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From the Archives: How Do You Teach Students to Plan Fingering?

Written By Bruce Berr

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The following contribution from Bruce Berr appeared in an article edited by Richard Chronister titled “How Do You Teach Students to Plan Fingering” from Keyboard Companion, Spring 1995, Vol. 6, No. 1. The entire article is found here: https://pianoinspires.com/article/how-do-you-teach-students-to-plan-fingering/.

The teacher must consider the skills that the student has already mastered…

The most important fingering idea that beginners must learn is that five fingers fit conveniently over five adjacent keys. This basic “prime directive” of fingering provides the rule while students begin to experience elaborations on this principle. A crossover is usually the first kind of shift that might make the student think that the five-finger idea is no longer operative. I teach students to feel a crossover not as a finger reaching for a key but rather as a smooth rollover from one five-finger position to a different one; it is important that the entire hand move into place as the crossover happens. An effective way to guarantee this is to have the student insert a practice pause while holding the crossover note. This allows the hand to comfortably feel a new five-finger position before playing is resumed:

What is temporarily sacrificed by this rhythmic interruption is more than compensated for by a fluid, relaxed motion. When students first do crossovers, I’m pleased when the music has the finger cue written in for the crossover note and for the note that immediately follows it so that the idea of having moved into a new five-finger position is communicated. I also hope that there are no more finger numbers written in if all of the notes in that phrase already fall comfortably under the fingers because those would be unnecessary and therefore detrimental. Only essential finger cues should be in the student’s music; if extraneous ones are allowed to remain, students eventually learn to ignore all fingerings, even the good ones. 

Which fingerings should remain in the score becomes more complex at the mid- and late-elementary levels. As teachers of this music, we must constantly “read between the lines” to interpret what is meant and what is not meant by a given fingering. I frequently struggle with this problem as a composer and arranger of educational piano music, due to an unavoidable fact: all fingering cues imply a certain approach to technique and teaching. Therefore, an educational author has at least three possible choices: 1. Indicate fingerings that represent the easiest possible physical approach; or 2. Indicate fingerings that represent the easiest possible conceptual approach; or 3. Indicate no fingerings at all. 

When (1) and (2) are the same fingering there is no problem, but frequently they are not the same, so a choice must be made. Any fingering that a composer or editor indicates tends to unwittingly favor one approach over another. For example, in this elementary excerpt from Eency, Weency Spider, the student gets to play a fun, short chromatic fragment in a piece that is predominantly in five-finger positions elsewhere. The printed fingerings are the easiest from a conceptual standpoint, because the keys are next to each other and so are the fingers that play them; this is an important idea to reinforce at this level. The given fingering also encourages the student’s hand to, well, “walk like a spider”!

“Eency, Weency Spider” from Animal Songs

I also considered the following fingering: 1-3-1-3-1-3-1. This fingering is better from a physical standpoint because it invites greater participation of the entire hand and forearm in rotating, and thus it produces a freer and more balanced gesture. However, this fingering contradicts our “prime directive” by using non-adjacent fingers on keys that are as adjacent to each other as can be; thus, it may set back our work with students who have needed reminding about fingering in five-finger positions. I could have also indicated no fingering at all in this passage. This would make it convenient for each teacher to use his or her own fingering without having to leave behind a trail of blackened splotches on the page. If a child were learning this piece without the benefit and guidance of a teacher, however, an absence of fingering hints might breed all kinds of indecent fingerings not fit to print here!

Thus, for a teacher to make best use of whatever fingerings do appear printed in educational music, the teacher must interpret each fingering to ascertain its benefits and disadvantages, and must consider the skills that the student has already mastered or not mastered. Only then can an assessment be made whether a particular student will benefit from the given fingering, or whether a different one would be more suitable. In the above passage, if a student has been playing comfortably in five-finger positions, replacing the 2s with 3s would allow that student to experience a new fingering principle. For students who still look at their hands while playing in five-finger positions, however, this indicates a lack of fluency in reading and playing within five-finger positions; thus, the original, safer-feeling fingering would be better. 

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How Do You Teach Students to Plan Fingering?
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How do you use Piano Inspires Kids in your studio?

Written By Rebecca Mergen Pennington

The Co-Editors-in-Chief of Piano Inspires Kids, Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst, recently answered some questions about the new magazine for young pianists. Find out more about the magazine below and go to kids.pianoinspires.com to join our community of inspired music makers!

With the recent launch of Piano Inspires Kids, I have been looking forward to incorporating this new publication into my studio.  It is exciting to see all of the quality resources in a kid-friendly format.

Group Class Materials

At The New School for Music Study, we have arranged for all group classes that include students ages 8-14 to have a subscription to the magazine through their annual materials fee. The magazine will be used in group classes. In each class, students will explore a different area of the magazine with their classmates and it will serve as a “class text.” The opportunity to use this magazine as a class text, gives the teachers–and our school–a structure that we are confident provides a rich and comprehensive approach to music learning.

Holistic Approach to Music

I love that this magazine embraces my personal philosophy of teaching the whole child. In this magazine, our students are not just learning about a piece of music by an Argentinian composer. Instead, they are also learning about the country itself. This approach will encourage students to make connections across disciplines and result in a fuller and richer experience for our students. 

Opportunities for Students

Our students will have performance opportunities through the magazine. I would like to see each student submit a video of their playing throughout the year. Many of our students are looking for additional performance opportunities and this magazine provides them! Additionally, there are other ways for students to showcase their talents. They can submit poetry or artwork, which is a wonderful way for our students to highlight their other talents and interests.

Resources for Teachers

I already have had great fun exploring the resources for teachers on the website. Over the summer, I used the scavenger hunt with several groups of students, and they had a great time with this activity. It also led to an engaging and enthusiastic discussion about musical terms as the students enjoyed discovering many different terms in the pages of their music. I was so pleased that this resource provided a fun way for students to look more deeply at their music. As a school, we have also enjoyed exploring the trio by Louis Sanchez that is a resource with the first issue.  We have three different groups of students working on this ensemble. 

Rebecca Mergen Pennington, Administrative Director, New School for Music Study

Studio Themes and Ideas

I am particularly excited about the way the magazine inspires me in thinking about my studio (or in my particular case, our school). It has given me ideas for school-wide projects or incentives, and even decorating! This September, the magazine inspired me to create a wall featuring “Piano Inspires” in languages from around the world. Within that space, there is an interactive place for students to respond with how piano inspires them. Next month, I am planning to feature music by Argentinian composers in the waiting room, as well as an exploration of Latin American countries. I also plan to create a space for students to respond to the polls when they come to their lessons. It can be difficult to come up with new ideas for a studio each season and I love that this magazine provides that inspiration! 

Interested in learning more about Piano Inspires Kids? Watch this webinar with the Co-Editors-in-Chief Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/10-11-23-webinar/. You can also learn more and subscribe here: https://kids.pianoinspires.com/.

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Inside Piano Inspires Kids: A New Publication of the Frances Clark Center

Rebecca Mergen Pennington has been a member of the faculty of the New School for Music Study since 2007 and currently serves as the Administrative Director. She holds a DMA and MM in Piano Performance from the University of Kansas, and a BM in Music Education from Concordia College.

