KEYBOARD ENCOUNTERS KIDS: A BIG HIT WITH KIDS & PARENTS

BUENA PARK, CA (May 17, 2004)—Yamaha's Keyboard Encounters program, which gives students from age 10 on up an innovative "hands-on" way to develop musical creativity, has been popular for years. Now, a new group piano program for seven- to nine-year-olds feeds into the existing course — and just like their older counterparts, "Keyboard Encounters Kids" (KEK) students begin to play piano the very first day.

An easy-to-follow manual, "Teacher Kit & Kaboodle," defines the program completely, with a teacher training DVD; a CD-ROM with sample lesson plans, forms, student worksheets and more; a class accompaniment disk; and four nine-week student textbooks. The detailed format is especially useful for new teachers, while seasoned instructors can also benefit from teacher materials or add their own tried-and-true supplementary materials.

"The class accompaniment software adds excitement and pizzazz to every class - kids love it!" says Yamaha Keyboard Encounters Director Charles Anderson.

Now, "Keyboard Encounters Kids" brings Yamaha's proven, enjoyable group piano technique to budding musicians as young as seven years old. The program is available through community music stores.

Heyner Oviedo, director of education at Fresno Piano in Fresno, CA, says about 100 kids are enrolled in his in-store classes, taught by Emilee Wiebenga. "The kids have a ball with the songs and orchestrations," says Oviedo. "They arrive excited, and the parents love to hear their kids singing and playing along."

Foster Family Music in Bettendorf, IA has instituted the program at a local private school with similarly positive results. In January, Judy Hyland, a teacher with more than 25 years of experience, started teaching two after-school classes of first through third graders, most of whom had never taken lessons.

"The kids love playing with the disks and each other," Hyland says, "and are very helpful to and supportive of one another." The fast-paced lesson plans cover a lot in a short period of time, but allow crucial time to review from class to class, making it easy to assess student progress. Parents are welcome to visit classes, and an end-of-the-year recital is planned.

Hyland especially appreciates the fact that teachers don't deal with the monetary end of things. "It's between the school and Foster's," she notes, "so it doesn't interfere with my relationship with the children and their families."

For more information about Keyboard Encounters Kids, contact Charles Anderson, Keyboard Encounters Director, Yamaha Music Education Division, (800) 962-6242 or chanderson@yamaha.com.