Carry the Tune

Carry the Tune, which aims to encourage lifelong music participation, begins with testimony from high school band members before going on to question why so few continue playing music after graduation. Roger Mantie, a professor of music education at Boston University, finds that only 25-30% remain active in college, while students say they drop out due to time commitments and the belief that music won't further their careers. Educators think that this is partly due to the academic emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), where graduates can make more money, so music falls by the wayside. Co-directors Paul Trapkus, a music teacher, and Elizabeth Potter, a music student, here seek out college-age subjects—most pursuing degrees in science and engineering—who have still found ways to incorporate music into their lives. Jiffer, a Boulder, CO, doctoral candidate, combines his electrical engineering expertise with innovative music playing. "It's about trying to find a way to integrate my passion into my career," he says (he also plays banjo in a bluegrass band). Adwyn, a farmer, started a chamber music ensemble in his small Colorado town. A former engineer, Adwyn never lost interest in music—he just needed to find the right vehicle, and he wound up meeting many engineers who played music in school and missed it as much as he did. Bill, who founded a mandolin orchestra, describes playing as "a way of keeping your sanity." Other speakers participate in a cappella singing groups, barbershop quartets, and fiddle clubs, proving that there's some niche for most everyone. An inspiring documentary celebrating the salutary effects of post-graduate music playing, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)