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Five Things You Should Know About Teaching Adults in Groups

Written By Pamela Pike

In her Summer 2021 article “Teaching Adults in Group-Piano Settings: Facilitating the Musical Process,” Pamela Pike gave practical advice about how to teach adults in group settings. Here are five tips for working with adults in groups from her article. Read the full article at https://pianoinspires.com/article/summer-2021-teaching-adults-in-group-piano-settings-facilitating-the-musical-process/.  

1. Before creating and designing group-piano classes, teachers should identify which adults they hope to enroll and engage in each group that will be offered.

Considered broadly, adult piano students may be amateur musicians or future professionals. If they are amateurs,1 they may fall anywhere along a continuum from serious piano student to recreational music maker (RMM). Recognizing each adult’s dedication to piano study can help to ascertain how much time they wish to devote to the piano.

2. Adults come to the classroom with preconceived expectations for what they wish to gain from the experience and ideas about how they learn best. 

Thus, teachers/facilitators and adult students become partners in the learning experience. In order to facilitate optimal learning among all adults in the group-piano class and a positive group culture, teachers need to consider how they will manage both in- and out-of-class expectations and activities. Thus, from the outset, teachers of adults must plan how they will encourage the appropriate social and musical interaction necessary for success of the group.

3. Many adults, especially those with some formal music training, have preconceived notions about how the piano lesson should be—and may not understand how music making and learning occurs in a group-piano setting.

Remember, also, that the group may not be ideal for every learner.2 Be prepared to direct an adult who will not be well-served by the group experience toward private lessons or another musical alternative.

4. Although the possibilities for curriculum design are endless, choose materials, books, and music appropriate for each type of adult group. 

Once group-piano teachers have designed the curriculum for the semester and conveyed the expectations for participation to group members, they must ensure that the group culture is developed and productive group growth is fostered during each class. Facilitators who provide time and space for group members to listen, assess, and speak about their musical experience will, ultimately, support the adults’ learning independence and autonomy, even as the students learn from one another. Most adult students hope to gain a certain amount of independence at the piano, which is especially useful outside of the group setting.

Pamela Pike, Editor in Chief and Chief Content Director, Piano Magazine

5. Effective teachers consider the sequencing, pacing, and learning objectives for each activity when creating lesson plans.

Ideally, each activity leads seamlessly into the next, with activities providing students opportunities to elaborate upon and increase skill development as the class progresses.3 When teaching groups of adults, the instructor should remain cognizant of the students’ readiness, orientation to learning, and preferred learning styles, but physical and mental changes due to age or lifespan constraints ought to be considered, also.4

For just $36 for the digital version or $48 for the printed issue, you’ll gain access to Piano Magazine, our video series, exclusive discounts, subscriber-exclusive community events, and more! Subscribe here: https://pianoinspires.com/subscribe/.

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Teaching Adults in Group-Piano Settings: Facilitating the Musical Process
NOTES

1 The root of the word amateur traces back to French and Latin words that translate to “lover” in English. Used in this sense an amateur pianist is one who pursues study of the instrument for the pure love or joy of it. Some contemporary definitions of amateur reference incompetence. However, throughout this article the term amateur will be used to reference a musician who, although not a professional, loves studying or playing the piano.

2 Frances Clark wrote that group teaching is successful when (among other things) “the teacher believes that the group learning situation is best for every student in the group.” See Frances Clark, Questions and Answers (Kingston: Frances Clark Center, 1992): 183.

3 For a more detailed discussion of individual learning styles, preferred learning modes, and cognitive strategies that improve learning and reinforce individual learning preferences in group-piano settings see chapter 4 in Pamela D. Pike, Dynamic Group-Piano Teaching, Routledge, 2017.

4 See Andrea Creech, Susan Hallam, Maria Varvarigou, & Hillary McQueen, Active Ageing with Music, Institute of Education Press, 2014; Cyril O. Houle, Patterns of Learning, Jossey-Bass, 1984; Pike, Group-Piano, chapter 7.

Pamela D. Pike is the Spillman Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Associate Dean of Research at Louisiana State University. As an active researcher of pedagogical topics, she is a sought-after speaker and clinician. Pike has published articles, book chapters and full-length books, and is editor-in-chief of the Piano Magazine.

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Piano Inspires Kids Excerpt: Listening Guide for the 12 American Preludes by Ginastera

Written By Piano Inspires

The Co-Editors-in-Chief of Piano Inspires Kids, Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst, recently answered some questions about the new magazine for young pianists. Find out more about the magazine below and go to kids.pianoinspires.com to join our community of inspired music makers!

The Autumn issue of Piano Inspires Kids explores Argentina; the dances, composers, and performers that have contributed to a rich musical heritage. Alberto Ginastera is one of the composers highlighted in the magazine. Readers will not only learn about Ginastera and his compositional style, they can also listen to 12 American Preludes performed by Alejandro Cremaschi and follow along with the provided listening guide, which we are pleased to share below. Subscribe at kids.pianoinspires.com/subscribe to read more about Ginastera, see practice tips from students in Argentina, and access more listening guides!

Listening Guide

Each of these twelve short preludes is like an etude, a piece that focuses on a specific musical or technical challenge. Arpeggios, octaves, and quick hand movements are found throughout Ginastera’s preludes.

No. 1, “Triste” (Sadness) is in the style of Argentine folk song.

No. 2, “Para los acentos” and No. 3, “Danza criolla” feature hemiola, a shift in rhythms from two groups of three to three groups of two, or vice versa.

No. 4, “Vidala” is a slow and reflective song that uses modal scales (scales with a unique arrangement of whole and half steps).

No. 5 “En el primer modo pentáfono menor” (In the First Pentatonic Minor Mode). Listen for the pentatonic (five note) scale and the canon. A canon occurs when one hand performs a melody and the other hand enters later with the same melody.

No. 6 honors Argentine composer Roberto García Morillo with a dramatic piece of octaves and arpeggios.

Pianist Alejandro Cremaschi performs Alberto Ginastera’s Doce Preludios Americanos, Op. 12.
Ginastera with his cat.

No. 7, “Para las octavas” (Octaves) is one of the most difficult preludes because of the leaps and octaves, both at a very fast tempo.

No. 8 is a nostalgic tango and a tribute to Argentine composer and conductor Juan José Castro.

No. 9 is a jazzy piece paying homage to his friend Aaron Copland, a famous American composer.

No. 10, “Pastoral” (Pastorale). Can you hear the layers? 1) A right-hand melody, 2) a left-hand bass line, and 3) a repeating accompaniment in the middle, shared between the hands.

No. 11 is a tribute to Brazillian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Listen to the bass chords for syncopation, a shift of rhythmic accent from a strong beat to a weak beat.

No. 12, “En el 1er modo pentáfono mayor” (In the First Pentatonic Major Mode). Ginastera described this as “a slow Inca processional march…connected with the worship of the sun.” The Inca were a group of South American native people living in the Andes mountains.

Interested in learning more about Piano Inspires Kids? Watch this webinar with the Co-Editors-in-Chief Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/10-11-23-webinar/. You can also learn more and subscribe here: https://kids.pianoinspires.com/.

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Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces
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Three Common Questions Asked by Teacher/Facilitators Concerning Adult Piano Learners

Written By Jackie Edwards-Henry

We would like to thank Jackie Edwards-Henry for this insightful article on teaching adults. Want to learn more about adult teaching? Register for the free webinar, “It’s Never Too Late: Lived Experiences of Adult Piano Learners” presented by Pei-Chen Chen and Elizabeth Haddon, hosted by Alejandro Cremaschi on October 25. Learn more and register here: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/10-25-23-webinar/.

