| Show kids learn music in unique course without piano CHICAGO A sear ago char lotte fourth graders recited their pledge of allegiance to the flag as usual then sat down to find paper reproductions of a piano keyboard at their desks it was the introduction of a new course in music education their teachers called keyboard exper ence for the purpose of teaching rudiments of melody and rhythm they giggled mus without a real pianos music without music how mixed up could teacher get geta but teacher herself had either a piano or resonator bells giving off tones corresponding to certain notes on the piano she d strike a note on the piano and the chi children adren would strike the s same ame note 0 on n I 1 their paper keyboards occasion ally a pupil would take teacher teachers s place the idea sounds a little hollow nonetheless today instead of 2000 2 children there are 4 in the fourth and fifth grades who get such instruction one hour each week meek next year it will be extend ed to the sixth grade A classroom program in actual piano instruct tion is in the making at the junior unior high level all because of interest created by the paper keyboards the keyboard experience project merely helps children recognize that notes on sheet music corre spond to certain keys on the board it also enables them to read music recognizing the difference between sharps and flats |
