This content is brought to you by Audiocourses dot com

To promote music education in both schools and at home, Paramount Home Entertainment, VH1 Save The Music and the American Music Conference have banded together to develop a nationwide contest encouraging students to create and record their own original song.

Celebrating the DVD release of SCHOOL OF ROCK on March 2, the "VH1/SCHOOL OF ROCK Battle of the Bands Contest" will enable middle and high school students aged from 13-19 to compete for the chance to have their original recording produced into a music video and aired by VH1.

The contest will run through March 31, 2004. To enter, students must record their own original song with entries being submitted and uploaded to the AMC's Web site devoted exclusively to giving teens access to making music, or they may mail in an audio recording of their original song.

"SCHOOL OF ROCK provided us with a great opportunity to get behind music education and send a positive message to students and schools alike that music is a key component in a child's well-rounded education," said Michael Arkin, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Paramount Home Entertainment. "We couldn't have partnered with better organizations than VH1 and the AMC, as their mission has always been to save music in our schools," added Arkin.

"The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is thrilled to partner with Paramount Home Entertainment and the American Music Conference on such an exciting project," said Christina Norman, President, VH1. "We believe that there is no better gift for students than the power of music. This innovative SCHOOL OF ROCK contest will inspire young students to harness all the benefits that music can bring them."

Continuing their commitment to music education and their rally against nationwide cuts in music programs in our schools, AMC emphasizes the positive effects that music education and music making have on developing minds. "We are pleased to be involved with this contest that gives teens across the nation the opportunity to express themselves creatively through making music," says AMC Executive Director Rob Walker. "Active music making has been shown to correlate with better reading skills, math scores and teamwork among teens. This is a great opportunity to draw attention to the positive benefits of making music for young people," he adds.

Released in theaters on October 3, 2003, SCHOOL OF ROCK has brought in over $80 million at the box office and the film's star, Jack Black, was recently honored with a Golden Globe nomination for best performance in a comedy. The DVD features commentary by Jack Black and director Richard Linklater, a commentary by the kids of SCHOOL OF ROCK, a featurette ("Lessons Learned in the School of Rock"), "Jack Black's Pitch to Led Zeppelin," "Kids' Video Diary: Toronto Film Festival," the SCHOOL OF ROCK music video, "Dewey Finn's History of Rock," the theatrical trailer and a public service announcement (PSA) in support of VH1 Save the Music Foundation.

Since VH1 Save The Music was created in 1997, more than $25 million worth of musical instruments has been donated to 1,000 public schools in 80 cities, improving the lives of more than 500,000 children. VH1 Save The Music's many honors include the Governors' Award (a special Emmy Award), the George Foster Peabody Award for broadcast and cable excellence and many Beacon Awards.

VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. MTV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.