It’s a trend you’ve probably noticed in your own town: one by one, piano stores across the country are closing. Several factors lead to these closings, such as expense (digital keyboards are much less expensive than pianos) and technology (the more options people have for hobbies and crafts, the more competition each faces). But mostly, the closing of piano stores signals something that most of us don’t want to hear:

Fewer children are taking piano lessons.

Associated Press writer David Pitt explores the issue of closing piano stores across the United States and what it means for business and for music.

Read story: Piano Stores Are Closing As Fewer Children Take Up The Instrument