1. What motivates adults to take piano lessons?

In general, adult students seek piano study because they are motivated to do so, in contrast to children who may be enrolled in piano by a parent. Although specific reasons vary by adult, these are the two most common responses: a) “I’ve always wanted to learn to play, and now I have the time and means to do so;” b) “I had other interests as a child and quit lessons, but now I want to learn.”

2. Which is better: private lessons or group classes?

Adult students can find success and satisfaction with piano study in private lessons, group classes, and a hybrid mix of private with an overlapped partner lesson. Factors affecting the choice of study include personality, amount of previous piano study, and specific goals. Adults with no previous piano study often enjoy group classes because of the reduced cost and camaraderie with other adult beginners. Adults who are resuming study with specific learning goals often prefer private lessons to enable primary focus on the achievement of those goals. Discussions of pros and cons of different lesson options in the interview stage can help facilitators and adult learners select a suitable lesson format.

3. What is the best curriculum for adult learners?

In the June/July 2023 issue of American Music Teacher, E.L. Lancaster cited two recent research studies involving adult learners in the “What’s New” column. In summary, recent research showed that adults with little to no previous piano study were happier when teachers structured the program of study, whereas those with more background in piano study wanted to work WITH teachers to structure their programs.

For a closer look at adult piano learners in private and group study, we invite you to attend  the October 25, 2023 Webinar, “It’s Never Too Late: Lived Experiences of Adult Piano Learners” by Pei-Chen Chen and Elizabeth Haddon, hosted by Alejandro Cremaschi. Learn more and register here: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/10-25-23-webinar/.

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Can Playing Deficiencies in Returning Adult Students be Corrected without Demoralizing Them?

Jackie Edwards-Henry, Ph.D, is Professor Emeritus of Music at Mississippi State University and chairs the Committee on Teaching Adults for NCKP.  She remains active as a collaborative pianist, harpsichordist, church musician, group piano specialist, and teacher of adults.

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Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part Two

Written By Marvin Blickenstaff

This past May, we invited our followers to submit questions for Marvin Blickenstaff about all things teaching in honor of his birthday (May 19). We hope you enjoy reading his answers below. You can read Part One here. This week, Marvin is touring Colorado, Utah, and Nevada with staff from the Frances Clark Center. Is Marvin coming to a place near you? Check his tour schedule here: https://pianoinspires.com/marvin-blickenstaff-on-tour/.

Do you have any advice for avoiding burnout? Or recovering from it? The last few years have been so intense as a teacher and I feel tired! But I still love my students and want to give them my best.

It’s a good question. It’s an important question, because we work too hard. We’ve got too many students, we don’t have enough time for ourselves or our families. And my first answer is to take a hard look at your schedule. Is there any time that you reserve for yourself? Even five or ten minutes in your schedule that’s just for you? A sure, clear road to teacher burnout is never having any time for yourself.

I think another way to avoid teacher burnout is to find some beautiful music and listen to it or play it for yourself. And if you don’t sight read well enough to play advanced repertoire, find some beautiful music at your students’ levels. And you play those just as beautifully as you possibly can. 

It may seem a little bit off the tangent from our topic of teacher burnout, but I would urge you to do a little bit of evaluation of some of your lessons. For most of my life, I taught piano pedagogy on a college level. And I had a favorite way to start the first pedagogy class out with these students. I would say, “We’re here to learn piano pedagogy. We’re going to teach music principles to young, beginning piano students.” Then I’d say, “But, before we can do that, we ought to define what music is. What is music?” And I would just stop there, and let them discuss for a while. And they would argue this side and that side, this idea versus that idea. And usually the definition would turn out to be something like, “music is expression.” I would say, “In a way, that’s almost enough. Music is expression. But, I need you to go on and finish that. What is it that music is expressing?” And with a little bit of work playing devil’s advocate, the class would come up with a definition. It varied a bit from year to year, but always landed around, “Music is the expression of the entire human experience through organized sound.”

Marvin teaching a student.

Now I say that because I think it can help with our issue of teacher burnout. If we would ask ourselves at the end of the day, or at the end of a lesson, “Did I teach music lessons?” We might say, “Well, that lesson had the main emphasis on technique, or that lesson had the main emphasis on rhythm. Or, in that lesson, I spent most of my time labeling harmonies and naming harmony.” And I would say the most exciting for us as teachers is actually when we work on expression. Music is expression. We feel like we’re really music teachers when we emphasize that, and the students get fired up because they’re playing their pieces more beautifully, or more excitingly, etc. Getting our students fired up to make beautiful sound is one way to avoid teacher burnout. 

Another thing that you could do to avoid teacher burnout is to take a piano lesson. It could be an esteemed teacher in your community. It could be just a colleague in your teachers group. But play for somebody, take a lesson. And it’s not just that you play through the piece, but solicit comments on your playing. That can just give you lots of new life and a new zest in your step about your playing.

What is your favorite piece to perform? To teach?

I’m not sure. I play quite regularly and I’m working right now on repertoire to play on my 90th birthday. Isn’t that shocking? I’m planning to play a recital on my 90th birthday! And I have the recital picked out, I’m practicing on that, and I’m enjoying that so much. 

A lot of times I start out recitals with this Schumann Romance. And then Schubert Impromptu in G-flat Major. So those over the years have become some of my favorite pieces. 

What’s my favorite piece to teach? I’m not sure that I have necessarily a favorite piece to teach. But I will tell you that I’ve tried to get every student up to the level where they can play Solfeggietto. I just find so much value in that piece. So, I try to get everybody to play it, and then we have fun trying to see how fast we can get the speed on it. It’s just a fantastic technical piece. 

What advice do you have for people who are still learning the craft?

I, and I’m sure many of you, learned most through the school of hard knocks. We taught, we evaluated ourselves, and we learned. We made some mistakes, so we revised and relearned. I think most piano teachers will tell you that they learned the most from their own teaching and evaluation. Of course, some of us were lucky enough to have good pedagogy courses. And that can be very, very helpful.

So, how do teachers learn? I would say, first of all, you learn how to teach by playing the piano. And what you experience is what you share with your students. 

Another thing that helps us improve our teaching is to read new music, and then say, “How would I introduce this piece? What are the highlights of this piece? What are the important things?” In other words, you must analyze. That’s an important teacher skill. 

Another way to improve your craft is to record your lessons, or even just one or two lessons, listen, then ask yourself, “Was that a music lesson?” Remember our definition of music? Music is the expression of the entire human experience through organized sound. Every part of that definition is to be evaluated when you listen to your recording. Music is the expression—was there an emphasis in your teaching on what that music expresses? Music is an expression of the entire human experience—what mood, what emotion? What human experience was expressed? Was it joy, sadness, loss, frustration, anger, remorse?

One other thing that helps me teach a better lesson is to write out a lesson plan for every lesson so I know what’s going to happen. At the top of the lesson plan, I write the acronym: TERRAC. T stands for technique. E stands for expression. The first R is reading. The second R is rhythm. A is aural skills. C is creativity. These are aspects that I incorporate into each lesson plan so that I’m sure that I’m teaching the students a well-rounded lesson. That can help tremendously in improving your teaching.

  • Marvin Blickenstaff engaging a young student during a piano lesson on stage.
  • Marvin Blickenstaff seated beside a student at a grand piano.
  • Marvin Blickenstaff speaks to an audience next to a grand piano in a workshop setting.

