Testimonials

"I don't know what took me so long to lock onto this great source of fun games. Students love to play games, even with me, and at the same time these materials are great learning tools. My students love Slap Me Silly, Rockin' Rhythms and Tapping Telephones, especially when we use the digital pianos with the telephone sounds! These materials are easy to incorporate into a lesson, private or group, and with the leveling, you can use them to suit your own curriculum and studio set up. I recommend looking into these materials. Great stuff!"

Karen Vandall NCTM
New Philadelphia, OH

"It is not often a student asks if he can do extra pages in his theory book, but since using Theory Gymnastics in my studio this is a common occurrence. The activities are age appropriate and fun for students to complete. I use the Technic Charts with all my students. Earning stickers in every box is a great incentive for them to master each element."

Barbie Jo Bonnett, Teacher/Evaluator
Redlands, CA

"The Kreative Keyboard is a tool used daily in my group music classes for young children. Keyboard geography, steps and skips, patterns, intervals, inversions, and many other concepts become hands-on activities that evoke the light of understanding in my students' eyes. The staff side of the cloth [keyboard] allows intergration of pitch and rhythm. I tell teachers in my workshops, "This is a classroom essential!

TCW theory books are the most relevant and student friendly that I have seen in 25 years of teaching. Each level has a fun "host" who presents concepts. The books provide many opportunities for fun review and reinforcement. Theory books that are a winner for students! What could be better?!"

Ann Hinson, Teacher, Studio Owner, and Clinician for Early Childhood Music
Raleigh, NC

"I have used all of the TCW teaching materials in my studio (Theory books, technic charts, games, curriculum guides, etc). My students absolutely love the theory books. I do, too. They allow independent study for a highly motivated student while serving as reinforcement for my average ability students. With your challenge pages and review chapters, my students have a solid foundation and thorough understanding. I am able to give them theory tests from our Illinois State A.I.M. program and have them pass with ease.

"I find having Group Lessons 4 or 5 times during the school year to be excellent preparation for the big recitals. After we rehearse briefly at the beginning of the group lesson, we relax with a couple games. My teenagers love them. They ask for them by name (Wacky Wanda, Spoons, Scale Scramble) just to mention a few.

"Going to the 1996 MTNA Convention was money well spent the year I met you and purchased your materials. I have told all the teachers in my local chapter and state organization how extremely well organized and creative your products are. Thank you!"

Peg Holzgrafe, Quincy Chapter, Illinois State MTA
Quincy, IL

"The theory courses of TCW are the best I have seen yet! They are thorough, witty and the students love them. There is not another program as engaging for the students and teachers alike. Thank you TCW!"

Tawna Love
Meridian, ID

"I just had to tell you that I am DELIGHTED with the Keyboard Gymnastics program!!! After 27 years of teaching, I think I may have finally discovered the way to get kids to learn these basic skills - THANK YOU!!! I am using them along with my new keyboard so they think they go together. I have them do them first at every lesson, using the keyboard metronome and then a fun rhythm at the same tempo. They love it - and don't realize it's still technic. (I always call it "Keyboard Gymnastics", not Technic.) I date each box as its assigned, and then add a small round sticker as it's completed. Even the teenagers get a kick out of seeing their page fill up with stickers, and feeling like they've accomplished something each week. Another motivation is to use a Scale midi-disk with accompaniment track, set at the tempo your sheet says. I can't believe how hard my teenage students are trying to match that tempo so they can play it with the disk.

"I will be using several others of your products next week for the first time - your Kreative Keyboard and supplies, and "Wacky Wanda." I bought all these at the MTNA Convention, and am just now starting to use them. I'm having monthly Class Lessons so these will be lots of fun. I'm sure the kids will love them.

"Thanks for all your hard work - and sound teaching principles - in preparing all these products. I can tell you teach "real" kids and know what works for "real" teachers. Keep up the good work!"

Gloria Grys
Shawano, Wisconsin

"You guys have been wonderful! My students are always asking me about the fun games (especially Screaming Match, which they now refer to as 'Screamer!', and I love the fact that they're learning while having fun at the same time! Thanks for developing great musical games for our future generations!"

Natalia Huang
New York, NY

"I use TCW Resources teaching tools in my studio - not just the theory books, but the games, cards and Kreative Keyboard. What a wonderful addition to the theory repertoire! It's innovative, fun and exciting. The concepts are taught thoroughly and with excellent humor. The kids love it!

"The theory books are a smashing success because the students enjoy the challenging games. What I really appreciate as a teacher, is the great way the concepts are explained. If a student has a question while doing the homework between lessons, they can just refer back to the explanations rather than being confused until their next lesson. The theory books last about a year and I've never had a parent complain about the $25.00 price tag. This year when preparing for Certificate of Merit, I asked my students how confident they were about the upcoming Theory Tests. To the student, they said they were "very confident" and the 94% average theory score bore out not only their confidence, but the quality of the books in preparation for the test. After my first full year of use, I've been able to determine which CM level goes with each book and this year I hope to match everyone up a little closer, so who knows what scores we'll have next year!

"I enjoy using the various card games - I laminate them first for longevity - they're an excellent way to reinforce concepts in group class!

"The Kreative Keyboard comes in handy for all levels. The beginners use it to locate notes on the keyboard and place intervals. Elementary students use it to mark off hand positions (with poker chips on the keyboard side, transparent whole notes on the staff side), intermediate students mark off chord inversions and scales on the keyboard side, then we flip it over and they have to "write" the inversions and scales on the staff side - plus melodic and harmonic dictation, the advanced students use it for higher level analysis and dictation as well.

"Music Money is a big hit in my studio, too. I have an incentive program where kids earn money every week measured against a "perfect" lesson, which varies by level. Then at group class, they earn lots more with games and, particularly, bingo games I've created to review everything I could think of. At the end of each term, they "shop" at my store for music themed gifts. It's a HUGE success!!

"Thanks for creating such a fun way to learn music theory. The kids love the books, love doing theory and are learning the concepts thoroughly. I'm looking forward to the answer keys for Preciso and Appassionato as well as whatever comes next!

"I've now been fortunate enough to meet some of the "cranky women" at the MTAC convention - and they're a blast! They have great answers to questions, listen to concerns and follow through with comments or suggestions."

Mona Benight, Benight Piano Studio
Lodi, CA

"I love the technique charts! They give an easy step by step process to follow and you know that your students are learning what they need to progress. Thank you for making such great products and for making teaching easier for teachers."

Amy Stephens
Socorro, New Mexico

"My groups have really enjoyed all the TCW games this year! Each month I've laminated a new game to try out and look forward to preparing the rest of them this summer. We've used several card games and have had to repeat "Don't Eat Pete" each month with different treats each time: Fruit Loops, candy corn for Halloween, mini marshmallow "snowballs" in January, conversation hearts in February.

"The music money has become a fun part of each lesson. Even the most blasé teenager enjoys being rewarded. My sixth grade boy works hard each week to earn a "Bravo Week" and has become Mr. Moneybags. This system has proved a quicker and easier way to reward good practicing than the other systems I've tried.

"Thanks so much for all your terrific products and ideas!"

Carolyn Christian
Ben Lomand, CA