to AMC? AMC is looking for any signed celebrity musical memorabilia that you can donate - guitar picks, guitars, t-shirts, concert tickets - you name it. Your donation will be credited on eBay and in AMC press releases, creating more public awareness about your company and your donation. To contribute, contact the AMC today at (760) 431-9124. Because spreading the positive word about music creates a brighter future for us all.

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How Does Your Community Rank in Music Education?

The third annual Best 100 Communities for Music Education Survey is now underway! From now through the end of March, visit www.amc-music.org on the internet to fill out the survey form and make sure your community is represented.

Sponsored by the American Music Conference, the Music Teachers National Association, the National School Boards Association, Perseus Development Corporation, the VH1 Save the Music Foundation and Yamaha Corporation of America, the survey analyzes program specifics, class size, financial data and a variety of other indicators to measure the overall quality of music education in a community. Private and independent instruction is considered alongside public school music programs in each community's score, and small communities are evaluated on an equal footing with large ones.

The Best 100 list will be published later this spring, and listed communities will be able to enjoy nationwide publicity for their achievements but your community can't make the list if you don't participate now. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey, and make sure to forward this message to anyone else who should fill it out as well.