Piano
Keyboards Are Key to Success in Harlem
In early 2006, diminishing school budgets forced P.S. 154 in Harlem to make the difficult decision to cut all music programs from the curriculum. Thanks to the dedication of Change for Kids and the staff at P.S. 154, in 2008 CFK was able to bring music education back into the school.
Modeled upon our very successful violin instruction program at P.S. 73 in the Bronx, the P.S. 154 Piano program is led by a Juilliard-trained musician, Mrs. Ai Kuroda-Khaliq. Mrs. Ai focuses her classes on music theory fundamentals and basic keyboard skills. CFK supplies each student with a keyboard to use in the classroom and at home, along with magnetic musical writing boards to facilitate musical literacy and theory instruction.
In the short course of eight months, Mrs. Ai has accomplished a tremendous feat with her students. She was able to teach 25 novice students to read music, play a number of standard songs, and establish the musical theory base that will allow them to continue to grow. With Mrs. Ai’s huge success, we are looking forward to expanding the program to more students for the 2009-2010 school year.
Program Mission & Goals:
- Nurture kids' love and desire for learning through music
- Teach the fundamentals of music literacy, notation, and rhythm, and establish basic piano skills
- Provide experiences with music through listening, analyzing, composing, and performing
- Help kids understand the essence of music and foster well-rounded musicians
What the kids say:
"It makes me feel great to play the piano- I feel like my own person."
- 8 year-old
"Learning the piano gave me confidence, I'm proud to play."
- 8 year-old
"My favorite part is practicing at home so I can teach my older brother and sister how to play. I even teach my uncle how to play Twinkle, Twinkle!"
- 7 year-old
If you are interested in viewing a class or sponsoring keyboard instruction for a student at P.S. 154 in Harlem, please contact CFK Program Director Michael Quinzio: [email protected] or (212) 213-8061