Nashville Vocal Showdown was created in 2011 by a group of concerned artists, parents and educators who believe fine arts education and expression are vital in the development of balanced human beings. It is a proven fact that fine arts education, motivation and opportunity have been on a steady decline in the last 10 years. All it takes is a quick Google search of “school music budget cuts” to yi
eld 135 million articles concerning this issue.
10,000 headlines is a lot, 135 million headlines is a national creative crisis. It's not just the fact that fine arts education is being deleted from the school system, but also the psychological and emotional damage done to these impressionable students when they see and believe that their opportunity to develop creatively is being terminated. The attitude of many adolescent students is that they are in a dead-end situation. Unfortunately, this negativity is becoming radically pervasive. “Education without Expression will lead to Frustration” (Mac McEwyn). Brown, President of Berkley School of Music stated, “If you care about people doing well academically, being prepared for careers, and having a successful life, the number one thing that you need to do is find something that gives them energy, that lights them up, that makes them feel animated.” Parents, artists, educators must look to alternative opportunities to continue the artistic development within our culture. This is why the Nashville Vocal Showdown was created.
