November 2015: Questions and Answers
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Q: Would you please discuss the role of technology in piano teaching? How big a role do you think technology should play in weekly lessons? A: We should revisit this question often, since technology changes so fast. And, for one who has built much of his...
May 2015: Questions and Answers
May 2015; Vol. 7, No. 3
Q: Piano teachers have more resources available to them than ever before. With all of the blogs, list-serves, and social media available free of charge, and low-cost online conferences proliferating, why should I expend the time, energy, and money to attend a live conference such...
Dedication to excellence: An interview with Ingrid Clarfield
March 2015; Vol. 7, No. 2
Ingrid Jacobson Clarfield has given lecture recitals, workshops, and master classes in more than a hundred cities across America, including many at state and national conferences of the Music Teachers National Association. She has presented master classes and pedagogy sessions at the National Conference on Keyboard...
Teaching Tips from Louise Goss
September 2014; Vol. 6, No. 5
Louise Goss was a superb clinician and speaker. She had great clarity in her thinking about musical learning and an extraordinary vocabulary, but the quality that stood out above all else was her immense practicality. Most of these quotes are excerpts from transcripts of her...
Louise Goss: In Memoriam
September 2014; Vol. 6, No. 5
In April, the world of piano pedagogy lost a legend. In the following pages, friends and colleagues of Louise Goss pay tribute with remembrances and recollections. In the “old days,” all senior piano majors at Oberlin were required to take piano pedagogy. I will never...
September 2014: Questions and Answers
September 2014; Vol. 6, No. 5
Q: Recently I’ve noticed that creativity as a theme for conferences and workshops seems to be coming up more and more. What are your thoughts on creativity in piano lessons for the average student? A: I’m glad you asked because I’m on a mission. First, I...
May 2014: Questions and Answers
May 2014; Vol. 6, No. 3
Q: How can I learn to use social media to improve and expand my studio business? A: In the last column, I mentioned that if you’re not contemplating retirement in the near future, you need an online presence that includes a website, a professional Facebook...
July 2014: Questions and Answers: Recollections of Louise Goss
July 2014; Vol. 6, No. 4
In lieu of questions in this issue, the author will share recollections of Louise Goss, visionary teacher, author, composer, editor, and friend who passed away this Spring. If you’re lucky in life, you may encounter a teacher who changes everything. Louise was one of those teachers...
January 2014: Questions and Answers
January 2014; Vol. 6, No. 1
Q: What does the Teaching Artist movement have to do with me as an independent piano teacher? A: In the last column (November/December 2013), I responded to a question about Teaching Artists. We discussed the underlying value of “engagement before information” and briefly examined two types...
Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Summer 2019; Vol. 11, No. 3
A 2018 McKinsey report exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of work predicts that 50 million jobs in the United States will be eliminated as a result of robots and automation.1 Other reports suggest that, while the workforce will change substantively and...
Summer 2019: Questions and Answers
Summer 2019; Vol. 11, No. 3
Q: What can you tell us about the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy coming up this summer? A: The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy will meet for the tenth time this July, marking the 40th anniversary of the original National Conference on Piano Pedagogy. These...
Spring 2019: Questions and Answers
Spring 2019; Vol. 11, No. 2
Q: I’ve read that robots and artificial intelligence will eliminate 50 million jobs in the US within the next few years. Are the robots coming for OUR jobs—even in the arts? Even in music and teaching? A: The source of the statistic you cite is a...
January 2019: Questions and Answers
January 2019; Vol. 11, No. 1
Q: What professional development opportunities are available online? Are any of these offered by the Frances Clark Center? A: Your biggest challenge is not finding opportunities for professional development but selecting the opportunities that are relevant and meaningful to you. All resources are not created equal...
Pianist, Patron, and Philanthropist: An Interview with Paloma O’Shea
Autumn 2019; Vol. 11, No. 4
Paloma O’Shea is a pianist, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. In her presence, one senses a formidable intellect, great passion, and a personal distinction that belongs to the age of aristocracy. She is intense, but affable and her eyes twinkle as she talks about her life and great loves. At...
Fred Kern: A Pedagogical Giant
Winter 2021; Vol. 12, No. 5
Fred Kern could light up any room. Those who knew him—and even those who didn’t—couldn’t help but smile anytime he was near. Dr. Kern, widely known as a clinician, author, teacher, composer, and arranger, published numerous texts on piano pedagogy and wrote more than 500 arrangements and original...