One Night, One Voice, One Life at a Time. This Tuesday December 1, on World AIDS DAY, Alicia Keys will give a live concert on YouTube. The performance will take place at the Nokia Theater in NYC and be open to the public via live global webcast at 8pm EST on Alicia’s YouTube Channel. She’ll be performing tracks from her new album, The Element of Freedom. All proceeds from the event go to Keep a Child Alive.

For some reason, I have been thinking about VH1’s Save the Music for the last couple of days. I remember years ago when the foundation was founded and televised concerts were held to promote the foundation’s purpose. I specifically remember when *N Sync and Gloria Estefan performed Music of My Heart at a STM concert in the early 2000s. (Hey – I was a fan of boy bands. Don’t hold it against me!) As I sit here, I wonder why I have not heard about any recent concerts. After looking at the STM Twitter profile, I found a link to the Save the Music website and found out there are a list of cities that will host a summer tour. But, the tour is not televised! I realize that the foundation’s current strategy may be somewhat different than the previous strategy as it appears that the foundation relies heavily on donations and percentages of artist ticket sales. However, there are so many people that know nothing about Save the Music and it is time to get the word out!

I am personally thankful for the music programs that were offered in the schools I attended. I know for a fact that being in band helped mold me into the person I am today. Playing in my middle and high school bands taught me to be competitive, increased my math abilities, and enhanced my skills as a team player, among other things. I made a commitment years ago that I will give back and donate time and money to my high school band in years to come. I was quite young when I made that decision, but I realized the importance of music in a child’s life. My conclusion came partly from my own experiences and the presence of Save the Music.

Now it is Save the Music’s responsibily to promote their goals and purpose to a younger generation of music lovers and future influencers. After all, these are the individuals who require the educational programs and will give back when they are older and able.

I saw this LG sponsored commercial earlier and thought it was representative of the passion, love, and dedication for music that Save the Music fosters.