Music Technology in Education

I’m up in Vermont at Castleton State College this morning at the Vermont MIDI Project Summer Institute, a wonderful week-long professional development workshop run by Sandi MacLeod. The students here are all veteran teachers who are learning how to use technology to teach music, including two levels of Sibelius (beginning and advanced) and ProTools (taught by my good friend Marc Schonbrun). SoundTree sponsored the Institute by providing a full mobile technology lab running ProTools and some KONTROL 49 USB keyboard controllers for the Sibelius classes. I am looking forward to a continued relationship between SoundTree and the VT MIDI Project in the future.

I arrived yesterday and observed some of the classes and I must say that I was very impressed. Well run program with eager students. The highlight of the day though was an impromtu jam session last night in the dorm commons (I love staying in dorms). It was so refreshing to just sit back and relax and make music with other (very talented) educators. Everyone was singing, playing percussion instruments, and there were a few instrumentalists who were world class. I had a grin on my face the whole time. Every once and awhile it is important to remind yourself why you got into this business in the first place - the power of music.

Hats off to Sandi and the other staff members up here at the institute. If you’re looking for a wonderful opportunity for professional development next year in a gorgeous Vermont setting, I urge you to consider the Vermont MIDI Project Summer Institute. I know I’ll be back.

I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions!