This profile is no problem for wind instruments, drummers and strings. These instruments are designed to be played together from the outset.
The subject piano was offered almost only in individual lessons and could not follow the development at first. Many lessons did not provide the benefits expected of parents, students and teachers and consumed a significant part of the school’s budget. Learning in the group was only possible through the concept “Keys4Music” developed by Yamaha music education and the associated use of digital pianos. The low-level design of the instruments and the corresponding installation create a real group situation when playing. Already in the training of the teachers it became clear that a new beginning of content and methodology in piano pedagogy was imminent. David Andruss, a member of the authors ‘ team, understood how to transfer the liveliness of his person and the teaching to the piano teachers. Intensive employment with his ideas should become the basis in the establishment of the method for the piano group lessons at the District Music School.
Another step was the development of a marketing concept. A working group of Teachers, administration and school management presented a catalogue of measures tailored to local specificities. The new offer was politically secured in the relevant committee. With the support of Yamaha Music education, the most anticipated most effective sub-projects were launched. Important points were consulting days, which were announced by a mail-order shipment. The well-prepared teachers were able to bring the advantage of the method to the benefit of the many interested parties.
The rapid learning success, the thorough theoretical support, the low inhibition threshold for the purchase of a digital piano and especially the joint learning in the group led to a registration wave, which from February 2007 to 50 people from the elementary school to the senior ANS Piano Online lessons 2019.
This figure has now been slightly increased and is emerging as stable. Joy and enthusiasm can be found in the lessons of all participants. About 20 percent of the piano players of the District Music School are now learning piano in the group with “Keys4Music”.
Further measures of the implementation concept will be implemented with the coming school year. The focus will be on offers for clearly defined target groups such as primary school children or older people, young mothers and fathers or others. The management of the music school sees the concept of teaching as a potential to be further developed in the coming years.