What is something you’ve learned in the last year that has changed your teaching?

I’m constantly reminded of the infinite potential of every one of my students. I have come to believe that each student has the potential for being a young artist. And if I start my work with a student with the attitude in mind, “I believe in you and your artistic potential,” that really is tremendously helpful.

The Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence

In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page. 

We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.

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Meet People Where They Are | Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff

Written By Karen Zorn

This week, Marvin is touring Colorado, Utah, and Nevada with staff from the Frances Clark Center. Is Marvin coming to a place near you? Check his tour schedule here: https://pianoinspires.com/marvin-blickenstaff-on-tour/.

Karen Zorn and Marvin Blickenstaff

It’s such an honor to write about my teacher and friend, Marvin Blickenstaff. I could tell a million stories about Marvin’s brilliance as a teacher and how much better a musician and teacher I am because of his teaching. But I suspect that many of you already know that side of Marvin and have stories of your own. So, I’d like to share a few stories that reveal what an amazing human being Marvin is and how my life is immeasurably better for knowing him.

It seems to me that this is how Marvin lives his life. Meet people where they are. I felt this acceptance from him right from our beginning days together as teacher and student.

There’s a phrase that is probably overused these days, but I like it—meet people where they are. It says so much and I think it is so needed in Music Education. With this one simple phrase—meet people where they are—we can leave behind our limiting thoughts about students: “not well-prepared enough,” “not talented enough,” “not good enough.”

I talk about this quite often in my current work, and I believe I learned this philosophy from Marvin. It seems to me that this is how Marvin lives his life. Meet people where they are. I felt this acceptance from him right from our beginning days together as teacher and student.

Marvin was never the distant teacher. Rather, he was in touch all the time. He had the most uncanny ability to sense when you needed help. Marvin used to knock on my practice room door, sometimes just to say hello and see how I was doing. Other times he’d say something like “Uh…just curious if you EVER practice slowly.”

The truth is, back in the day, I almost never practiced slowly, and Marvin knew it. I wasn’t alone. We all practiced fast. A lot. Except when we sensed that Marvin was nearby. And we were ALWAYS aware when Marvin was around. We felt it. Marvin’s aura would drift down the practice room hallway, much like when you spot a state trooper up ahead on the highway. One by one we slowed down to “tempo di studio.” Marvin’s presence was like a human radar gun. Metronomes came out of the closet and fingerings suddenly got sorted.

We all thought Marvin was amazing. The cool professor—you know, “with it.” Except in one way—his typewriter. A Royal Manual Deluxe with an industrial metal case and pica type—the kind that you had to hit with a hammer to get the keys to go down. The kind where if you missed a keystroke, your finger would get trapped in a subterranean encampment of thrashing metal. And while we kind of poked fun of Marvin’s typewriter, we secretly loved it. Before and after lessons Marvin could be heard, pecking away, writing letters—thank you notes to presenters who had hosted him, words of welcome to prospective students, congratulations to colleagues for their accomplishments. If any of you knew Marvin back then, you probably received a note written on the old Royal Manual.

Marvin Blickenstaff

Of course, he also used it to write to his students. He actually wrote us letters on a regular basis. They were usually words of encouragement: where he’d noticed big improvements in our playing, words of “well done” after a performance, or things he’d been thinking about as possible next steps for us. It meant so much to all of us to see the envelope in our mailbox with the initials “MB” scrawled in the upper left. It was such a gift.

So, here’s the thing: Marvin is never just someone’s piano teacher. It is never just about piano lessons. With Marvin, you get it all—the entire suite of attention, care, and love. He’s the Deluxe Edition piano teacher. When you study with him you get “the works.” He’s the all-inclusive, elite-level cruise, room with a view. The automatic upgrade. The executive platinum status. The super-size me, combo-platter piano teacher.

Marvin, I hope you know how grateful we all are to have you in our lives. We are immeasurably better for knowing you. 

The Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence

In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page.

We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.

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Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part One

Written By Marvin Blickenstaff

This past May, we invited our followers to submit questions for Marvin Blickenstaff about all things teaching in honor of his birthday (May 19). We hope you enjoy reading his answers below. This week, Marvin is touring Colorado, Utah, and Nevada with staff from the Frances Clark Center. Is Marvin coming to a place near you? Check his tour schedule here: https://pianoinspires.com/marvin-blickenstaff-on-tour/.

I love your technique videos on PianoInspires.com! I use your exercises with all of my students. My question is: how do you encourage students to spend so much of their practice time on technical skills? How do you teach them to stay focused and to enjoy the process?

I try to point out to my students that one of the issues that we face when we’re studying piano is developing the technique that is necessary to play the repertoire at hand. And with that, I place a great deal of emphasis in my lessons on warmups. Athletes warm up, dancers warm up, and piano students warm up. The bottom line of warming up is to stimulate blood circulation in the playing mechanism—the hands and the arms. Along with that, I have two important things that I try to stress with all my students and illustrate in their warm ups: stretching and rotations. They are such an emphasis in my work with my students that I joke with them that I’m sure that when I die, they will have inscribed on my gravestone, “Here lies piano teacher Marvin Blickenstaff. May he stretch and rotate in peace.” 

So I think warm ups are very important. It might be possible to over-emphasize technique and the warm up in lessons, but what we’re doing is preparing the student for the rest of their piano life. So I don’t apologize very much for having six or seven different technical exercises that they are to practice as part of their work every day. 

In order to get students invested in their work on technique I try to be very, very aware of pointing out how much their hand is improving, how much the sound is improving, and how much their coordination skills are improving so that they can see that the technique work is paying off. 

In summary, every minute that we spend in the lesson on technical exercises, and every minute that the students spend at home on technical exercises, ultimately pays off. Now, that’s not as much fun as learning a new piece or playing a recital piece, but you can’t play your pieces effectively if you don’t have enough technique. And I try to emphasize to my students that growth in piano playing is directly related to how you start to practice every afternoon.

Marvin celebrating his student

What is the first thing you say to a new student?

I think it’s important for piano students to hear from a piano teacher that they feel privileged to have this relationship and this experience of learning about music together. You’ll have your own words to communicate that. But, it’s not that I’m the big authority, you’re the little student, and you have to do exactly what I tell you to. Rather, it’s very important for piano teachers to cultivate the attitude that this is a partnership and we’re working together to make beautiful music. 

Additionally, we have to hook our students into the excitement of playing the piano. How? Through sound. That’s why when students come for their first lesson, I try to play a few bars of different kinds of pieces, because it’s so interesting for a student to hear such contrasting sounds. And I say, “I am so glad that we have this opportunity to learn how to play the piano together. We’ll learn quiet pieces, we’ll learn fast pieces. We’ll learn hopping and jumping pieces, and we’ll learn dancing pieces.” Hook the student on sound and they will be excited to learn.

Have you ever struggled with students who weren’t interested in taking piano lessons but had parents who signed them up anyway? How do you get that student excited about music learning?

Once again, I would say you hook the student on sound. And you pull out all of your pupil saver pieces—the pieces that are kind of easy to learn, but have a great sound to them. Richard Chronister was a colleague of Frances Clark and Louise Goss, founder of Keyboard Companion and the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy (now NCKP: The Piano Conference), and a major force of 20th-century piano pedagogy. He always used to say that piano students come to us for one reason only: to play exciting sounds at the keyboard. I try to really ingest that into my pedagogical being. Why are students here? They want to play exciting sound, whether it’s quiet, loud, fast, or slow. 

