[Formal instrument training programs in elementary schools]

In times of financial hardship, one of the programs always thought to be cut first is music and the arts. In Santa Cruz County, this is not the case. The problem then is not that children aren\u27t receiving musical instrument education, but rather that no school in the entire county offers a program that teaches piano. It\u27s mind boggling that the piano, a universally popular and conventionally standard instrument, is not taught in our schools. I set out to create a piano class at an elementary school in Santa Cruz County, Twin Lakes. The program is structured in such a way as to foster success through group work and engaging activities. The students will meet twice a week for forty minutes. Twice a year students will play in a recital to develop their performance skills. The piano class will bring music into dozens of homes at a fraction of the cost of a private instructor