Music Teacher Wins Drawing for Free Clavinova

When music teacher Judy Landes attended the Illinois Music Educators Association conference in late January, she didn't realize the stroke of luck she was about to receive.

Yamaha, through the Samuel Music Store in Effingham, IL, had provided a Clavinova digital piano to raffle off to the teachers at the annual event. Samuel Music's booth displayed Clavinovas while 200 music educators crowded around to enter the drawing. At the end of the conference Landes was selected the lucky winner. As it turned out, she was not the only winner.

As a teacher dedicated to bringing music into the lives of children, Landes was thrilled to share her luck with students at the Redmon School in Paris, IL.

"The kids will benefit a great deal from learning on the Clavinova," says Landes. "The traditional keyboard sounds, combined with the sounds of the pipe organ, an electric piano and harpsichord provide children with a multitude of options to explore and play with."

Landes also believes that students will benefit from the Clavinova's tempo and the volume change, as well as the instrument's ability to record and transpose keys.

"The Clavinova's advanced technology enables us to hook it up to a computer," she says. "It expands our electronic music uses and makes learning for the children quicker and easier."

Upon a recent visit to the Redmon School, joyous sounds of music filled the room as children sang along with the Clavinova. Landes was in the background singing along. "I've never won anything like this before," she said. "I feel lucky, and the kids are lucky, too."