"Learn how to play multiple piano compositions as a total beginner in one week!"¨CThis was an imagination, and is now a delightful fact in piano education afterCACI created the Numbered-Key-System (NKS) piano methodin 2010 to educate adult piano students.
One of the significant contributions of NKSin general music education for adults is to teach beginners piano playing before they need to read music stavewith enough music theory background. Adult piano beginners can truly play multiple piano compositions with both hands in a week by studying the NKS method. After an extremely short period of study, countlessNKS adult piano beginners can play well-known music compositions during familygathering, birthday parties, weddings, company retreats and other social or family activities. This is not only a delightful surprise for their family members, friends and colleagues, but also a wonderful way for the adult students to gain much pleasure in his or herown emotional life as CACI believes music belongs to all.
During the process of creating NKS, CACI won kind support and recognition from many highly regarded international music educators including faculty musicians of many top American colleges and leading concert performers. Meanwhile, it also received a wide range of positive result in continue musiceducation in China and abroad.
The piano is a multi-voice instrument with fixed pitch, which also has a wide pitch range and a very rich force of color, dynamics and musical expressiveness. Moreover, the piano is regarded as the most suitable instrument for beginners and the "King of all instruments". Many adults have the desire of playing some musical instrumentsto not only relax their minds but also enjoy the healing power of music during their leisure time. At the same time, many of them mistakenly believe the ability and privilege of learning musical instruments only belongs to children or younger students. During the research CACI conducted onbeginning piano education in adults and children, CACI found that the one for adults isvery natural and very voluntary. The mainmotivationsfor adults to study piano can be divided into the following categories: a)Loving the sound of music, and wanting to make their childhood musical dream come true. b) To fully understand their children or grand children'smusic studies in order to better communicate with themon the topic of music. c) To amuse themselves or search for their invaluable inner selfby learning how to play some of their favorite musical compositions. d) To practice the brain-hand coordination in order to prevent those diseases related to aging, and also helpthemselves to cure insomnia. e) Finding a peaceful way of communicating and getting along with themselves in music.
With all the valid motivations, CACI found the two main reasons for many adults to hesitate in starting formal piano studies: 1. Reading musicstave without enough music theory background; 2.The lack of piano study method for the age group made adults. Based on the solid research on the practical situation of adults learners, CACI created this easy-to-understand NKS method and enjoyed enormous success in adult piano education. The beginners can use the non-sticky and handle-free "numbered key stickers" and the NKS teaching material to enjoy the quickest result. The NKS can also help the beginners shorten the time of music theory study during the process of the piano learning. All the compositions in the materials all have cross references of NKS and regular stave. During the practice, use the numbered-key stickers to easily find every note in both hands and start playing musical compositions immediately.
In 2011, Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House (ChengDu, China) published this teaching material immediately after finding out the success of NKS method. This NKS teaching material volume #1 has ten units, from basic music reading, rhythm practice, two-hand coordination practice, to musicality training and other aspects.
NKS has been raising great interest and a sense of achievement for those adult piano beginners. There is no doubt that NKS adult students find sharing the fun of music performance with people they love and care about, while enriching their own busy lives with music is most appreciative and meaningful.