A different kind of music making .(Forum Focus: Arts Awareness and Advocacy)

The summer of 2007 was unique in that MTNA and the National Piano Foundation (NPF) co-sponsored four regional RMM Teacher Training Seminars for piano teachers. RMM is code for Recreational Music Making, which originated with NAMM, the International Music Products Association. NAMM supported the funding of the seminars through a grant awarded in 2007.

The seminars were held in four cities: Madison, Wisconsin; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; and Raleigh, North Carolina. A total of 115 teachers from 21 states and Canada attended the seminars and 14 retailers and district sales managers attended a portion of the seminars.

The clinicians were experienced RMM teachers who have successful programs in their communities. Brenda Dillon, NPF's project director, teaches at a senior center in Plano, Texs. Autumn Keller, a Musikgarten national teacher trainer, teaches an RMM program in Billings, Montana. Debra Perez, a store co-owner and teacher trainer at two stores in south Texas, coordinates a comprehensive music education department, which currently has 25 RMM piano classes per week, with 8-12 students per class.

The goal of the seminars was to stress that RMM teaching is different, as teachers are student-centered rather than teacher-centered. Teachers already know everything they need to know about teaching students how to play the piano. However, RMM teaching can require an attitude conversion on the part of the teacher. The objective is to create a stress-free environment for learning so that students continue to enroll once they realize this is a safe environment. Although performance is not the goal, ultimately most of the students want to perform in relaxed settings like piano parties or celebrations. Another goal was to teach group teaching concepts and demonstrate how effective the group is for RMM students.

The seminar evaluations included these comments:

* "Because of the supportive atmosphere and by leaving our egos and attitude at the door, I found this seminar to be my favorite of all I've attended."

* "This was the best seminar I have ever attended and I ...