Wii Music Strikes A Chord With Music Educators
Posted by John De Large on 01.14.2009
Teachers to bring Wii Music to classrooms nationwide.
REDMOND, Wash. -- Nintendo's Wii Music™ will be used in classrooms, thanks to collaborations with certain schools and their teachers. To improve music education, build students' familiarity with technology and to increase appreciation for music, Nintendo is working with teachers to help them make use of Wii Music software in their lesson plans to allow students more creativity and to encourage improvisation. Experts in the field of music say getting kids interested in music at an early age can help build a lifelong appreciation and Wii Music™ can help kids get oriented with music at an early age.
Nintendo's collaborators in this effort include MENC: The National Association for Music Education, also known as the world's largest arts education organization. MENC will help teachers integrate Wii Music into their curriculum, making use of the game's 60-plus instruments, rhythm and tempo based exercises as well as it's ability to help structure songs.
"The goal of Wii Music is to inspire people of all ages to enjoy music," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "By partnering with educators and bringing Wii Music into their classrooms, we hope to give students a memorable, hands-on experience that helps them discover their own creative voice."
The Wii's motion-sensors allow students at any experience level to play solo or as part of a group. Using the wireless Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers, players make simple movements to strum the guitar, play the trumpet or bang drums.
"At any grade level, it's essential to provide students with the tools and encouragement they need to be creative," said John J. Mahlmann, executive director of MENC. "We look forward to collaborating with Nintendo to drive awareness and advocacy for music education through Wii Music."
"Wii Music has brought a renewed excitement to music class for students from first grade to fifth, myself and even some of the classroom teachers," said Helen A. Krofchick, a music teacher at Doby's Mill Elementary School in Lugoff, S.C. "I love how many music standards can be covered in such a short time. Students also have to use language skills, spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination. We have a school very supportive of the arts and Wii Music has empowered our program even more. Any system that is educational and can add a love of music to children's lives should be in every classroom."
"The joy of playing music is something that should be experienced by everyone, regardless of age, talent-level or experience," said Joe Lamond, President & CEO of NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants. "Research shows that more than 82 percent of people who don't currently play a musical instrument wish they did. Wii Music can help address this by providing a positive introduction for millions of people who might not otherwise be inclined to try."
Collaborators so far include San Francisco's Blue Bear School of Music and New York's Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Wii Music, visit www.WiiMusic.com.
