Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Julie Hackmann from the Kyrene School District. Mrs. Hackmann is the Coordinator of Kyrene’s Visual and Performing Arts Department. It has been a year since her district replaced nearly all of their old school pianos with new Roland Digital Pianos, and we wanted to catch up with her to see how they’re doing. Also, we thought it would be a great opportunity to share with you the process she went through to make this investment happen.
Hi, Julie! Thank you for speaking with us. What led you to the position of Fine & Performing Arts Coordinator, and how long have you been in this position?
JH: I am a 26-year veteran Choral Music teacher, and I have been Arts Coordinator for Kyrene for three years. We have 27 K-8 schools in the District.
Kyrene School District set out to replace nearly all of their (aging) pianos with technology-infused instruments.
When you started in this position, what challenges were you focused on?
JH: Making sure that all the Arts teachers had resources to teach best practices was my number one priority. As I discovered in the first year, many of our pianos were broken, hard to tune, heavy to move, and very out of date. Replacing our old pianos quickly became a top priority for the music teachers in our district.
What made you decide to replace older (traditional) pianos in your school district with digital pianos?
JH: Before moving to my current administrative position, I worked with the school PTO to purchase a digital piano for my Chorus classroom. That piano made a huge difference in my ability to teach. The fact that a digital instrument could feel and sound like an acoustic – while incorporating new technologies like the accompaniment catalog, instant transpose, song and exercise recording, and the ability to add multiple instrument layers – all made purchasing digitals an important way to future-proof our music classrooms.
Were the music teachers reluctant to exchange their traditional pianos for digital pianos?
JH: A few teachers chose to also retain their acoustic pianos, but not one elementary music, chorus, band, orchestra or mariachi teacher chose to opt out of the digital piano program. Everyone was extremely excited – especially when they learned that in-depth training was included in the contract.
Riverton Piano Pros assembled 30 Roland digital pianos (model HP704) for delivery to schools in the Kyrene School District.
Kyrene Schools invested in new HP704 Roland Digital Pianos for almost all of their schools in 2021. It has now been a year since you bought them. What has the experience been like for your teachers?
JH: We have heard nothing but praise for the new Rolands – the teachers LOVE them. Using the features has come slowly to some (mostly from lack of time to learn) but your trainings have been extremely helpful. There are so many wonderful applications and features with the new digital pianos that our teachers are regularly sharing their discoveries in our PLC meetings. The support from Riverton staff has been fantastic, and the online video trainings are valuable resources as well.
What was your biggest hurdle or challenge in getting this project across the finish line?
JH: Securing the funding was actually straightforward once I demonstrated the need to replace the out-of-date and “well-used” acoustic pianos to our District Administration. After the funding was approved, the bidding process took some time, but Riverton’s promise to conduct comprehensive training and the value Roland’s features were two positive purchasing points. Then, honestly, the biggest hurdle was COVID protocols and safety measures delaying access to school campuses, as the Roland pianos could only be delivered when students were not present. Riverton went above and beyond to make sure all the pianos were safely delivered.
Would you recommend digital pianos for other school districts?
JH: Absolutely. This is a priceless investment in the future of music students and classrooms. The features these state-of-the-art digital pianos offer, including the ability to use Bluetooth to wirelessly connect, the use of headphones, the ability to transpose, the ability to compose, the awesome ability to implement classroom lessons in listening and sight-reading and singing, connecting to online tutorials, easy transport, the ability to see students over the keyboard – not to mention the feel and sound of these instruments – make them an investment that will positively impact our music classrooms for years to come.
The new pianos allow music teachers to stream music from a mobile device, record exercises and accompaniments, transpose on the fly, easily move their pianos, and incorporate hundreds of instrument sounds into their music – with no tuning or maintenance expenses. Click the link to learn more about the Roland HP704.
Finally, what would you say about your experience working with Riverton Piano Company during this process?
JH: Riverton has been an excellent partner in the process of purchasing and learning to use the new digital pianos. Communication is clear and prompt, and the customer service, even in the challenging years of COVID, has been outstanding. I deeply appreciate how much the Riverton staff have done to make the process smooth and the experience of purchasing so many pianos so positive. As our district hires new teachers, we will continue to work with Riverton to bring them up to speed on the latest technologies and apps. Thanks to everyone for making this a resounding success!
Julie, we wish to thank you for taking the time to speak with us, and we congratulate Kyrene School District for your forward-thinking approach to music education in your schools. We also thank you very much for placing your trust in Riverton Piano! Congratulations!
Riverton Piano Company is grateful for all of the schools, colleges, teachers and performance venues that have supported us in the last several years. We know you all have all faced unprecedented challenges from COVID to budget cuts to staffing shortages and more, but, together, we have accomplished – and will continue to accomplish – great things.
If your school or institution is considering upgrading your piano inventory, please contact us. We have tools that can help you identify the right instruments, raise the funds you need, and ensure positive outcomes for your music department. Who knows? Maybe you can be our next interview!
