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Piano Inspires Discovery
A space dedicated to inspiring the love of piano and music making through educational and inspirational content.
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Body Mapping in the Piano Studio
We would like to thank Kay S. Hooper for this insightful article about body mapping. To read the full article, click here. On the count of three, point to the place where your upper arm meets your torso. One, two, three! See Figure 1 below and find the place where you pointed. Most people point…
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The Benefits of NCKP: The Piano Conference and Why You Should Attend
We would like to thank Marvin Blickenstaff for this article about the benefits of The Piano Conference: NCKP. Want to learn more about The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025? Click here to read about next year’s conference and submit a proposal. Want to hear more from Marvin Blickenstaff? Join our book club beginning September 10, 2024!…
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Marvin Blickenstaff: Cheerleader Extraordinaire
We would like to thank Sara Ernst for this tribute to her mentor, Marvin Blickenstaff. Since 1999, Marvin Blickenstaff has been a beloved faculty member of the New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ. In honor of the 25th year of his work for NSMS, we recognize the tremendous impact he has had on…
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Meet People Where They Are | Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff
We would like to thank Karen Zorn for this tribute to her teacher, Marvin Blickenstaff. On January 30, 2024 we are hosting a virtual Publications Party to celebrate Marvin Blickenstaff’s new book, Inspired Piano Teaching. Click here to register for this free event! If you are interested in learning more about Marvin’s book, you can read more…
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Piano Inspires Kids: David, Plays!
The Winter 2024 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids is coming soon! Subscribers will be receiving the print issue in their mailboxes in the coming weeks. 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…
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Collegiate Essay Winner: Emerging Adulthood and Undergraduate Group Piano
We would like to thank Melody Morrison for this insightful article on adulthood and collegiate group piano. This year more than a dozen collegiate students submitted essays in the collegiate writing competition. The topics were varied and the entrants, who came from eleven different universities, were at different stages of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.…
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5 Reasons You Should Include Asian Repertoire in Your Studio
We would like to thank Shuk-Ki Wong for this insightful article on including repertoire by Asian composers in the piano studio. Want to learn more about music from Asia? Register for the free webinar, “Composers and Music of Asian Heritage” presented by Yoshiko Arahata, Kairy Koshoeva, and Gulimina Mahamuti, with Chee-Hwa Tan, moderator and Luis Sanchez,…
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Create to Motivate: Using Repertoire to Incorporate Creativity in Lessons
We would like to thank Chee-Hwa Tan for this insightful article on creative activities to explore with your students. Want to apply these tips with your students? We encourage your students to submit to the Piano Inspires Kids 2024 Composition Contest. Student applicants are tasked with composing a fanfare inspired by the upcoming 2024 Summer…
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Gratitude from the Frances Clark Center Team
As we continue 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…
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Five Things You Might Not Know About Florence Price
We would like to thank Lia Jenson-Abbott for this insightful article on Florence Price. Want to learn more about Florence Price? The winter issue of Piano Inspires Kids will explore her life, music, and work. Our first batch just shipped, but there is still time to receive a copy by subscribing today. 1. At age 18, Florence Price graduated from the…
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A Genuine Place of Love and Kindness: Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff
We would like to thank Rebekah Hood for this tribute to her teacher, Marvin Blickenstaff. As we continue 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…
