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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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Reflections on My Piano Teacher | Honoring Fern Davidson
We at the Frances Clark Center believe passionately that piano teachers change the world through their dedication to students and communities. Our Power of a Piano Teacher campaign shares personal tributes to document the extraordinary contributions of piano teachers. We welcome you to celebrate your teacher and share your tribute with us by making a donation to the Frances Clark…
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This Week in Piano History: Happy World Piano Day!
THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we are celebrating World Piano Day and the accomplishments of all pianists! The piano was invented over three hundred years ago by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian builder. His ingenious design from 1700 used hammers inside the action of a harpsichord to create a wider dynamic range. Cristofori’s instrument ignited the…
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Tips for Rote Teaching: Special Guest Q&A with Expert E.L. Lancaster
Last year we invited our followers to submit questions for E.L. Lancaster about rote teaching to celebrate he and Kevin Olson’s new publication, From Rote to Note: Elementary Piano Pieces That Reinforce Theory and Technique. We are pleased to give these newly updated answers a permanent home on our Discovery page. We invite you to…
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From Financial Officer to Piano Teacher | Honoring Sandra Preysz and Lenora Brown
We at the Frances Clark Center believe passionately that piano teachers change the world through their dedication to students and communities. Our Power of a Piano Teacher campaign shares personal tributes to document the extraordinary contributions of piano teachers. We welcome you to celebrate your teacher and share your tribute with us by making a donation to the Frances Clark…
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The Power of a Piano Teacher
Teaching is probably the noblest profession in the world — the most unselfish, difficult, and honorable profession. Leonard Bernstein We at the Frances Clark Center believe passionately that piano teachers change the world through their dedication to their students and communities. With the launch of our Power of a Piano Teacher campaign, we will be…
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5 Things You Might Not Know About Zoltán Kodály
Don’t miss Megan’s Inspiring Artistry contribution about J.S. Bach’s Invention in C Minor, which includes exposition on how to effectively teach the piece, all the way from preparation to performance. 1. Kodály wrote for piano and organ! Besides his many successful works for choir, Kodály wrote 7 Pieces for Piano, Op. 11, a Méditation sur…
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A Peek Inside Piano Inspires Discussion Events: Opportunities to Learn, Discuss, and Connect
We were pleased to welcome Dr. Brenda Wristen, Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and author of the Piano Magazine article “No Thumb or Fifth Finger on Black Keys, Except…” for an informative article discussion in September. Dr. Wristen and Senior Editor Craig Sale explored the rules of the black…
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Alternatively-Sized Keyboards: Special Guest Q&A with Expert Carol Leone
Last year we invited you to submit questions for Carol Leone about alternatively sized keyboards via our social media channels. We are pleased to give these newly updated answers a permanent home on our Discovery page. We invite you to join us on social media for the opportunity to have your questions on a variety…
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This Week in Piano History: The Premiere of Mendelssohn’s G Minor Piano Concerto, October 17, 1831
THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we celebrate the premiere of Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto in G Minor, Op. 25, premiered by the composer himself on October 17, 1831 in Munich. The concerto, made famous by Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt (and later ridiculed by Hector Berlioz!), became incredibly popular with pianists throughout Europe for its…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Tim Topham
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Tim Topham, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Sara Ernst. Want to learn more about Topham? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Topham on Apple Podcasts,…
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Improvising with Piano Inspires Kids: Use the Autumn 2024 Issue in Your Studio Today!
Exploring the piano through improvisation unlocks endless creativity, and the Autumn issue of Piano Inspires Kids equips young pianists with exciting new tools to ignite their musical imagination. In addition to the print magazine, students can explore additional activities on our website to get their creative juices flowing. Below are excerpts from our new teacher…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Spencer Myer
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Spencer Myer, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Jennifer Snow. Want to learn more about Myer? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Myer on Apple Podcasts,…
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Lessons from Diné Weaving: Thoughts on Music from Connor Chee
We would like to thank Connor Chee for this excerpted text from his PEDx presentation at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference. Chee is a Navajo pianist and composer. His award-winning works, featured globally, showcase his cultural heritage and technical mastery. He is also dedicated to music education and cultural preservation, inspiring the next generation of…
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Presenting at NCKP: My Experience and Why You Should Too
We are delighted to share this article on The Piano Conference: NCKP by Luis Sanchez. We invite you to submit your proposals to The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 via our proposal submission portal by 11:59pm PDT on Monday, October 21, 2024. The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 The Piano Conference: NCKP offers you the opportunity to…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Frances Clark
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Frances Clark, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Christopher Hepp. Want to learn more about Clark? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Clark on Apple Podcasts,…
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Piano Teachers Transforming Lives: 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…
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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…
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Edwin Gordon: Beyond the Keyboard
We would like to thank Edwin Gordon for the text from his 2015 keynote address at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy in Lombard, Illinois. To read the full text, sign up for our course, Foundational Piano Pedagogy. Between August 5 and September 15, The Frances Clark Center is offering 20% off all full-length courses…
