Keeping the Beat Overview

Keeping the Beat is a new non-profit organization founded by Steve Gehlen, the Director of the American Roots Music Festival.

School music budgets are suffering throughout the state of Oregon, especially in rural districts. The founding Board Members of "Keeping the Beat" (Steve Gehlen, David McGinnis and Duane Nightingale) believe in and have personally experienced the positive benefits of music education. Therefore we saw the need and opportunity for a new nonprofit organization with the following objectives:

• Build and manage a statewide network of existing music festivals and concerts (using the ARMF as a showcase) that will support the creation and maintenance of a shared pool of funds to support K-12 school music programs in rural Oregon.
• Distribute pooled funds raised via Festival partners to K-12 school music programs via an application and review process.
• Develop a school music assembly program that includes a directory of performers and raise the funds needed to cover their costs to travel and perform at school assemblies in rural Oregon.
• Educate stakeholders (e.g. politicians, school boards, school administrators and business leaders) about the key benefits of K-12 music education, including scientific research results.
• Continue to operate the American Roots Music Festival (ARMF), but with an expanded mission.

If you are interested in more information and in possibly participating in some way, please contact us at info@armf.org or 503-767-7464.

NOTE: When you contact us be sure to identify your particular role such as Festival producer, musician, music teacher, school administrator, school board member, potential sponsor, etc.