“I think it’s important for piano students to hear from a piano teacher that they feel privileged to have this relationship and this experience of learning about music together.”

There are two files of pieces that I would urge you to start in your studio. One is “beautiful pieces,” and the other is “pupil savers” (a term from Louise Bianchi in Texas). Pupil savers are pieces that are easy to learn, but have great sound. 

So, what do you do with a disinterested student? You hook them with the repertoire. And you don’t work so much on technical exercises. Instead, you work on beautiful pieces (pupil savers, perhaps) that they will really enjoy. 

What is a favorite performance memory?

Last summer I played a recital at Goshen College where I taught for 20 years in Indiana. That was really well-tested repertoire and I had a wonderful piano to play on. I thought all during that recital, “What a privilege to play this music on this piano for old friends.” Years ago, I was invited to play a concerto with the North Carolina symphony. It was not a very good choice, but I decided that I would learn the Samuel Barber Concerto for Piano. That’s a tough tune. That performance is one of my least favorite memories of a performance, because it was really a rough performance and the orchestra and I kind of fought our way to the end. But actually, four nights later, I played the same concerto, same orchestra, in my hometown in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it went really well. And it was almost like I had to go through the fires of hell in order to reach Nirvana. And it was just such fun to play the Barber concerto with an orchestra. So we have different experiences with performances, but we go on.

I have a student who really struggles with memorizing music. We have tried all kinds of exercises, tips, and tricks, but they are quite discouraged despite my encouragement. What advice would you give them… and me?

The issue boils down to the fact that students think that memory is just to train the fingers in muscle memory, and there’s a big missing link there. The students who rely solely on muscle memory do not have a mental concept of how the piece is constructed. So one of my goals for my students is to do more labeling and analysis. We piano teachers must do a much better and more thorough job of helping our students name what they play. If you can name what you play, you probably have it memorized. So for most students, if there’s a memory issue, I think it’s because they don’t know what they’re playing. 

When my students are memorizing pieces, we establish three memory checkpoints on each page. The goal is that they can start cold at any number. Go back to number two, jump ahead to number five. And boy, if you can start your piece at all those memory checkpoints, you have your piece very well memorized. 

I would also say that along with the memory checkpoints, you should be able to articulate the reason that a spot is a memory checkpoint (such as, that’s where you play the D major chord in your left hand).

Marvin with Dr. Sara Ernst at NCKP 2019

So I think that labels and memory checkpoints are really the answer for memory problems. The great American pianist Josef Hoffman said that there are actually four ways to practice a piece. One way is that you play the piece at the piano looking carefully at the score. Then, you play your piece at the piano without the score (from memory). The third way to practice a piece is to sit away from the piano with the music in your hand, looking at the score and hearing the music. And the fourth way– which I think is just an incredible memory check– is to sit away from the piano, close your eyes, and see your hands playing the piece on the keyboard. It’s so helpful. Actually, it’s my favorite way of checking memory when I’m getting ready for a performance. And when I’m falling asleep at night!

Coming soon: Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part 2 where Marvin answers more of your questions!

The Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence

In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page. We invite you to make a donation in honor of Marvin’s 88th birthday.

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5 Things to Discover about Hispanic Composers

Written By Piano Inspires

1. Manuel Ponce was the earliest internationally successful Mexican composer of classical music.

The Mexican composer Manuel María Ponce Cuéllar was musically active in the first half of the 20th century. The European-influenced Ponce was the earliest internationally successful Mexican composer of classical music. A prolific composer, Manuel Ponce wrote orchestral suites and symphonic poems; three concertos, one each for piano, guitar and violin; chamber works; and over 400 works for piano.

2. Brazilian composer Chiquinha Gonzaga was a champion of human rights and joined the abolitionist movement that ended slavery in Brazil in 1888.

Gonzaga was a noted pianist of the choro style, a Brazilian genre often marked by its jaunty, fast dance-like rhythms. Her output is comprised of dance music including waltzes, polkas, Brazilian tangos, and gavottes, among others. She was also a champion of human rights and joined the abolitionist movement that ended slavery in Brazil in 1888.

Cacilda Borges Barbosa
Manuel Ponce
Alberto Ginastera
Astor Piazzolla
Chiquinha Gonzaga

3. Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera studied with Aaron Copland, and his student, Astor Piazzolla, also studied with Nadia Boulanger.

Ginastera was an Argentinian composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical composers. Many of Ginastera’s works were inspired by the Gauchesco tradition. The gaucho, or landless native horseman of the plains, is a symbol of Argentina.

4. By the young age of 16, Brazilian composer Cacilda Borges Barbosa was working with the famed composer Heitor Villa-Lobos to bring music into elementary education. She was also one of the pioneers of electronic music in Brazil.

Barbosa was a Brazilian composer. By the age of 16, she was working with the famed composer Hector Villa-Lobos to bring music into elementary education. With the help of choreographer, Clara Semeles, they devised a new system of notation that combined musical and rhythmic symbols to graphically represent bodily gestures.

5. Piazzolla was a student of Ginastera as well as famed pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, who urged him to continue to compose in his distinct style.

Piazzolla was a student of Ginastera as well as famed pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, who urged him to continue to compose in his distinct style. Piazzolla was fascinated by tango music and is known for creating a new tango that combined elements of jazz and western classical music.

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Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces
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Marvin Blickenstaff on Tour!

Written By Piano Inspires, Curtis Pavey
Jane Magrath with Marvin Blickenstaff

Over the next ten days, Marvin Blickenstaff, along with Jennifer Snow and other staff from the Frances Clark Center, will tour Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. During this tour, Marvin will present “The Power of One” as well as masterclasses in seven different cities and locations! Participants will also learn about the Frances Clark Center, its mission, and its initiatives.

Marvin’s presentation, “The Power of One,” will inspire a renewed commitment and dedication amongst members of our community. About the presentation, Marvin states: “Often we do not think about our chosen profession as “life-saving,” and we underestimate the role we play in the developing lives of our students. In every lesson we exemplify “The Power of One,” and we have chosen exactly the right profession to exhibit that influence.”

Is Marvin coming to a place near you? Check the itinerary below!

Colorado


Friday, October 13, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Graner Music Recital Hall
4460 Barnes Rd., Colorado Springs

Saturday, October 14, 2023
2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
DU Lamont School of Music
Newman Center for the Performing Arts
Hamilton Recital Hall

Utah


Monday, October 16, 2023
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Daynes Music
6935 State St., Midvale, UT

Tuesday, October 17, 2023
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Utah State University
Chase Fine Arts Center
Room FAC 218
4015 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Weber State University
Browning Center, Room 136
3950 W. Campus Dr., Ogden, UT

Wednesday, October 18, 2023
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Brigham Young University
Music Building, Room MB1011
1100 (Campus Lane) 900 E
Provo, UT

Nevada


Friday, October 20, 2023
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Steinway Piano Gallery
500 E Moana Ln., Reno, NV

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Where can I find more resources about composers from Latin America?

