Young Val-d'Or students access music through plastic trombones

Every Thursday, Ms. Chloe Dunlop's Grade 4 class at Golden Valley School in Val-d'Or, Que., walks a few hundred meters down the street for music class.

"It's a little bit of a special thing for us, because the other classes don't have an activity to learn music," says 10-yearold Jeff Blanger.

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The students play pBonescolourful, plastic trombonesin a class taught by a brassprofessor who teaches at Val-d'Or's music conservatory.

Affordable music class

The pBone program started three years ago when it was deemed by the school principal asthe best way to offer music class to students.

"We don't have the means, the kids, or the room for a music program at our school so this isan excellent opportunity for these students," says the class's homeroom teacher, ChloeDunlop.

"They learn to read music, to play an instrument and they do it with a professional soit's great for them."

The pBones cost about $150, less than a third of a traditional,metalinstrument. Plus, theydon't have a maintenance cost to hammer out dents.

Neal Bennett, the p-bone teacher says the instruments sound "quite acceptable."

"It takes a lot of practice but sometimes I get better at it," says nine-year-old Xavier Rose, adding thatthe vibrations of blowing into the p-bone sometimes hurt his lips.

RAW: Val-d'Or students learn music in pBone class

9 years ago

Duration 0:15

Inexpensive plastic trombones allow Golden Valley School to give music classes to Grade 4 students.

Music good for students

Dunlop says her students love to tell her what they learned in p-boneclass, and she notices they are more relaxed for the rest of the day when they have music inthe morning.

"I like it because we can do any kind of songs, and sometimes you can become a rock star,"says 10-year-old Chlo Desrosiers.

Bennett says he is working with the school to try and find a way to continue some sort ofmusic program beyond Grade 4, but he says in the meantime, he says students can join aband program offered at the Conservatory on Saturday mornings for about $100 per year.