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Piano Inspires Discovery

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

  • The Power of a Piano Teacher

    The Power of a Piano Teacher

    As we enter the season of gratitude and giving, we pay tribute to piano teachers from around the country who are transforming the lives of their students. Students, parents, and colleagues are honoring piano teachers from their communities as part of the “Power of a Piano Teacher” campaign. We welcome you to celebrate your own…


  • Journal of Piano Research: Interview with Pamela Pike and Alejandro Cremaschi

    Journal of Piano Research: Interview with Pamela Pike and Alejandro Cremaschi

    The Co-Editors-in-Chief of Journal of Piano Research, Dr. Pamela Pike and Dr. Alejandro Cremaschi, recently answered some questions about the new Journal of Piano Research. Find out more about the journal below and go to journalofpianoresearch.org/ to learn more about this new publication! 1. Why did you decide to develop the Journal of Piano Research?…


  • Recollections with Robert Weirich

    Recollections with Robert Weirich

    We would like to thank Robert Weirich for his insightful commentary regarding his latest book, Recollections: A Pianist’s Essays on Teaching, Performing, and Living. Order Recollections: A Pianist’s Essays on Teaching, Performing, and Living, by Robert Weirich NOW and enjoy a 20% off launch discount. Use code WEIRICHLAUNCH20 at checkout. Learn more and purchase here: https://pianoinspires.com/recollections-by-robert-weirich/.…


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

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

    Quer saber mais sobre dedilhado? Inscreva-se no nosso webinar internacional gratuito, “ A dedilhação como elemento de expressividade na performance pianística” apresentado por Luis Pipa no dia 4 de novembro. Saiba mais e inscreva-se aqui: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/11-04-23-webinar/. The following contribution from Bruce Berr appeared in an article edited by Richard Chronister titled “How Do You Teach Students…


  • How do you use Piano Inspires Kids in your studio?

    How do you use Piano Inspires Kids in your studio?

    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…


  • Five Things You Should Know About Teaching Adults in Groups

    Five Things You Should Know About Teaching Adults in Groups

    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…


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

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

    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…


  • Three Common Questions Asked by Teacher/Facilitators Concerning Adult Piano Learners

    Three Common Questions Asked by Teacher/Facilitators Concerning Adult Piano Learners

    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:…


  • Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part Two

    Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part Two

    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…


  • Five Things You Might Not Know About Margaret Bonds

    Five Things You Might Not Know About Margaret Bonds

    Check out Sarah Rushing’s archived webinar of Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water, where she explores the preparation, practice, and interpretation of this unique piece. 1. Margaret Bonds was raised by four independent, career-oriented women. At the tender age of four, Bonds’s parents divorced. Instead of growing up in a traditional family structure, Bonds was raised by…


  • This Week in Piano History: The Demise of Hanon

    This Week in Piano History: The Demise of Hanon

    THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we remember composer and organist Charles-Louis Hanon, who died on March 19, 1900 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. Author of the infamous collection The Virtuoso Pianist, Hanon is little known besides this work. Hanon was born in Renescure, a village in northern France. He learned to play organ and later moved to…


  • Teaching Students to Love Classical Period Repertoire: Q&A with Suzanne Newcomb

    Teaching Students to Love Classical Period Repertoire: Q&A with Suzanne Newcomb

    Don’t miss Suzanne Newcomb’s Inspiring Artistry contribution about Beethoven’s Sonatina in G Major, which includes information on how to effectively teach the piece. Why is it important for students to learn Classical-period repertoire? What are some of the benefits? Classical-period repertoire represents the foundation of much of the piano music that follows it! Baroque composers…


  • How To Travel to NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference without Breaking the Bank!

    How To Travel to NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference without Breaking the Bank!

    Register for NCKP: 2023! Click here to register. Having spent a good amount of the last 30 years zig-zagging the skies as a music technology consultant, I have personally experienced nearly every curveball air travel can toss my way. In all this time, through quite a bit of trial and error and by picking up…


  • Five Things You Might Not Know About Claude Debussy

    Five Things You Might Not Know About Claude Debussy

    Check out Andy Villemez’s video of Debussy: La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin, L. 177/8 where he explores the preparation, practice, and interpretation of this unique piece. 1.  When referring to his own music, Debussy hated the term “impressionism.” The life of most composers includes small, or even lengthy battles in how their music is…


  • This Week in Piano History: The Birth of “Mr. Harmony”

    This Week in Piano History: The Birth of “Mr. Harmony”

    THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we celebrate the birth of composer Mario Ruiz Armengol, who was born on March 17, 1914. A Mexican composer, 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.…


  • “Piano Inspires” Webinar: William Chapman Nyaho Interview

    “Piano Inspires” Webinar: William Chapman Nyaho Interview

    The Frances Clark Center was thrilled to welcome William Chapman Nyaho to our “Piano Inspires” Webinar series. Please enjoy his engaging conversation with Dr. Jennifer Snow, CEO of the Frances Clark Center, and we encourage you to join us for all of our upcoming webinars. https://pianoinspires.com/webinars/ In this installment of our Piano Inspires… series, Dr. Jennifer…


  • Five Things You Might Not Know About Filip Lazăr

    Five Things You Might Not Know About Filip Lazăr

    Check out Danny Milan’s video of Lazăr: Pièces minuscules pour les enfants, Op.16 where he explores the preparation, practice, and interpretation of this unique piece. 1.  He was a founding member of the Society of Romanian Composers. Also known as the Romanian Composers’ Society (Societatea Compozitorilor Romani), this organization was founded by Romanian composers George…


  • This Week in Piano History: National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day

    This Week in Piano History: National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day

    Happy National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day! Created by the organization Black Women in Jazz, this day celebrates the remarkable impact of Black women in jazz and all the arts. Today, we are highlighting several Black women pianists and composers who have made special contributions to our field. Nina Simone, born February…


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