Mr. Music Man, Jim Corbett

Mr. Music Foundation's Jim Corbett

Who’s the Leader

of the

Music Program Made for You and Me?

J-I-M C-O-R-B-E-T-T

Sunrise Rotarians were enthusiastically met by Jim Corbett’s greeting piano music: A tuneful first-time for the Camelot Room’s baby grand.

Mr. Music, Jim Corbett, led off his presentation by bursting into song, accompanying himself on the guitar. Singing the famous first line of the after school Disney TV show, we all enjoyed as kids, Corbett got a rousing response from Rotarians — M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. We were all surprised that most of the song was imprinted deep in our brains, dating our childhood days back to the 1950s.

The Mr. Music Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, brings classroom and after school programs to 12 schools throughout the North Bay including Kenwood, Rincon Valley, Roseland and Fort Ross. The foundation employs “kids with wrinkles” (retired teachers) who lead kids from Kindergarten to third grade in singing Beatles, Bob Marley and gospel songs that bring soothing and stimulating vibrations to the heart. A “Tool Box” project created with the support of psychologist Mark Collin, helps kids combat bullying. And Wednesday evening concerts at Ives Park in Sebastopol bring song and joy to the entire community.

During the question period following the presentation, Rotarians commented on how the Mr. Music program has made a significant impact on their children. “Music seems to organize the brain in a positive way that makes it more receptive to learning,” Corbett claims. “Children who have music education score higher on achievement tests for math, reading and science.” Quoting The Little Prince, a children’s book by Saint-Exupery based on deep, philosophical concepts that are also studied by adult scholars, Corbett reminds us, “The things that are essential are invisible.” And one of these essentials is music — a higher language that is literally food for the mind and the soul.