Hundreds of thousands of Canadian students—and millions worldwide—take weekly music lessons. But many people who take lessons in their youth quit lessons just as they approach proficiency. Why? How can they be encouraged to keep playing? Can digital tools help? These are some of our central research questions.

This lack of engagement in the studio music system is not only a problem for students. Of the thousands of independent music teachers who operate studio practices across our country, very few have opportunities for professional development: the overwhelming majority of studio music teachers feel a sense of isolation in their chosen profession. We are convinced that implementing new teaching technologies could alleviate this sense of isolation and help teachers enliven their teaching through collaborative professional networks. It is for these reasons that the digital tools research and professional development project was created.