ANN ARBOR—Music composed and/or arranged by University of Michigan students is being used by NPR‘s program “All Things Considered.” What started as an assignment in Michael Gould‘s class, has become an entrepreneurial success.

“I want them to get out of the box,” says Gould, an assistant professor of music and percussionist. “I want my students to know that music is more than just playing or performing. I want them to know what you have to do to survive.”

That survival process included composing or arranging “interlude music” for ATC to fit a 30-second format, performing all parts of the piece, and recording the music in the studio at U-M’s Media Union. “This gives them some real life experience in the studio, which is a big part of the learning process,” Gould says. “We produced a CD and to our delight ATC has started using this music on the air during their program.” The excitement, Gould says, is that his students are getting practical experience in performing, composing, arranging and improvising and being rewarded by having their music heard across the country. While ATC does not give attribution to its interlude music on the air, its Web page does. That page can be accessed at NPR’s “All Songs Considered” at http://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnps01fm.cfm?prgid=2 where attribution is given to the artist and composer. Look for the names of Andy Thompson, Christian Howes, Jeremy Edwards, Erik Klein and, of course, Michael Gould.

NPRmusicMedia Unionhttp://search.npr.org/cf/cmn/cmnps01fm.cfm?prgid=2