ROB SILVAN

Founder

“I founded KEYS in 2004 because I believe that all children benefit from music, particularly in the form of personalized one-to-one instruction. My conviction is rooted in my own experiences as a student of music, as a musician, and from having been a longtime piano teacher.

All music teachers hope that the next Mozart will one day walk into their studio. This does not happen very often and yet we find many powerful reasons to teach children. For years I have watched children learn to love music not only as listeners but as active creators. I have seen children become more alert and curious appreciators of music and better audience members.

I’ve also witnessed growth in dexterity, hearing, reading, hand/eye and hand/ear coordination among my music students. Many of them experience wonderful development in musical taste and artistry. Music instruction helps kids with goal planning and achievement, developing the courage to face difficulties and perseverance. Self esteem and maturity grow as a result of all these skills. I have seen this on a daily basis, first hand.

Not all families can afford music instruction for their children. And in many school systems the music and arts programs have virtually vanished because of budget constraints.

It has been my goal to bring music lessons to children in Bridgeport, CT, just 30 minutes from where I live, where children have little means of gaining this vital life experience.  I founded KEYS to bring music to them in spite of their backgrounds or financial ability. Since the spring of 2004, the KEYS program has expanded slowly and deliberately.  We now reach over 600 children in private and group music lessons and through our collaborations with other non-profits, but this is still just the beginning.”

Rob is a jazz musician and composer and has been a music educator for over forty years, teaching classical, jazz, blues, popular music, improvisation and composition.  He is the Music Director at the Talmadge Hill Community Church in Darien, CT and the former Music Director at The Montessori School in Wilton, CT. Rob founded KEYS in 2004 and served as the Executive Director until June 2022, when he became Artistic Director. Rob officially retired on September 1, 2023.