Kid musicians use iPads donated by Morrie’s Auto (VIDEO)
Youth enrolled in Salvation Army music programs are learning how to play their instruments better – and having more fun doing it – thanks to Morrie’s Automotive Group.
Morrie’s recently donated 30 new iPads that The Salvation Army has been using to instruct its music students in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. Each iPad is loaded with apps and programs that teach young musicians about ear training, music theory, and how to play three types of instruments: piano, brass, and guitar.
“The iPads are a great tool – they’ve been cutting our teaching time in half,” said Jose Sanchez, Salvation Army Northern Division music director. “This technology allows kids to use more of their senses during the learning process.”
The students, ages 8 to 17, hail from Salvation Army locations in Austin, St. Cloud, Brainerd, and five in the Twin Cities. Sanchez and the kids practice together once or twice a month during the school year. On May 12, the students will perform their year-end concert at The Salvation Army in Maplewood.
Using iPads to incorporate technology into music lessons has heightened the students’ interest in music and boosted their creativity.
“It’s like we’re speaking their language now,” Sanchez said. “Before, we had a whiteboard.”
The Salvation Army has been teaching music to children for generations upon generations. Sanchez himself discovered his love for music through Salvation Army music programs when he was a child growing up in Mexico.
The Salvation Army thanks Morrie’s Automotive Group for their continued support of Salvation Army youth programs. For the past several years, the auto dealer and its customers have donated thousands of school supplies and thousands of dollars to support the children we serve.
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