By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer

After a spot-check around Cincinnati and its suburbs, here are some recent developments:

In Mason, where the number of kids taking instrumental or vocal music has doubled in four years, a new strings program has 75 sixth-graders learning to play violins, violas, cellos and basses. And, to accommodate its booming band program, an extra band director was hired this year.

Strings programs have begun at Kings Local, Loveland, West Clermont and Mariemont school districts. "It's kind of a phenomenon right now that all these string programs are popping up," says Mason music teacher Stephanie Jones.

In Norwood City Schools, where the marching band was in jeopardy because of declining numbers, the district is allocating money to turn it around. This year, the marching band practices during the school day (not only after school), eighth graders have been added to boost numbers, and band rooms are equipped with brand-new instrument lockers.

West Clermont School District has a new Institute of Performing Arts with a state-of-the-art performing arts center as one of its 10 "small schools." The district has added percussion and jazz programs, and its strings and choir programs have gotten "bigger and better."

Winton Woods School District's new superintendent, Camille Nasbe, who believes that music is not just "an extracurricular," aims to "maintain and build upon" her district's music programs.

In Wyoming schools, where strings has increased three-fold in the past 30 years, the high school now has three string orchestras. At the middle school, there's a new cello choir and an honors orchestra.

Band, strings and vocal programs continue to expand in Forest Hills School District. This year, the Turpin High School Marching Band marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. The band was the only Ohio group in the 2002 parade.

At Cincinnati Public Schools, music has languished in the huge district since large cutbacks a decade ago. But in November, the district appointed Cindi Menefield to be visual and performing arts curriculum manager, overseeing music and arts curriculum taught by 300 specialists at 79 schools. She likely will start her new position at the beginning of the new year. Her task is daunting, and she hasn't even begun to make her shopping list yet. But it's a first step in bringing back what was once a national model in music education.