Written By Piano Inspires, Hyrum Arnesen, Curtis Pavey

Latin American piano music is rich in influences, traditional dance rhythms, and unique forms, making this music exciting for students of all abilities. From September 15-October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor and reflect upon the remarkable music and contributions of individuals with Hispanic heritage. In this Discovery Page post, we have curated a collection of Piano Inspires resources to help everyone discover something new. From our international webinar series, to articles in Piano Magazine and Piano Inspires Kids, to our online course, Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces, there is so much to discover! We hope these resources will provide useful tips and ideas to help you incorporate music from Latin America into your recital programs, lesson plans, and more.

Inspiring Artistry Video Series:

Siqueira: Duas Canções Nordestinas, Song No. 1
Gianneo: Siete Piezes Infantiles
Ponce: 20 Piezas fáciles sobre temas mexicanos

Magazine Article: Dance and the Music of Argentine Composers by Hyrum Arnesen

Your student is playing a minuet. Because your student has probably never danced a minuet, you stop to describe it. Maybe you mention women in big puffy dresses and men in white wigs—members of high European society who would participate in this dance. You help your student feel the minuet lilt and show them how to capture that physical gesture at the piano. Our knowledge of meter and the cultural connotations of different dances are important as we help students play dance-inspired pieces: waltzes, polonaises, Russian folk dances, Scottish bagpipe drones, and many more.

Like their European counterparts, Latin-American composers have infused their music with dance rhythms and forms from their own culture. The goal of this article is to help teachers begin to recognize and understand Argentine dances so that they feel comfortable diversifying their students’ repertoire. We will explore four Argentine dances: the malambo, gato, milonga, and cueca—some of the most popular Argentine folk dances used by classical composers. Many other dances are derivatives or relatives of these four.

Dance and the Music of Argentine Composers

Teacher Education Webinar Series:

International Perspectives: Music from Latin America
International Webinar (Spanish): Piazzolla: Obras originales para piano solo.
Latin American Composers Part I
Latin American Composers Part II
International Webinar (Spanish): Técnica Pianística desde el nivel inicial al superior sobre repertorio de compositores argentinos
Summit: Wellness and Repertoire from Latin America

Piano Inspires Kids

In Autumn 2023, the Frances Clark Center launched a new initiative, Piano Inspires Kids, a magazine for young pianist aged 8-14 developed by Editors-in-Chief Sara Ernst and Andrea McAlister. Through each quarterly issue, readers explore piano playing, composers, music from around the world, and music theory. The format is engaging and varied with listening guides, interviews, student submissions, music in the news, and games. The magazine includes an array of musical styles and genres, both from the past and present day. In addition, creative skills like improvisation, playing by ear, and composition are explored in step-by-step processes. Young pianists are directed to curated online content to deepen their engagement with the piano community.

The first issue is all about music of Argentina! It introduces readers to composers Astor Piazzolla, Alberto Ginastera, and Carlos Guastavino, as well as important musicians such as pianist Martha Argerich. On each page, students learn through games and musical activities, exploring folk songs such as Arroz con Leche, dances such as the cueca and the tango, and instruments such as the bandoneon. To learn more, or to subscribe, go to kids.pianoinspires.com. 

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Course: Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces

In recent years, piano music by Latin American composers has become increasingly studied and performed after decades of neglect due to difficult accessibility to resources and publications. Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces provides a substantial survey of works from the elementary to late-intermediate/early-advanced levels by composers from nine different Latin American countries.

The content of this course is a combination of video presentations and articles written specifically for this course, as well as supplemental readings from the Piano Magazine and the Inspiring Artistry archives. Due to copyright restrictions, scores are not provided in the course. To provide easier access to the materials, three different documents will provide publication information organized by country, composer, and level. This is a fully online, self-guided course. Course completion time is approximately 15 hours.

Exploring Latin American Piano Music: A Cultural Journey with Elementary through Early-Advanced Pieces

Discovery Page: This Week in Piano History: The Birth of “Mr. Harmony” by Curtis Pavey

A Mexican composer, Mario Ruiz Armengol wrote a number of important piano works including a sonata, the 31 Piezas para niños, and 12 Estudios. Ruiz Armengol was born into a large family in Veracruz, Mexico. His father was a famous pianist and conductor Don Ismael Ruiz Suárez. He began playing piano at the age of eight and also learned to play numerous wind instruments. His early studies occurred at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. Throughout his life, he continued his studies and took lessons with famous Mexican composers José Rolón and Rodolfo Halffter.

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Piano Inspires Kids: An Interview with Co-Editors-in-Chief Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst

Written By Andrea Mcalister, Sara Ernst

The Co-Editors-in-Chief of Piano Inspires Kids, Andrea McAlister and Sara Ernst, recently answered some questions about the new magazine for young pianists ages 8-14. Find out more about the magazine below and go to kids.pianoinspires.com to join our community of inspired music makers!

Why did you start a kids magazine?

Piano Inspires Kids is a print publication designed for today’s students. There are young pianists all around the world, and we want to help them discover the amazing community of musicians that share a love of the piano. Readers will find unique, engaging materials, musical ideas from other students, and opportunities to submit their own content. It’s important for students to see themselves and their peers represented in this magazine, as we build a global community of young music makers. 

What is in each issue of Piano Inspires Kids?

Through each quarterly issue, readers explore piano playing, composers, music from around the world, and music theory. The format is engaging and varied with listening guides, interviews, student submissions, music in the news, and games. The magazine includes an array of musical styles and genres, both from the past and present day. In addition, creative skills like improvisation, playing by ear, and composition are explored in step-by-step processes. Young pianists are directed to curated online content to deepen their engagement with the piano community. Each issue contains QR codes for videos of the music explored in each issue performed by top pianists. Students are given multiple ways to directly engage with Piano Inspires Kids, by submitting their own ideas at kids.pianoinspires.com by answering the poll, sharing their achievements, creating their own music video to share, and more.

Who is the best person to purchase Piano Inspires Kids for a young pianist? Their teacher? Their parents?

Both! 

Teachers will find content and curricular ideas to enrich their teaching and engage students through the many listening activities, games, theory pages, and practice ideas for both private and group study. Discounts are available for purchases of five or more copies to allow students to participate fully in the writing activities and to have their own personal copy to explore at home. 

As parents ourselves, we know how valuable it is to engage children with creative, well-researched print materials. So much of their schooling is computer-based, and we appreciate when our children have access to high-quality, engaging print publications. It’s the perfect gift to give to your children – or your grandchildren! 

Learn more at kids.pianoinspires.com/subscribe.

Issue 1, Autumn 2023

What’s the best way for teachers to use Piano Inspires Kids?

Each page of Piano Inspires Kids offers curricular ideas that teachers can immediately apply to their lessons. The “How-To” page will give ideas that are readily applicable to studios, listening guides and QR codes can be used in private or group lessons to dig more deeply into music, and quizzes are fun ways to challenge your students’ reading and listening skills. From the historical background to the exploration of music theory, each issue contains myriad ways to engage students. 

The whole studio can participate in the student submissions! Our students have been excited to submit their ideas on our website, kids.pianoinspires.com. They can’t wait for the next issue to come out to read about what other students are playing, their thoughts on music, and how they are engaging with music in their studios and communities. Your student may end up on a page of Piano Inspires Kids!

Dr. Sara Ernst, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Piano Inspires Kids
Dr. Andrea McAlister, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Piano Inspires Kids

What kinds of opportunities are available to young pianists who read Piano Inspires Kids?

