Songs for Help, Hope, Healing & Comfort

Dear Supporter and Friend,

We are so grateful to each of you who has donated to this project. We are now at the stage of this effort where we need to see if the book can become published by a music publisher. This is a big hurdle to clear. Print publishing has been significantly eclipsed by electronic publishing, and the pandemic has sent so many of us online. But not all of us have equal access to tech. Buying a music book as an electronic document for download means people need a computer, internet service, and a printer to turn their e-songbook into sheet music. To be able to play a song all the way through on two facing paper pages means no scrolling. It means being able to play music without being online or staring into a screen. Restoring music making to a non-virtual experience has many benefits. 

When we first had the idea for the book, there was no pandemic. The publisher we spoke with was uninterested in the concept of the book. Now we think the need is exceptionally strong, so we would like to try again.

When we figured we would need to do the project on our own, we knew it would be a large undertaking. Securing print licenses to include songs that are in copyright gets expensive. This is money that ultimately goes to the song copyright holders. Often, they are the songwriters themselves or the songwriter's descendants. That is a wonderful thing. But in the case that a songwriter has sold their publishing to an agency in exchange for money or some sort of business deal, the copyrights must be licensed by a company. So this can be a lengthy process, as well. Hurdles, hurdles, hurdles.

However, working with a publisher places the task of clearing the copyrights in their capable hands. Definitely preferable! We will need copyright clearances for 18 songs in this book if we are to keep the work intact.

The songs that have become part and parcel of this body of work are helping teachers and children get through tough moments as the pandemic continues to threaten, detail and take human lives. But there are thousands of guitar and ukulele strumming people who are not involved in education for whom this book could also make a difference. What if we can find a publisher who sees the point of it, has a team to get copyrights licensed, and a sales department that can get it out onto shelves (brick and mortar as well as virtual) where more people can find solace and inspiration between its pages?

This is where the project stands now. We will revisit the possibility of getting the book published by reaching out over the next two months to potential partners on the project. If we come up empty handed, we will go about book making ourselves. Either way you will get an answer in the next project report! Until then, please take great care of yourself, stay strong, and we will look forward to getting back in touch with you soon.

Thanks for keeping the faith and giving as you have.

Warmly,

Jess

Links:

• Our Website
• Our Facebook Page
• Teaching Resilience through Music Pandemic-Style

I am excited to bring you up to date with the progress of our songbook for hope, help, healing and comfort. Each week we hear more stories in the media about suffering and loss as a direct result of racism and racial profiling.  These stories cause grief, devastation and social unrest, often resulting in violence. This is especially difficult for children. Their teachers understand and have been drawing upon the songs and musical teaching techniques they’ve been learning in their GITC training courses this winter and spring to directly, sensitively, and creatively cultivate understanding and student self expression. Our book continues to expand with input from the teachers!

We recently held a special workshop for classroom teachers for the purpose of sharing some of these songs and to learn about songs that have meaning for them. The experience was uplifting and inspiring to the teachers. When they shared the songs with their students the music had the effect of restoring connection, amplifying joy, administering care and teaching kindness.

Our teaching artist residencies that include these songs- and their history- as a part of musical learning have continued throughout this school year as well.

The songbook is growing and will soon begin a new stage of development as we work on clearing copyrights so we can produce a physical book to place in classrooms next school year.  In the meantime, please visit our blog page listed below as a link to learn more about how GITC music is helping to include all students and is addressing the important topic of social justice. 

We are thankful you continue to empower us to make it possible. You are love in action, and we are pleased to be your messengers.

With love, hope, help and healing,

Gail and Jess

Links:

• Please read our blog about Social Justice through Music