"Making Big Waves In Music Education”
Nashville – June 27, 2012 - When you think of Music Row you normally think of artists, songwriters, and #1 hits. Now add music education to the list. Nashville-based company, QuaverMusic.com™, has quickly made an impact on music classrooms in virtually every state by developing cutting-edge technology resources for teachers and students. Their program is already being used by tens of thousands of K-8th grade students across the country, yet the company only launched a little over a year ago. To date Quaver’s School Program is in 43 states and 5 countries including Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Texas for all 52 elementary schools in their district and a recent purchase by Bradley County Schools, Cleveland, TN for their full district.
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| Quaver and co-creator Graham Hepburn |
“When I taught music classes a few years ago, I realized there weren’t many good teaching resources available for music teachers,” says Graham Hepburn, co-creator of the program. “They were often out-dated, incomplete, or just plain boring. And of all subjects, music should never be boring!”
“So we developed a powerful suite of online resources,” states owner and co-creator David Mastran, “including an interactive website at QuaverMusic.com that students and teachers can use to create their own music, from the classroom or home.” Teachers have access to additional online tools, including hundreds of Interactive WhiteBoard activities, online Teacher Guides, and the ability to issue and turn in class assignments directly through the website, with built-in student assessment tools. iPad apps are in the works and will begin rolling out this fall.
All of these resources integrate a series of short, TV-quality video episodes led by the main character, Quaver, played by Graham Hepburn. Quaver is a whimsical music shop owner that leads students through a different musical concept in each episode. Quaver’s World is part Bill Nye the Science Guy, Beakman, and Monty Python rolled into one, and has quickly generated a loyal following among teachers and students alike, based on the enthusiastic comments posted on the company’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/QuaverMusic).
As Leslie Lloyd of Warren Co, KY declares “…my students LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Quaver” and her statement is being heralded across the country by teachers utilizing Quaver’s Program in their music lessons. Houston, TX’s Willbern Elementary Music Teacher Penelope Campbell exclaims, “They are learning so much faster and retaining concepts longer because of Quaver; I almost feel like I'mtricking my reluctant learners into learning when they think they're just having fun!” In Nashville, TN Eakin Elementary music teacher, Rita Black introduced the Quaver School Program™ to her students this year and said, “…it was like opening brains and pouring in excitement for learning musical concepts…”
“Quaver brings music alive for them (students) and all of the students seem to be enjoying music more now than they ever have,” denotes Lucille Mozzillo of Edward J Arthur Elementary in Athens, NY.
In Marietta, GA, 30-year Music Teacher veteran Liz Carroll states, “I want to let you know that the Quaver Music program is the best thing that has come out for music ed in a long, long time!” Donna Berg of Delvan, WI agrees, “For music teachers out there who are looking for textbooks – STOP right there. You will be SO much better served by purchasing the Quaver products. The time has come to use the technology we have in our classrooms and in our students homes – and spend our classroom dollars on 21st century learning tools like these.”
Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music™ has already been recognized with notable awards, including the Parents’ Choice® Gold Award, and a 2011 KIDS PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD fromCreative Child Magazine’s Awards Program.
“Nashville is known worldwide for its musical community, so it only makes sense that a cutting-edge music education program be created right here in Music City,” shares series Producer, Steve Gilreath. It helps to have a talented community to draw from in order to pull off a musical and media-rich program like QuaverMusic.com™. The DVD series alone features a cast of over 400, including many local young actors, professional musicians, dancers, and puppeteers.
Located on Music Row, QuaverMusic.com™ has a growing full-time staff of almost 40 professionals including, graphic artists, animators, audio engineers, video production specialists, AS 3 Flash programmers, content managers and a sales/marketing team.
For more information please visit QuaverMusic.com/Preview or play for free on their website at QuaverMusic.com.
