STEAM for the Music Classroom

Pam Andrews Choral Director and Piano Teacher, Liberty Creek High School, Gallatin, TN

Pam Andrews' Piano Lab at Liberty Creek High School

Two- and one-half years ago Liberty Creek High School was about to launch. Due to

community growth Sumner County Schools desperately needed a new 9-12 school and

finally the dream of many was about to come true. LCHS’s principal, Dr. Phillip Holt was

attending parent meetings across our county to provide information to students who

would be attending LCHS. I had the joy of speaking at those events. I shared about my

dreams for the music department. One of those dreams as a piano instructor was to

create a lab for students to learn to play the piano. A dear friend of mine had shared

pictures of her lab with me and I immediately knew that a piano lab would be a

wonderful and innovative addition to Liberty Creek. Financial support would be the key

to this dream becoming reality.

My principal, Dr. Holt is also a visionary. He could see the need for technology in the fine arts area at Liberty Creek. Yes, he supports the arts in every way at Liberty Creek, but he also could see the joy of adding a piano lab with innovative technology.

STEAM…SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATH…is a critical area of learning in all schools today. He also could see that adding the lab with the latest technology would be an amazing addition to Liberty Creek High School. Thus, at the end of the first year we were open, Dr. Holt had me begin to research a piano system that would enhance the fine arts programs at LCHS.

Music is a performance art. Music and technology is partnered together in the Korg

GEC5 system making it student/teacher friendly. I am so thankful that my goal was to

get a piano lab for Liberty Creek High School. I am so grateful that my principal, Dr. Holt

was totally supportive and in fact, encouraging about the addition. I am also so very

grateful to Sumner County Schools for their financial support toward this effort.

As a teacher it is my goal to change lives for the good. I love to see smiles of success

and looks of passion for hard work on the faces of my students. We are experiencing

music in a 2025 style at Liberty Creek High School. The kids love the piano lab (There

is always a waiting list!) and I as a teacher am so honored to have this wonderful tool to

bring music in the hearts and lives of students.

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Pam Andrews is the choir director and piano teacher at Liberty Creek High School in Gallatin, TN.