Celebrating 30 Years of TI:ME
- SoundTree
- Mar 24
- 2 min read
Mike Lawson Executive Director of TI:ME
I learned that an organization called “TI:ME”—originally standing for Technology Institute for Music Education, now known as Technology in Music Education—was formed shortly after receiving funding from NAMM in 1997. I reached out and was invited to join the advisory board; I attended its inaugural meeting during Summer NAMM in Nashville, TN, at the Renaissance Hotel that same year.
It was exciting to see a group of forward-thinking educators striving to make music relevant to the times, as computers were increasingly used for production, composition, and arrangement. I wanted to contribute—especially since, as a kid, school felt limiting with only traditional paths such as becoming a band director or choral conductor.
The initiative was championed on the “MI” side by the late Mike Kovins, then president of KORG, who collaborated with NAMM’s Bob Morrison. Together, they secured funding to launch a nonprofit that, in partnership with companies such as Casio, Yamaha, Roland, and others at the forefront of integrating technology into music programs, created college-level training programs designed to prepare music teachers for the new generation. These programs replaced traditional chalkboards with CRT displays, musical keyboards, QWERTY keyboards, and more. KORG played a pivotal role in TI:ME’s founding, with its SoundTree initiative among the first in the industry to develop dedicated music tech lab programs. Our Teacher of the Year award is named in honor of Mike Kovins.
Now, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary—my 14th year as executive director and my 28th year serving this charity—we have evolved into a vital provider of free professional development training for music educators nationwide. Each year, TI:ME offers over 7,000 hours of training sessions in partnership with organizations such as NAMM, TMEA, OMEA, MDMEA, WMEA, NYSSMA, NJMEA, and others. These events not only deliver a diverse array of sessions but also foster a network where teachers can collaborate, exchange ideas, and share knowledge. For over three decades, we have helped evolve the use of technology in the music classroom, and we remain committed until the modernization of music education is complete and the tools that students have grown up with become ubiquitous.
A founding participant of TI:ME since 1997, Mike is a lifelong professional musician and audio engineer with a deep passion and dedication for music education. Former editor (now owner) of School Band & Orchestra + Magazine (SBO+) and MMR Magazine. Mike was a Grammy Trustee, publisher of over 200 books/videos on audio/music production, and has released eight albums in his career featuring multiple RnR Hall of Fame members and others. Mike still performs over 30 shows a year as a guitarist/vocalist.
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