What to Expect at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025

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From the Performance Practice, Teaching Adults, and Business & Entrepreneurship Committee Chairs

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The committees of The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 contribute to the program of the conference by curating topic-based tracks from the call for proposals. These unique scheduling blocks allow attendees to explore a series of presentations that have been thematically grouped for a deep learning experience. As we eagerly anticipate NCKP 2025, we asked our committee chairs to give us a sneak peek into their respective tracks of conference programming. Keep reading to see what you can expect in the Performance Practice, Teaching Adults, and Business & Entrepreneurship Committee tracks! Please note that the schedule of The Piano Conference: NCKP is subject to change. The most up-to-date listing can be found here.

Performance Practice

By Andrew Cooperstock, Chair

Saturday, June 7, 2:30-4:30 PM

Thursday, July 24, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM

The Comprehensive Musician

Established in 2023, the Performance Practice Committee intersects naturally with many interests in our community. Indeed, we are interested in education at all levels, inclusivity, research, creativity, collaboration, entrepreneurship, technology, and wellness, and we seek to explore all facets of literature, interpretation, technique, preparation, performance, and more. The Performance Practice Track at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 will feature exciting sessions on practice, technique, and diverse repertoire. 

The online track offerings include a fascinating look at the connection of creative metronome use to historical theories of tempo and expression, providing tips to help students build their sense of pulse and exploring how tempo might be approached today for greater emotional depth. We also look forward to a timely presentation on teaching piano literature in terms of our current educational landscape, including learning styles of Generations Z and Alpha, the impact of AI, and more. In addition, the online event includes “Abby Whiteside’s Legacy: The Open Secret to Pianistic Wellness?,” to explore this fascinating pedagogue’s “transformational concepts through the lens of a personal journey from frustration to facility.” 

The in-person track will feature two lecture recitals and two presentations on a varied and diverse repertoire. Pedaling will be explored through a focused look at Beethoven’s evolving use of the pedal with suggestions for our modern instrument. What do Florence Price and Pierre Boulez have in common?—a connection with The PianoConference location. “Women of the Chicago Black Renaissance” will explore connections among four significant Black women composers active during a period of intense artistic creativity and community-building in that city beginning in the 1930s. In tribute to his 2025 centenary, “Pierre Boulez at 100” will introduce the Chicago Symphony’s esteemed principal guest conductor by way of a practical analysis of his first published piano piece, 12 Notations. An additional joint session will highlight contemporary works by Pulitzer Prize-winning Cuban-American composer Tania León and influential Chinese composer Lisan Wang.

The Performance Practice committee hopes that these sessions will inspire attendees to explore standard and new literature with fresh ideas on technique and interpretation.

Teaching Adults

By Jackie Edwards-Henry, Chair 

Sunday, June 8, 2:00 to 3:30 PM

Friday, July 25, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Piano for Life

Whether adults begin piano study or resume it, their goals are specific and often beyond the simple desire to learn to play music for their own enjoyment. 

The programming selected and featured by the Teaching Adults Committee will help attendees learn about the cognitive benefits of piano lessons, group teaching techniques that may also be used in the independent studio, practice strategies for adults, and best practice teaching tips from highly successful teacher/facilitators of adult students. At the in-person event, presenter Lois Svard will share the findings of her research in “Older Adults Gain Cognitive Benefits from Piano Lessons.” Debra Perez, using the conference keyboard lab, will guide attendees through “Three Enjoyable Group Teaching Techniques Your Older Students Will Appreciate.” The techniques presented may also be adapted for use in independent studios. An additional session in the online track explores practice, “‘I’ll Just Start Over’: How to Help Adult Hobbyists Develop Professional Practicing Skills” by Florence Phillips explores practice. 

Best practice teaching videos selected by the Teaching Adults Committee will be featured in the presentation, “‘What and How’ for the Win with Adults.” In this interactive session, teacher/facilitators will describe their teaching videos and address questions/discussion by attendees. This will be presented twice, featuring different lesson videos in both the online and in-person track. Another online presentation from select committee members will provide insights from adult students, “From Their Mouths to Our Ears: Let’s Hear It Directly from Adult Piano Students.”

Business and Entrepreneurship

By Andrew Villemez, Chair 

Sunday, June 8, 4:00-5:30 PM

Saturday, July 26, 10:30 AM-12:30 PM

Building Bridges Between Art and Entrepreneurship

Imagining yourself as both a pianist and a thriving entrepreneur might seem like juggling two different worlds, but the truth is they’re inseparable. Whether you’re teaching, performing, or creating new projects, the skills you need to build a business are the same ones that allow your artistry to flourish. That’s where the Business and Entrepreneurship Committee steps in. We’re here to help pianists discover how embracing entrepreneurial practices can expand their reach, strengthen their careers, and make a deeper impact in their communities.

For pianists—whether just starting out or already established—entrepreneurship isn’t optional anymore. It’s the key to crafting a meaningful career, allowing you to transform your skills into opportunities that are both sustainable and fulfilling. Our curated sessions at The Piano Conference aim to meet you where you are, whether you’re building your first teaching studio, growing your online presence, or navigating the challenges of expanding your brand.

This year, the programming builds on the momentum of the opening summit. During the summit, the entire community will explore the immediate challenges and opportunities in our field. Inspired by this collective work, our sessions will offer attendees tangible ways to take bold steps forward—no matter where they’re starting from. Topics on the track include launching your own music school, practical steps for content creation, tips for increasing studio profits and wages, and leveraging group teaching and business models for student access. 

Entrepreneurship is not about having all the answers but about asking the right questions. It’s about figuring out where you want to grow and being willing to make mistakes along the way. Whether you’re early in your career or navigating a mid-career pivot, the question isn’t “What if it doesn’t work out?” but “What would I learn if I tried?” The Business and Entrepreneurship track encourages attendees to think deeply about their strengths and challenges and offers tools to navigate both.

Here are a few key strategies to guide your journey:

1. Lean Into Community: Find peers and mentors who inspire you. A strong network not only shares ideas but also reminds you you’re not alone in your struggles or successes.
2. Define Your Goals: Clarity and specificity about what you want to achieve—both now and in the future—can shape your decisions in ways that align with your long-term vision.
3. Keep Moving Forward: Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. Small, consistent actions will get you further than waiting for the perfect moment.

At its heart, this committee’s work is about navigating inherent tensions and creating bridges—between artistry and business, between ideas and action, and between your dreams and your reality. It’s a reminder that success is not about avoiding failure; it’s about embracing the challenges that help you grow.

We look forward to seeing you at The Piano Conference, where the possibilities are endless, and the tools to realize them are within reach. Let’s explore this next chapter together.

Join us for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 as we gather together in person and online. The Piano Conference seeks to explore the challenges and opportunities facing our international community at this inflection point for the profession. Full conference registration includes four days of engagement, including the summit, concerts, keynotes, PEDx presentations, and more, as well as access to the online event and online event archives. Student, Single-Day, and Online-Only registration options are also available. Early-bird registration is available until May 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM Pacific. Subscribers receive an additional 10% off; log into PianoInspires.com and go to ‘My Discounts’  to find your discount code. Learn more and register for The Piano Conference by clicking here.

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