“I was really surprised when I found out about the Emmy because it was the first video I ever made . . . I just purchased a high-definition camera and went to the Apple store for weekly lessons on Final Cut Pro,” Newman said.
Students at Jefferson and other participating schools spend an hour once a week learning the basics of instrumental music. Newman not only helps find scholarships for students to purchase their own saxophone or violin, but also provides them a series of self-written textbooks.
“What really attracted me to Larry’s program is his philosophy. I come from a performance background where you are critiqued on a daily basis and have to be perfect. While it worked for me, a lot of people get discouraged and drop out of music,” said Jefferson music teacher Brenda Etterbeck, who brought Newman’s program to the school seven years ago. “His program is instead about simply bringing the passion of music to children: not to become the best, but to fall in love with it.”
The film includes interviews with students, parents and principals who discuss the positive effects the program has had on their lives.
“My grades improved a lot after taking the program,” student Valery Vasquez said. “I will never forget it because we all got so close. We were like a family. Brenda and Larry taught us so much and were always there to help us whenever we needed it.”
Valery’s mom also saw the difference in her daughter’s education.
“My husband and I both loved that my daughter, Valery, stayed in the program at Jefferson all five years she was there because we know about the studies they’ve done that show that learning music helps improve a child’s academic skills in areas like mathematics,” said Marcy Vasquez, whose other daughter, second-grader Vivian, is also enrolled in the program. “In fifth grade, Valery got a perfect score on her math test, which I attribute to her being in Larry’s program.”
ALISON TULLY covers City Hall and public safety. She may be reached at (818) 637-3242 or by e-mail at alison.tully@ latimes.com.
