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| Photo Courtesy of the Delaware Music School |
Dr. Anderson Celebrates National Violin Day at the Delaware 87ers Basketball game this Tuesday, December 13th at the University of Delaware Bob Carpenter Center at 6:30pm to raise Sickle Cell Awareness.
Did You Know? National Violin Day is celebrated annually on December 13th. This holiday honors the bowed-string instrument which is also known by my beloved grandmother Lillie as the ‘fiddle’. The violin is part of the string family which includes the viola, cello and bass and the highest pitched instrument of the family.
I started out playing in Warner Elementary school when I was introduced to the violin through a robust arts and music programs. Back then, taking up an instrument and active participation in the music and arts program was a required element as part of the student’s overall academic success. A study at Northwestern University demonstrated that the exposure to music programs physically stimulated the brain and improved a child’s speech processing language skills. Another benchmark study in Music City, Nashville Tennessee also confirms the biopsychosocial and academic benefits to students who are involved in music programs. The results showed that students engaged in music programs outperformed their peers on every indicator-grade point average, graduation rate, school attendance and discipline and ACT scores. In addition the above findings also found that students reported had a positive attitudes in their behavior, personal lives and in school. Today, as public school budgets are being cut, crunched and stretched, the first programs to be considered for cuts are arts and music programs.
Staying actively involved in the music community over the years has enriched my life tremendously. This includes playing a variety of music genres that includes classical, baroque, folk, country, jazz and stretching to hip-hop has which has also expanded my appreciation of the cultural impact of the arts in our daily lives. In the words of social justice advocate and folk singer Peter Seeger, “my job is to show folks there’s a lot of good music in this world, and if used the right it may help save the planet.” Music has the power to unite people together who have an interest for a particular cause through song which can result in positive change. It is also invaluable tool for education, mobilization, social cohesion.
The opportunity to play at an 87ers basketball game center stage to raise Sickle Cell Awareness brings this cause for accessible high quality holistic comprehensive compassionate care to the forefront.
Join Dr. Nina Anderson as she plays the National Anthem on the violin on December 13 to support TOVA Sickle Cell Specialty Center at the Bob Carpenter Center at 6:30 pm for pre-game ceremonies.
Dr. Nina Anderson is a founding member of the Umoja Strings, Executive Director of TOVA Community Health Sickle Cell Specialty Treatment Center and an Affiliated Assistant Professor at the University of Delaware. Portion of ticket proceeds benefit the TOVA Sickle Cell Specialty Treatment Center. To purchase tickets go to www.sevens.com/promo (Type in Promo Code: TOVA) #NationalViolinDay.
TOVA Community Health
Sickle Cell Specialty Center
Wilmington, DE
www.tovacommunityhealth.org
