A Tribute to James Lyke at Ninety: Reflections from Three Colleagues
A Legacy in Piano Education and the Piano Conference By Sam Holland The original National Conference on Piano Pedagogy (NCPP), convening for the first time in 1979, was the result of a unique and powerful partnership between Richard Chronister and James Lyke. Through his writings,...
An Inspiring Legacy of Excellence and Advocacy | Honoring Claudette Sorel
Discovery homeSign up for email updatessubmit a question We believe passionately that piano teachers change the world through their dedication to students and communities. Our Power of a Piano Teacher campaign shares personal tributes to document the extraordinary contributions of piano teachers. We welcome you to celebrate your teacher and...
Gershwin’s Blue Lullaby
Keyboard Companion Spring 2008; Vol. 19, No. 1
from the series: It’s Got That Swing: Jazz & Pop Tony Caramia, Editor George Gershwin’s rhythms, wonderful melodies, and unmistakable American harmonies continue to fascinate listeners and performers. Porgy and Bess is a mainstay of opera companies around the world. In a recent search, YouTube offered more...
The Imaginative Piano Teacher: Musings on Being More Creative in the Piano Studio
As we start a new year of teaching, I believe that many of us wonder how can I improve and become a better, more efficient, and more productive teacher this year? I know I do, even as I start my 44th year of teaching. Of course,...
Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage
January 2018; Vol. 10, No. 1
Suffragists parade down Fifth Avenue, 1917. Advocates march in October 1917, displaying placards containing the signatures of more than one million New York women demanding the vote. The New York Times Photo Archives In March of 2017, I had a delightful experience that I thought...
All’s well that ends well
May 2013; Vol. 5, No. 3
Jazz pianists face innumerable decisions when playing a song from the American Songbook. Every time we perform a song by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, or Duke Ellington, we address questions about key (we are not obliged to play the tune in its original key); tempo...
Discovering Dana: A hidden American treasure
May 2014; Vol. 6, No. 3
This past March, I had a delightful experience that I thought I’d share with you, and, as a result, introduce a fascinating musician, whose music you may wish to explore further. As part of the tenth annual Eastman School of Music Women in Music Festival,...
In the Mood for Modes
May 2009; Vol. 1, No. 3
Musicians throughout the centuries have been fascinated by modes, their unique structure and sound, and the opportunity for expressiveness they offer. From folk songs (Scarborough Fair) to pop music (Eleanor Rigby) to jazz (Maiden Uiyage), we have been intrigued by the mystery their distinctive elements create in our ear....
I’ve got a classic case of the blues
March 2010; Vol. 2, No. 2
The sounds of jazz have always fascinated classical musicians. In the earliest years of the twentieth century composers such as Debussy, Hindemith, Milhaud, and Stravinsky were all drawn to the infectious rhythms of Ragtime. As jazz harmonies and forms became more sophisticated, classical composers incorporated more diverse jazzy elements into their own...
Progressive progressions
March 2011; Vol. 3, No. 2
Something wonderful happened to me this year: I was assigned a new student, Chris (not his or her real name), who is a very talented pianist, and who studied with a fine teacher. Chris always arrives at every lesson motivated, eager, and excited, but even...
An Aural Journey Through “Spring is Here”
May 2012; Vol. 4, No. 3
I recently performed a concert celebrating the arrival of spring with a program featuring songs with the word “Spring” in the title. It Might As Well Be Spring, Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most, You Must Believe in Spring, and Joy Spring proved to be fun...
In Memoriam: Nelita True
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
The world lost a legendary musician, pedagogue, and colleague with the passing of Dr. Nelita True Laires on January 17, 2021. In a 2010 Clavier Companion interview, Dr. True expressed, “I value deeply being part of the eternal continuum of teaching… I simply cannot imagine...