Technology is increasingly growing and is now a major part of  everyday life.  Music classrooms are now including computers, digital (music) keyboards, software and internet access.  A piano lab is a fun and educational tool that can be used for all types of students in varied learning environments. Soundtree is one of the leading companies that specifically deals with Music Technology in the classroom.  They have designed a Group Education Controller (GEC) that allows students to connect to each other (to perform duets, trios and quartets) and to the teacher through the use of  headsets.  The teacher also has the capability to listen in on students, turn all keyboard volume off and to connect to each student individually.

     Theresa Derr, who is affiliated with Centennial Elementary School in Littleton, Colorado, has a 26 station keyboard lab.  She states, “One of the best features about this lab has been the ability for the teacher to plug into individual student stations while children are working on pieces from the group curriculum." “Most of these simple songs include a duet part for the teacher to play, so the student and I are able to play duets together using different timbres on the keyboard. When the student feels especially competent, we will play together for the entire class to hear. This can be very motivating for the other students, and gives the performing student a great sense of pride. “I think coming to the keyboard lab is an activity children truly look forward to,” Mrs. Derr continued. “I have been thrilled with the high levels of achievement we have seen, even from children who have no previous piano instruction and no instrument on which to practice at home. The SoundTree lab has had a profoundly positive impact on the students at our school.”

• Students with classes or "experiences in music performance scored 52 points higher on the verbal and 37 points higher on the math portion of the SAT than students with no coursework in the arts                                                                                     The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) reports statistics yearly comparing academic test scores for students involved in creative activities, including music. 

• Researchers found that students engaged in piano study are more motivated, had better school attendance and concentrated longer in other classes as well as improved their grades as a result of the added music instruction.      Baldwin Piano and Organ Company assessed the impact of keyboard instruction on the general fourth-grade student population.
  

• The music industry continues to collect evidence that systematic music instruction and music making have positive effects on many mental and behavioral factors including general cognitive development, language development, reading-readiness, reading and verbal skills, abstract conceptual thinking and reasoning.

• Obvious advantages of music study also include motor development and coordination, play improvisation and stress reduction. Noted positive attitudes toward school, improved personal and social adjustment are also documented as a result of participation in school music programs.                                                     See Music and Science Information Computer Archive, Vol.VII: Issue 1, Winter 2000 (www.musica.uci.edu) for further information.
  

SoundTree is the leading provider of music technology systems to schools and educators.



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