Hi mates,
I'm an Oboe and a recorder performer. As an educator, I am fascinated with the challenge of how to motivate children to come closer to music, specifically in the age of non-stop TV/computer-games/internet. This is why I got involved in the wonderful project of JoyTunes - a wonderful teaching tool that motivates kids to practice at home, found @ http://www.joytunes.com?tok=edmodo

About a year and a half ago (time flies fast...) I started collaborating with two computer geeks - thinking that we must create a real, musical alternative for kids. No more of the same, but something new and exciting! Now, it is a fact that most kids find it extremely hard to practice every day their routine, tedious exercises - the same exercises that allow them to excel and enjoy music. No practice leads to slow progress, which leads to less practice and high quitting rate. Sounds familiar??? Thus, the idea of JoyTunes was created.

The twit of JoyTunes is simple: An interactive computer game that is controlled by live instruments - so while the kids are playing the game they are actually practicing and learning to play their instruments. For more details you can just visit http://www.joytunes.com/teachers.php?tok=edmo...

As this is a new adventure for me, I would love to get your feedback and also connect with educators all over the world - to share thoughts on how to motivate children to play music, and how to promote music (not junk) more into the education system and to our lives.

Hope to communicate with all of you.

Yigal