Kayla Droppo of Kay’s Keys & Strings. Morin Photo

Kay’s Keys & Strings brings music to South Dundas

MORRISBURG – Music is one thing that is common to most everyone. Music is as close and as necessary as the air we breathe, and if you are not a musician, then you are a listener, and both share the magic found in music.

Kayla Droppo of Kay’s Keys & Strings in Morrisburg believes in the power of music and likes to share that passion with young and old.

She teaches music from her studio in Morrisburg.

Droppo plays and teaches piano, ukulele, guitar, alto sax just to name a few instruments. She has a Grade 9 RCM Piano certification, and a bachelor’s in music from Queen’s University.

She explains, “I specialize in music education, theory and ensemble lessons.”

She has been teaching music for the past five years.

“I established my business in Morrisburg,” she said. “I teach all ages. I like to tailor the lessons to what the students like to learn but also develop their skills too.”

Traditionally when music students are taught, their teachers focus on music theory and follow a prescribed plan of playing whatever instrument they are learning about.

“It is a common practice that music teachers depend on a music book and ask students to play this song and then that song. The student may not really understand what they are playing. So, I help them understand and enjoy what they are doing.”

Droppo enjoys helping children through music.

She was attracted to the piano at a very early age, living in the Hainsville area.

She was not able to communicate as well as she would have liked to as a child with anxiety being her biggest challenge, but music gave her a way to confidently interact with the world.

She is not a music therapist but does believe in the power of music to help a child in a number of ways.

“I am not a music therapist because I know what it takes, but I do have a lot of skills and personal experience because I work with daycares, learning centres and nurseries. I tend to get paired with children who have some behavioural issues.”

She feels there is a significant need for musical education in the area, and since she opened her business, she has had a steady stream of interested and motivated music students.

She is very involved in her community.

“I have lived in South Dundas my whole life and I would like to bring music education back to the area.”

She is used to performing for the public. She used to make music for her church and will perform for weddings and get togethers as well as children’s parties with her ukulele.

She started to learn about the piano when she was eight years’ old. Her music teacher was Betty Casselman. Later she would train with Margaret Whisselle. She also learned guitar and songwriting from award winning country local musician Cory Coons.

Communicating with ease in any situation has been an interest of Kayla’s since she was a child.

“When I saw my mother play the piano for the first time I was inspired. She was always trying to find something that would help me communicate. I had selective mutism when I was young,” she said. This is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they do not see very often. It usually starts during childhood and, if left untreated, can persist into adulthood.

Music appeared to be a way to combat the condition.

“Performing for people really opened me up and helped to make me more comfortable.”

One new project she would like to look into for the area, is the idea of a children’s choir.

Kay’s Keys & Strings is located at 5, 1st Street in Morrisburg.

Phone number is 613-793-1890, and email is: kaylydee@hotmail.com

The music studio also has a Facebook page.

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