DC Keys
The DC Keys curriculum—created and produced in partnership with DC Public Schools—introduces piano literacy and composition skills to elementary and middle school students. Guided by the imaginative teaching styles of DCPS music teachers and locally based teaching artists, DC Keys impacts thousands of students from every Ward of the city each year.
DC Keys was piloted in the 2016-2017 school year, received DCPS-wide implementation in 2017-2018, and has continued to grow with the addition of middle school content and curriculum. During the 2020-21 school year, the program featured online classroom instruction on how to use a keyboard, general musical terms and techniques taught via keyboard music, and basic composition.
Music A Key To Early Learning? Piano Program Expanding To All D.C. Elementary Schools
Featured in WAMU Washington American University Radio
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The DC Keys curriculum developed in 2021 was made possible through the generous support of Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather, in loving memory of Carol Ann Co.
Education programs at Washington Performing Arts are made possible in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities; U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs Program; Jacqueline Badger Mars and Mars, Incorporated; The Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation; The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Philip L. Graham Fund; Park Foundation, Inc.; Mr. Bruce Rosenblum and Ms. Lori Laitman; Pepco, An Exelon Company; The Boeing Company; Prince Charitable Trusts; Mr. Peter Buscemi and Ms. Judith Miller; Events DC; Sunny and Bill Alsup; Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation; Dr. Robert Misbin; Mary Jo Veverka; Gary and Silvia Yacoubian/SVS; Washington Performing Arts Women’s Committee; Dina Al Sabah and David Alden; The Nora Roberts Foundation; CHIME & Dorothy Marschak; Dimick Foundation; Graham Holdings Company; Mr.+ and Mrs.+ Herbert Milstein/The Greene-Milstein Family Foundation; Peace Love and Joy, in memory of Arman Simone; Venable Foundation; George Wasserman Family Foundation, Inc.; Dr. W. Stephen and Diane E. Piper; Ms. Sara E. Sanders/Sanders Foundation; Dr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Danks; Capitol Hill Community Foundation; and The Charles Delmar Foundation. Gifts as of November 27, 2023.
Additional thanks to D.C. Public Schools for their partnership on many education programs at Washington Performing Arts.
