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Piano Inspires Discovery

A space dedicated to inspiring the love of piano and music making through educational and inspirational content.

  • An Invitation to the Piano Inspires Book Club

    An Invitation to the Piano Inspires Book Club

    As we approach the new school year, we invite you to join us for the Piano Inspires Book Club! The first book club will focus on Inspired Piano Teaching by Marvin Blickenstaff. Learn more and register here. August 26, 2024 Dear Frances Clark Center Community, As we approach the new school year, we invite you to join us…


  • How to Write an Effective Conference Proposal: 5 Tips for Success

    How to Write an Effective Conference Proposal: 5 Tips for Success

    We are delighted to share top tips from Dr. Sara Ernst on writing successful conference proposals to support you as you draft your session ideas for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025. Sara is Director of Teacher Engagement for the Frances Clark Center and a member of the Executive Committee for The Piano Conference: NCKP. We…


  • Piano Inspires Kids: Student Spotlights

    Piano Inspires Kids: Student Spotlights

    The Summer 2024 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids is here! Not yet a subscriber? Click here to receive the issue and give the gift of music to the musicians in your life! Keep reading for a sneak peek into the Summer Issue. Calling all Piano Inspires Kids readers; we want to hear from you about you! What is a Student Spotlight? You can…


  • Effective, enforceable piano studio policies

    Effective, enforceable piano studio policies

    We would like to thank Wendy Stevens for this article about studio policies. To read the full article, click here. Between August 5 and September 15, The Frances Clark Center is offering 20% off all full-length courses such as A Pianist’s Guide to Studio Management. Check out our other courses here and use this discount…


  • Does Piano Study Help Children in Other Aspects of School Study?

    Does Piano Study Help Children in Other Aspects of School Study?

    We would like to thank Madeleine Crouch for this article about piano study and how it affects academic achievement. To read the full article, click here. Between August 5 and September 15, The Frances Clark Center is offering 20% off all full-length courses such as A Pianist’s Guide to Studio Management. Check out our other…


  • Piano Inspires Book Club Announcement

    Piano Inspires Book Club Announcement

    As we approach the new school year, we invite you to join us for the Piano Inspires Book Club! The first book club will focus on Marvin Blickenstaff’s new book Inspired Piano Teaching. Learn more and register here. Join author Marvin Blickenstaff and host Sara Ernst for a four-part, open-access series discussing Inspired Piano Teaching…


  • How Do You Plan A Student’s Repertoire for the Coming School Year?

    How Do You Plan A Student’s Repertoire for the Coming School Year?

    We would like to thank Martha Appleby, Sara Krohn, Leanne Hedges, and James B Lyke for this insightful article about planning repertoire. To read the full article, click here. Although few teachers of my acquaintance indulge in a languid state of inactivity during the summer, it is a time when we re-evaluate the progress of our students…


  • This Month in Piano History – August 2024

    This Month in Piano History – August 2024

    August 8, 1857 French pianist and composer Cécile Chaminade, whose work inspired the creation of numerous women’s musical organizations, was born on this day in Paris. Her initial musical studies were with her mother, but Chaminade also studied privately with members of the Paris Conservatoire faculty after her father prohibited her official enrollment.1 Her career…


  • Breaking Out of the House of Corrections

    Breaking Out of the House of Corrections

    We would like to thank Craig Sale for this insightful article about preparing students for their practice. To read the full article, click here. I will always remember Frances Clark stating that our lessons should not be a “house of corrections.” Instead, she felt we should do all we can to ensure a week of…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Sean Chen

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Sean Chen

    To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Sean Chen, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Sara Ernst. Want to learn more about Chen? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Chen on Apple Podcasts,…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Midori Koga

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Midori Koga

    To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Midori Koga, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Andrea McAlister. Want to learn more about Koga? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Koga on Apple Podcasts,…


  • Inspiring Instructors: The Power of a Piano Teacher

    Inspiring Instructors: The Power of a Piano Teacher

    At The Frances Clark Center, we are honoring piano teachers who are working every day to make the world more empathetic, inclusive, and connected through the transformational power of music. We welcome you to celebrate your own teacher by sharing a tribute with us and donating to the Frances Clark Center. Students, parents, and colleagues…


  • This Month in Piano History – Les femmes du musique

    This Month in Piano History – Les femmes du musique

    This November, we celebrate three inspiring women: soprano Maria Callas, composer and pianist Fanny Hensel, and composer, pianist, and organist Emma Lou Diemer. November 1, 1954: The American Operatic Debut of Maria Callas Greek-American soprano Maria Callas personified the “diva” and held many successful roles in Italy and South America before her American debut as…


  • A Look Inside “A Pianist’s Guide to Teaching Recreational Music Makers”

    A Look Inside “A Pianist’s Guide to Teaching Recreational Music Makers”

    We would like to thank Amy Perdew for her contributions to this article on Recreational Music Making. Interested in learning more about RMM? Our latest course, A Pianist’s Guide to Teaching Recreational Music Makers, is available for purchase. Learn more and enroll here. Use code RMMLAUNCH2024 for an exclusive $25 off. Marketing is the process…


  • Recreational Music Making: 5 Discoveries We Made as RMM Teachers

    Recreational Music Making: 5 Discoveries We Made as RMM Teachers

    We would like to thank Debra Perez, Craig Sale, Rebecca Bellelo, and Emily Book McGree for their contributions to this article on Recreational Music Making. Interested to learn more about RMM? Our latest course, A Pianist’s Guide to Teaching Recreational Music Makers, was just released. Learn more and enroll here. Use code RMMLAUNCH2024 for an…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Dennis Alexander

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Dennis Alexander

    To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Dennis Alexander, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Jennifer Snow. Want to learn more about Alexander? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Alexander on Apple Podcasts,…


  • Final Call: Proposals for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025

    Final Call: Proposals for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025

    The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 advances and supports the international field of piano teaching, learning, and performing. To innovate for the future, we seek programming that explores the challenges and opportunities of the present day and the future for practitioners and performers, arts leaders and advocates, professors and administrators, and new professionals and students. The…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Annie Jeng

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Annie Jeng

    To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Annie Jeng, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Craig Sale. Want to learn more about Jeng? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Jeng on Apple Podcasts,…


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