Piano Inspires Kids has a number of opportunities for students to submit their ideas, videos, compositions, artwork, poems, and more. Regular features in the magazine include the Reader Poll, Piano Inspires You, Student Spotlight, and Questions and Answers. We also have a Piano Inspires Artistry video series that will showcase the favorite pieces of students from around the world! Have your students share with young pianists around the world. Go to kids.pianoinspires.com/submit/ for more information.

What would you say to a teacher who feels like they already have too much to fit in lessons? Why should they add Piano Inspires Kids to their teaching toolbox?

We know how difficult it is to incorporate everything into a weekly lesson! Piano Inspires Kids is the perfect home assignment to learn more about composers, genres, and styles that you don’t have time to discuss in the lesson. It can also be a ready-made curriculum for partner lessons, theory classes, and group experiences. For each issue, teachers are also provided further resources to deepen their own learning and to assist in lesson planning. Explore these at kids.pianoinspires.com/for-teachers. 

Is Piano Inspires Kids connected in any way to Piano Explorer?

Piano Inspires Kids is a brand new publication of the Frances Clark Center! The former children’s piano magazine Piano Explorer was published by The Instrumentalist and was known and loved by students and teachers. We know that many teachers and students were disappointed when they stopped publishing the magazine, and we hope that Piano Inspires Kids will bring discovery, exploration, and joy to your music making!

Join us on October 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM EDT for a webinar dedicated to Piano Inspires Kids, to learn more about this exciting new publication. https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/10-11-23-webinar/.

Dr. Andrea McAlister serves as Director of Digital Programming for the Frances Clark Center and a Senior Editor for Piano Magazine. Dr. McAlister is Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Oberlin College and a member of the Yamaha Master Educator Collective.
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5 Ways to Provide Student-Centered Feedback

Written By Craig Sale

In his Summer 2023 article “Breaking Out of the House of Corrections,” Craig Sale gave practical advice about how to develop independent learners and motivated students. Here are five tips for providing student-centered feedback from his article. Read the full article at https://pianoinspires.com/article/breaking-out-of-the-house-of-corrections/. 

1. When working on technique, provide good models and then ask students about the sounds they will be producing.

“Students can have established goals for how their technical work should sound, feel, and look. When the beginning student is presented with a good model, the feedback on their technique can and should become a collaborative effort. If the student has seen and felt what firm fingertips are…, they can be asked to evaluate their own fingers. This is far more meaningful than having the teacher criticize the weak finger joint.”

2. Before giving feedback, ask the student for their thoughts.

“The student may not be as critical as desired; they might be too hard on themselves; or their area of focus may not really be relevant to the problem at hand. Regardless of these things, the teacher must first address their response—it must be valued and respected. Then, the teacher can add their thoughts, perhaps throwing new ideas into the mix.”

3. Provide a model for constructive evaluation.

“Through the feedback they provide, teachers serve as models of constructive evaluation. For example, instead of saying “Your wrist was far too low. Try it again keeping it higher,” the teacher can say “Did you hear some unevenness during the crossings? That unevenness in rhythm and tone is common during crossings. I wonder if the crossings might be less awkward if you try it keeping your wrist more level.”

4. Let the student show you their progress by offering choices.

“One simple way to begin to break out of this predictable, corrective pattern is to offer choices to the student. “Would you like to play the whole piece or start with a specific section?” “Which practice tempo would you like to start with today?” Simply doing this gives the student a participatory role in the lesson and implies that they know something about how their practice is going.”

5. Create an environment that encourages evaluation through teamwork.

“When a problem presents itself, teacher and student should try to find the solution together. The teacher can use questions that offer options for the student. For example—“What happens if you play it without the pedal?” “What happens when you keep your fingers closer to the keys?” “Let’s try some staccato practice. How does it feel now?” In these situations, the teacher serves as a resource for options to try, not a corrective instructor. It cannot be overemphasized that no feedback of any kind will achieve the desired goal if the student does not demonstrate in the lesson that they can successfully pursue the new goal during the next week’s practice.”

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Breaking Out of the House of Corrections
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From the Archives: An Interview with James Lyke

Written By Ronald Chioldi

In celebration of Dr. James Lyke and his life, the Frances Clark Center is pleased to share an excerpted interview written by Ronald Chioldi and published in the May 2009 issue of Clavier Companion (Vol. 1, No. 3). Click here to read the full interview.

Jim Lyke, Geoff Haydon, Tony Caramia, and Reid Alexander at the MTNA National Conference in Denver; Colorado, in 2008.

An Interview with James Lyke

When I attended Jim Lyke’s piano pedagogy classes in 1990 at the University of Illinois his reputation as a leader in the field of group piano and pedagogy was well established, but I somehow didn’t quite understand and appreciate the importance of this energetic, restless man. Always focused on the next big project, this unassuming professor consistently displayed warmth and consideration for his students.

Yet, it is only through time, as I am now in the middle of my career, that I have come to realize the enormity of his contributions to the field of piano pedagogy — accomplishments that include a legacy of prominent students, the establishment of The National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, well-known classroom and duet publications, and his four decades of leadership, stewardship, and tireless devotion to group piano teaching and piano pedagogy.

At the age of 75 and with the 30th anniversary of The National Conference on Piano Pedagogy around the corner, Jim Lyke’s life has come full circle. I recently sat down with him in his New York City apartment to reflect on a remarkable career.

James Lyke through the years.

Honoring James Lyke

Co-founder of the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy

The 2009 NCKP honors James Lyke with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Thirty years ago he co-founded the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy in collaboration with Richard Chronister. Dr. Lyke’s career is intimately associated with the University of Illinois where he taught from 1959 to 1993. At Illinois he was chair of the Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Division, and under his leadership the MM degree in piano pedagogy and the Piano Laboratory Program for children were established. In 1993, Dr. Lyke accepted a position at Georgia State University where he was appointed Director of Graduate Studies for the School of Music and was coordinator of the piano pedagogy program. He is well-known for his book Creative Piano Teaching and his texts for group piano instruction, Keyboard Musicianship, Keyboard Fundamentals, and Ensemble Music for Group Piano.

The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy Lifetime Achievement Award is presented on behalf of the Frances Clark Center to an individual who has made substantial and enduring contributions to the field of piano pedagogy over a lifelong career. It was awarded to Nelita True in 2005, and posthumously to Richard Chronister in 2001. In 2009, it will be awarded to James Lyke. Between 1979 and 1994, the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy recognized Louise Bianchi, Frances Clark, Guy Duckworth, William Gillock, Marguerite Miller, Lynn Freeman Olson, and Robert Pace with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Jim Lyke with Richard Chronister at the 1980 National Conference on Piano Pedagogy at The University of Illinois.

The interview 

Tell me about your formative years. How did music make its way into your life?

I started piano and drum lessons at the age of 9 in the small town of Newark Valley, New York. Later, I played piano in the orchestra and percussion in the band. I also sang in the chorus and even had a brief stint as a “boy soprano,” my big hit being Schubert’s Ave Maria. In the middle of my junior year we moved to Elmira, New York — a big city compared to Newark Valley! Again I was in the band, chorus, and orchestra and even played percussion in the Elmira Symphony. In Elmira I had an excellent piano teacher by the name of Mildred Schoemaker who was coaching with a teacher at the Eastman School of Music.

Betty Henry was another central person at this time in my life. She was an inspiring choral director who trained at Fredonia State Teachers College, now SUNY Fredonia. She always let me practice on a fine Steinway grand in the auditorium after school hours. On the weekends I played piano in a dance band at the YMCA and adored the music by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and others. After graduating from high school I followed in my choral teacher’s footsteps and attended Fredonia. The piano instruction was excellent, but I thought I would eventually teach choir or band in the public schools. At Fredonia I became very interested in theater and was active in the drama club. It was the best start in life anybody could ever have.

