ECISD students make music

Last spring, Austin Montessori music teacher Tyra Reyez was at the annual Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio when she saw a presentation on the MIDI For Kids program.

The program’s long name, Music Instruction Develops Intelligence for Kids, offers more insight into the fact that MIDI for Kids is a musical instruction program. Students sign up for the after-school program and pay $65 a month for weekly lessons. Working in small groups, the students learn how to read music and play their instruments both solo and in a group.

Reyez and Barbara Jordan Elementary music teacher Tamara Conn approached Ector County Independent School District assistant superintendent of fine arts Shawn Bell to talk about piloting the program at their respective schools.

"We looked into it to see if it was doable and if it would be a good fit for us, and it looked pretty good, so we decided to try it," Bell said.

Reyez will be offering Austin students the chance to study guitar this school year; Conn will be giving piano lessons to Barbara Jordan students.

The MIDI program provides students with the chance to study an instrument at a lower cost, Reyez said. Private music lessons usually cost about $30 per half hour, Reyez said, while MIDI music classes are $65 per month for hourlong weekly lessons. In the guitar class, the lesson fees pay for two music books, a small backpack and the use of the instrument during lessons.

The program also benefits the school, Reyez said. Both the guitar and piano lessons are required to have at least 21 students enrolled in the class. If Reyez keeps enough students enrolled in the program for the next five years, 10 classical guitars, music stands and foot stands will belong to the school. If Conn keeps enough students in the program for the next five years, the keyboards will become the property of the school.

"It’s great because the students get to learn an instrument which will teach them things like how to work together, and how to be creative and how to start something and finish something. They’ll learn all of this stuff and the school will get these instruments," Reyez said.

Conn said she was happy to be offering the program to her students.

"I’m really excited about it," she said.

If the pilot program is successful, Bell said he would consider offering MIDI classes at other campuses across the district.

For now, the teachers are just focused on getting enough kids enrolled to hold the classes. Classes start Sept. 14 and both teachers must have at least 21 students in their classes to keep their MIDI contracts.

"We’re really excited about this program, because we want to give this opportunity to our students," Bell said.

WHO TO CALL

>> Austin Montessori at 332-3453.

>> Barbara Jordan Elementary at 366-5799.