Jonathan and Susan Lipp, owners of Full Compass Systems, recently attended the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Advocacy Fly-In in Washington, D.C., joining musicians, researchers, congressional leaders and other NAMM members to press Congress on the importance of providing music education to all children.
This year’s fly-in was the largest ever, with NAMM members and artists attending more than 100 meetings with Congress to urge the reauthorization and full funding of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and to continue the designation of music as a core academic subject.
“We want to make sure that kids have access to music in schools. That’s why I’ve been coming to Washington for nine years begging Congress to make music part of every child’s education,” Susan Lipp states. “I feel like what I’m doing here has meaning. It’s empowering. It makes you feel that what you say and do can make a difference in this country, which is a beautiful thing.”
The Lipps are committed to finding ways to facilitate funding for school music programs and to make high-quality music education accessible to students across the nation. They have also established scholarships at UW-Madison for theatre and music majors and host several annual fundraisers and performance events to promote music education. Donations support local youth arts organizations and students in Madison, WI, where Full Compass Systems is headquartered.
NAMM is a not-for-profit organization acting on behalf of the music products industry to ensure people of all ages have opportunities to experience the pleasures and benefits of making music and a leading resource for information about new, innovative technologies related to music performance and production.