Makemusic Announces Smartmusic 'Share Your Story' Contest Winners

Minneapolis, MN (Top40 Charts/ SmartMusic Official Website) - MakeMusic, Inc., a world leader in music technology, announced the latest winners in the second annual SmartMusic 'Share Your Story' Contest. The contest encourages SmartMusic educators to describe how SmartMusic has changed their music programs and enhanced student learning. On Aug.24, the top eight finalists (selected by an internal panel of judges) were announced and their stories were posted on the SmartMusic Contest website. All website visitors were then encouraged to vote for their favorite story until voting closed on Sept. 30.

John Kuehn, Indiana University, Pennsylvania was the grand prize winner. His winning essay begins, 'Smart teachers plus SmartMusic equals smart students. Through the use of SmartMusic my classes have achieved results far beyond what I have witnessed in my previous 40 years of teaching. Even more amazing is that these results were accomplished without sacrificing any class time.'

Eric Wilson, Colonial Elementary School, Plymouth Meeting, Pa., won second place and Karen Froehlich, Harrison Central School District, Harrison, N.Y., won third place. In addition, five Honorable Mention awards went to: Maggie Oates, Calamus-Wheatland Elementary, Wheatland, Iowa; Laura Davison, Tupper Lake Middle-High School, Tupper Lake, N.Y.; Thomas West, Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, West Chester, Pa.; Gregory Mueller, Mehlville School District, St. Louis, Mo.; and Thane Thomas, Cordova Junior/Senior High School, Cordova, Alaska.

The eight winning SmartMusic stories and additional information about the contest and each of the finalists are available on the SmartMusic Contest website.

'We were truly impressed with the volume of submissions and the thousands of votes cast,' said Diane Hummon, Senior Vice President of Marketing. 'I'd like to thank everyone who participated in this contest. All of us here at MakeMusic have been moved and inspired to read how SmartMusic is helping to make a difference in music programs and in student learning.'

The SmartMusic library, the largest accompaniment library in the world, contains 29 method books, more than 7,700 solos (including popular music), thousands of practice exercises, more than 2,400 band and orchestra titles and 18 jazz improvisation collections.

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