Governor Christine Gregoire and Synergia Northwest say music does matter

Greg Roth  Seattle Music Examiner May 3, 2011


Olympia Washington, Tuesday, May 3rd will be a day that Music Aid Northwest will remember for years to come and hopefully the impact will be felt for years to come as well. At around 1:30pm in the afternoon yesterday, Governor Christine Gregoire signed House Bill 1329, also known as "The Music License Plate Bill." This will make it possible to create and sell “Music Matters” special license plates to benefit music education programs in state schools.

The new plates will cost around $40 the first year and about $30 for renewal, on top of the regular license tab fees. There are 24 special license plates available. Once signed by the governor, the law takes effect January 1st.

To help support school music programs through sales of a distinctive new Washington State license plate, available through the Washington State Department of Licensing. Monies raised through Synergia Northwest 2011 will help the campaign fund school music programs statewide in Washington as well as collect signatures needed to continue its development in the state legislative process.

To see more photos from Jerry & Lois Levin from this historical signing please go here
This is something that members of the not for profit organization, Music Aid Northwest has been working on for years. Several local music artists have been heavily involved in lending their talent and efforts to get the bill passed. This Friday, May 6th at The Moore Theatre, Queensyche, Alan White and White, former members of Heart, John Popper and Brendan Hill from Blues Traveler will participate in Synergia Northwest 2011.


The concert will help the campaign fund school music programs statewide in Washington as well as collect signatures needed to continue its development in the state legislative process.

Synergia Northwest 2011 is sponsored by Washington Music Educators Association, Central Washington University, NAF Productions, Drifting Homeward Music, STG, Stenide Ilumination. Synergia Northwest 2011 has again enlisted Music Aid Northwest, a Washington State 501 (c)(3) organization, to direct the funds to Young Musicians Excelling award funding grant program through Washington Music Educators Association to Musicworks Northwest and Music Matters. Other non profit agencies benefiting from Synergia Northwest 2011 will be announced.

Tickets are on sale at Tickets.com, in person at the Paramount Theatre box offices (M-F 10am-6pm), 24-hour kiosks located outside The Paramount & Moore Theatres, charge by phone at 877-784-4849 or online at STGPresents.org.

SMI Radio (Synergia Northwest 2011 Special)

SMI Radio’s Greg Roth attended Synergia Northwest 2011 rehearsals the weekend before Synergia Northwest returns for the second year. This year’s show takes place in Seattle, AKA The Emerald City this Friday, May 6th at The Moore Theater. Roth features behind the scenes interviews as well as music from Synergia NW performers: Tennis Pro, the original rhythm section from Heart, drummer Michael Derosier and bassist Steve Fossen. Also, Roth interviews members of Yes and John Lennon drummer Alan White and his band White, Reek Havok, VP Music Aid Northwest, drummer Brendan Hill from Blues Traveler, Professor of Music at Central Washington University, Dr. Bret Smith and Michael McMorrow,the music and creative director of Synergia Northwest.