Teacher uses technology as gateway to music

HAW RIVER -- Linda Kilkenny was a high school band director for seven years.

She has played flute, oboe, French horn and saxophone. Kilkenny has combined her musical ability with her current job as instructional technology teacher at Haw River Elementary School.

Now, Kilkenny is teaching students the basics of reading music and playing the piano using computers, software and electronic music keyboards.

Most of the school's students are Latino. For those whose English isn't as strong as their Spanish, that can be an added challenge in some subjects.

Not in music, Kilkenny said: "Music has no language."

Part of Kilkenny's inspiration for the program is that there is no music teacher at Haw River.

She started the program with a $3,000 grant from the N.C. Technology in Education Society.

Last week, she started teaching students about musical terms and the time value assigned to different musical notes. While watching notes and hearing music on computers, students are learning to play simple melodies on their musical keyboards.

Students wear headphones so they can hear what they are playing in combination with background music.

Kilkenny said the program is similar to popular interactive video games.

"It's a lot like 'GuitarHero,'" she said.