Eastman videoconferences live to Scotland

he Eastman School of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) in Glasgow, Scotland, are hoping that their first transatlantic videoconference between the two schools blends music and technology into a distance-learning masterpiece.

Using the technology of Internet2 in the United States and SuperJANET4 in the United Kingdom, two trumpet master classes interacted live Friday, November 16. Eastman Trumpet Professor James Thompson provided a 30-minute individual master class to a trumpet student from the academy, followed by Bryan Allen, head of brass at RSAMD, who provided the same for one of Thompson's trumpet students.

"This is the first use of Internet2 technology for transatlantic interactive education, particularly in a musical context," says Kevin McPeak, director of technology services and music production at Eastman and coordinator of the exchange. "It reinforces the true nature of 'distance learning,' which is to link up similar communities of learning."

Sir Philip Ledger, principal of the Scottish Academy, concurs: "The establishment of an International Consortium by the Eastman School of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to explore the place of distance learning in performance training and the curriculum is a tremendously exciting development."

In addition to the master class, Eastman plans to offer a seven-week seminar for Scottish students to interact simultaneously with Eastman students. Future plans also include an expanded Internet partnership with the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane, Australia.

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