Alice Bidoae, student at HALS Middle School, wins
VH1 Save The Music Foundation’s Les Paul Legacy Contest
NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT – Alice Bidoae, student at HALS Middle School, has been named the winner in the VH1 Save the Music Foundation’s nation
al Les Paul Legacy Contest. HALS will now receive a Les Paul Epiphone
Electric Guitar and Amplifier for their music program.
The VH1 Save The Music Foundation partnered with The Les Paul Foundation to create a unique contest using a curriculum based off the book Les Paul: Guitar Wizard by Bob Jacobson. Each year, they encourage students
throughout the country to keep the legacy of Les Paul alive by participating in this contest.
Each year, students are tasked with creating an instrument inspired by their reading of Les Paul, Guitar Wizard. They have to name their instrument invention and write a 100-word essay describing how Les Paul inspired
their creation, how their invention creates sound and what lessons they learned from the book.
“Our Partnership with the Les Paul Foundation has allowed students from VH1 Save The Music partner districts all across the country the opportunity to engage their students in learning about Les Paul’s legacy,” states the
Foundation’s Program Director, Jaclyn Rudderow. “Students are inspired by Les and will carry his legacy into the next generation.”
Kevin Hebert, HALS Music Teacher, asked students to submit their entry and then according to guidelines, submitted only one entry for the national contest. For Hebert, selecting Bidoae’s work was an easy decision.
“Alice is a bright student who always puts forth her best effort,” said Hebert. “Les Paul’s recordings, musicalcompositions and inventions continue to inspire us all and Alice conveyed this theme in her essay. The Les Paul
guitar we received will be both a visual and musical reminder of his influence on all of us.”
From there, VH1 Save The Music Foundation selected three finalists, with Bidoae being one of them. The finalists had to create a video demonstrating how their instrument invention works, while sharing something
they learned about Les Paul and how he has inspired them.
“The instrument I created is called a ‘Multi-insono.’ Les Paul helped to inspire me by finding ways to create sound with electricity and vibrations,” said Bidoae. “I used vibrations to come up with my instrument which is a metal drum set with coins, paper clips, and a ruler. It has elastic bands with various sounds that you could play with the drums. It also includes a funnel to echo the sound. The lessons I learned from the book is that technology can improve the music we hear, you can create your own music, and you shouldn’t give up on your
dreams.”
In addition to receiving the guitar and amplifier, Bidoae’s video will be featured on VH1STM’s social media platforms and e-newsletter. Hebert said the guitar will be used with the HALS Guitar Ensemble at all of their concerts.
“As we work to personalize learning and offer student choice, Alice exemplifies what our students can do when allowed choice and encouraged to be creative,” said Elizabeth Crooks, Principal of HALS. “VH1 Save The Music
has fostered this creativity year after year throughout the nation, and HALS is thankful for this recognition.”
About the Consolidated School District of New Britain
In partnership with family and community, the Consolidated School District of New Britain works to provide the best personalized and comprehensive whole-child education at every level so students will be prepared for,
and positively contribute to, a profoundly different future. The Consolidated School District of New Britain strives to pursue excellence one student a time.
About the Les Paul Foundation
The mission of the Les Paul Foundation is to honor and share the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul by supporting music education, engineering and innovation as well as medical research. The Les Paul Foundation is an
approved IRC 501(c)3 organization that awards grants to music, music engineering and sound programs that serve youth. This year The Les Paul Foundation continues its celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Les Paul.
The foundation also provides grants for medical research related to hearing loss and for veteran’s guitar programs. The Les Paul Foundation also supports public exhibits which display Les Paul’s life achievements,
events that engage fans and students and music releases and related launches which bring about excitement for the sound of Les Paul. For more information go to www.lespaulfoundation.org and follow the foundation
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lespaulfoundation.
About VH1 Save The Music Foundation:
For 21 years, VH1 Save The Music has used a comprehensive model to affect change in America’s public schools. VH1 Save The Music’s approach combines investments of instruments and resources to jumpstart music programs, support to music teachers’ development and day-to-day work, and advocacy for music as a necessary component of every student’s education. Founded in 1997, VH1 Save The Music was the first organization in existence dedicated to restoring music programs. Over the last 20 years, the Foundation has donated $53 million worth of new musical instruments to over 2,000 public schools in 257 school districts around the country– impacting the lives of millions of public school students. This Fall, the Foundation delivered grants to 80 schools. Get involved at www.vh1savethemusic.org and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @vh1savethemusic using the hashtag #SaveTheMusic.
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