Hi All,

All of you have had something meaningful to say on this issue. I really enjoy reading the opinions of our members. Like you, Ted, I believe 99% of pop music is a wasteland of unadulterated noise polluting our environment. On the other hand, like you, Doug, I have gone to my nephew's high school to listen to him play saxophone in a first class jazz band - and it was the junior band! The school has a senior band and my nephew will have to reach a predetermined standard before being accepted into the senior band. The music program at his school is outstanding and they don't play pop music. Those kids are serious musicians and good!

Pop music, whether we like it or not (and I don't obviously), is here to stay. I have a severly disabled son who attends a Day Center. I went to the Center today for their annual Christmas disco. The so-called music (read noise) was deafening and if it hadn't been for my son, I would have left after three minutes of that deafening din. But those disabled men and women who were able to dance loved it. So it has broad appeal and the success of the so-called "pop stars" is further evidence of that.

There are probably many reasons why we are not aware of the young people who are learning to play keyboards, but I'm sure they are out there. My music teacher is teaching youngsters to play keyboards, and I'll bet lots of young people are enrolled in the Technics and Yamaha Schools of Music around the world.

Merry Christmas to All Here at the Synth~Zone.

Chuck