What happened after undergraduate school?

After graduation I volunteered for the draft, as the Korean War was raging. After basic training I was luckily “tagged” to go to Alaska with a music-loving chaplain. He wanted a trained musician to go with him to Alaska, so I spent my army years directing choirs at the Post Chapel and working with children in the Sunday school program. There were many wonderful musicians on the base and we performed works like Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors and toured a USO production of Brigadoon. I also played with a dance band on the base, performing at the officer’s club every weekend and in clubs in Anchorage. After I was discharged I took a job with the Fort Richardson Schools (Alaska), saving money to attend graduate school. I taught kindergarten through the eighth grade — classroom music, general music, chorus, and band. On weekends I was still directing choirs at the post chapel and playing in dance bands. I also joined the Anchorage Community Chorus and participated in Robert Shaw Festivals for two summers. He was a stunning musician. 

I know that Robert Pace has been an important person in your life. Can you tell me about Columbia University and Robert Pace?

After four years in Alaska I came back to New York and entered the Teachers College of Columbia University, thinking I’d probably wind up being a choral director. One of the first people I encountered was Robert Pace, and I took several of his pedagogy courses. Observing his work with children in groups was a revelation to me. These children not only played pieces wonderfully, but also were interacting with one another and actually learning how music was put together. They were phenomenal. These youngsters took dictation, improvised, sight-read, harmonized melodies, etc. I was bowled over and thought, “This is the way to teach! I can do this!” I finally knew what I wanted to devote my life to — group teaching and piano pedagogy. It was the unification of so many musical elements that impressed me. Robert Pace changed my life.

The late 1950s was a marvelous time to be at Teachers College with Dr. Pace. Class piano teaching jobs were beginning to open up at colleges and universities all over the country, and directors of music schools were hiring well-trained group piano teachers. Dr. Pace was “the” person to study with. He was a real pioneer.

The University of Illinois Group Piano Faculty c. 1970. From left to right: Jim Lyke, Gail Berenson, Jean Marshall, and Carole Lesniak.

When did you find your way to the University of Illinois?

It was 1959 and I was hired right out of a master’s program at the age of 26. I had a wonderful director, Duane Branigan, who said to me, “Jim, this is a good place to grow, I want you to develop a group piano program the way you think it should be done.” So gradually I developed a four-semester sequence of piano classes for music majors, a two-semester course for non-music majors, an advanced group class for piano majors, a two-semester sequence in jazz piano, two piano pedagogy courses for undergraduates, and two piano pedagogy courses for graduate students. I taught pedagogy courses in the sixties and seventies and around 1980 another movement was happening, which was the piano pedagogy degree. I thought, “Illinois must have this,” so I developed an MM in Piano Pedagogy and incorporated the classes into the degree. I also established a teacher-training component of the degree, which consisted of youngsters from the community taking lessons from our piano pedagogy majors. Incidentally, out of the curriculum in the group piano and the pedagogy classes came the idea to develop texts. My first edition of Keyboard Musicianship, Books 1 and 2, was published in 1969 and a pedagogy text, Creative Piano Teaching, followed in 1977. Happily, they are still on the market in revised editions. I also published a text for adult beginners called Keyboard Fundamentals.

At our peak at the University of Illinois, we had four full-time Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy faculty and five graduate assistants. Our school had developed a good reputation in teacher training, and the graduate assistants we trained went on to achieve phenomenal things in universities and successful studios across the country.

You have mentored and taught some of today’s leaders in the field of group piano and piano pedagogy. Could you discuss some of these people?

I had terrific students at Illinois, including E.L. Lancaster, Robert Vandall, Reid Alexander, and Ron Elliston. I also hired wonderful faculty members such as Gail Berenson and Tony Caramia. Gail was fresh out of Northwestern and is, of course, now the president of MTNA. I found Tony Caramia in Fredonia, New York, of all places, as I was doing a workshop. I instigated the hiring of him at the University of Illinois in 1975 and I just knew Tony would do great things in the field. It was sad to lose him to Eastman, because he and I had a wonderful fifteen-year piano partnership as duettists and as a two-piano team. Reid Alexander was a student of mine and I eventually hired him to be a part of the pedagogy faculty. Reid took over the Piano Pedagogy program at the University of Illinois and is a prolific publisher and presenter. It is a thrill going to MTNA conventions and seeing how great my former students are doing.

Standing, left to right: Jim Lyke, Richard Chronister; Elvina Truman Pearce, Marienne Uszler, Tyler Tom. Seated: Martha Hilley, Stewart Gordon.

People who know you know how supportive you are of your students and colleagues. You also have the ability to notice talents in people that they may not notice in themselves. Where do these qualities come from?

Being supportive of my students was easy. I was just crazy about the students. They were everything to me and I always considered them to be the best thing about teaching in a university. I felt that it was my duty to help them find good positions after graduation, and I was always friendly with them throughout their studies. Some faculty members believe you shouldn’t get too close to your students. I don’t agree with that thinking.

It’s difficult to explain the other quality. I guess I am good at telling people what they should do! Seriously, I think some people don’t realize what they have in them. For example, when Tony Caramia came to Illinois I knew right away, “this guy’s going to really hit it big.” It was fun to be a part of that and I introduced him to workshop opportunities. I should mention that I spent 33 wonderful years at the University of Illinois.

At the age of 60 I took an early retirement and accepted a professorship at Georgia State University in Atlanta. It was a new challenge and a chance to start all over again. There I met Geoff Haydon. Here’s another guy, I thought, “he’s so talented, he doesn’t even know what he has.” He is a multi-talented person — a classical and jazz pianist, and a whiz at technology. At my urging he started arranging and composing, and we teamed up on many publications of two-piano and duet material for Warner Bros. Music and did a number of workshops in Europe and in the United States.

Read the complete interview, “Reflections on A Remarkable Career” from Clavier Companion (May 2009), using the link below!

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Mindfulness in the Piano Lesson: Where Do We Start?

Written By Fernanda Nieto

In the Summer 2023 Piano Magazine issue, Fernanda Nieto posed a question about mindfulness in the piano studio: how do we help our students deal with the stresses in piano lessons but also in everyday life? Enjoy this excerpt from her article, and consider how you can help your students manage the many stresses in their lives. Read the full article at https://pianoinspires.com/article/mindfulness-in-the-piano-lesson-where-do-we-start/.

“Young people today are experiencing increasing levels of stress and anxiety, and piano students are not immune to this reality. At all levels, students rely on us for quality piano instruction, emotional support, mentorship, and guidance. What tools can we utilize during lessons to enhance our students’ well-being and emotional health? How can we incorporate these practices without compromising time management and our teaching goals?

While mindfulness can be helpful at any point during our lessons, one approach is to keep its practice consistent within the lesson structure. By practicing breathing exercises at the start of our lessons, we give our minds an opportunity to leave distractions behind. After I welcome my students, I often ask, “How would you like to breathe today?” Utilizing visual aids, I demonstrate a couple of options so that they can see these exercises in action. Modeling breathing and practicing it with my students allows them to feel comfortable with mindfulness. It also gives both of us the opportunity to ease into a calmer lesson environment.”

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