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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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2024-2025 Gratitude Report: Celebrating a Year of Community, Legacy, and Innovation
We are deeply grateful to our donors, educators, and partners who continue to invest in our mission of advancing piano education. Your belief in The Frances Clark Center sustains our programs, inspires teachers and learners, and strengthens the profession for generations to come. This year was one of growth, innovation, and shared achievement. We established…
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Around the World with Piano Magazine
Curious about music and music-making practices around the world? Piano Magazine has you covered with articles covering piano teaching and performance practices in all corners of the globe. Piano Music by Composers from Asia: A History of Self-Discovery In this article by Lisa Yui from the Spring 2023 issue, Yui writes about her journey of…
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This Month in Piano History – November 2025
As we move into November, we celebrate the birth of a famous ragtime composer, remember an important premiere, and reflect on Bach’s criminal record! November 6: Bach Goes to Jail This month in 1717, Johann Sebastian Bach went to jail! The beloved composer and pianist spent about four weeks in a “justice room” at the…
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Community Impact Grant Winners 2025
Across the country, pianists are using their art to build connection, inclusion, and opportunity. These four projects—by Kelly Hooper, Zaiba Sheikh, Penny Lazarus, and Raphaelita Justice—show how community impact begins with creativity and compassion, inspiring others to design meaningful initiatives that make music accessible for all. Kelly Hooper: Free-To-Be Kelly Hooper’s Free-To-Be recital reimagines what…
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5 Key Elements of Foundational Piano Pedagogy
1. Teachers should use words that are relevant and efficient while considering other powerful ways to communicate. Teachers use words to teach concepts, praise students, and offer feedback. Words used to give praise and feedback should focus on the music–how it sounds, looks, and feels, rather than the student’s personal ability. Specific, sincere, and descriptive…
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5 Ways PianoInspires Can Transform Your Scale Practice
Ready to move beyond basic drills? The magazines, videos, and publications at pianoinspires.com are packed with fresh, effective ideas to elevate the technique of your piano students and your own practice. 1. Unlock Speed with the 3s and 4s Fingering Rule Tired of tricky fingerings? The Summer 2024 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids provides a…
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Announcing the Autumn 2025 Issue of Piano Magazine!
Announcing the Autumn 2025 issue of Piano Magazine! Discover the remarkable journey of pianist and educator Wilfred Delphin, whose artistry and advocacy have shaped generations of musicians. From his formative years and international performances with his duo partner, Edwin Romain, to his lifelong commitment to mentoring young pianists, Delphin’s story celebrates perseverance, excellence, and the transformative…
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5 Ways to Use the Activities in the Autumn 2025 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids
The Autumn issue of Piano Inspires Kids is filled with fun, creative, and educational ways to explore music. Whether you’re a teacher looking to bring fresh ideas into your studio or a parent hoping to spark your child’s imagination at home, this issue offers something for everyone. Here are five ways you can use the…
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Phyllis Lehrer Piano Pedagogy & Artistry Fund
We would like to thank Mary Bloom and Michelle Aalders for tributes shared here with this post of the Phyllis Lehrer Piano Pedagogy & Artistry Fund. Phyllis’ legacy as a teacher, mentor, pianist, and colleague is unquestionable. We are honored to celebrate her work through the creation of this new fund in her name. To…
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5 Reasons You Should Include Asian Repertoire in Your Studio
Don’t miss Shuk-Ki Wong’s presentation at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference online event, Embracing Diversity in Your Studio: A Pedagogical Exploration of Underrepresented Chinese Keyboard Literature, on June 10, 2023 from 4:30-4:55PM. There’s still time to Register for NCKP 2023! 1. Only 1.77% of scheduled pieces in concert halls were composed by Asian composers. Despite…
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5 Things You Might Not Know About Colombian Composer Jaime León
Don’t forget to check out Felipe Calle‘s presentation at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference, The Piano Works of Jaime Leon: A Pedagogical Approach, on June 11, 2023 from 4:30-4:55PM during our online event. Register now for NCKP 2023! 1. Jaime León was born in 1921 in Cartagena, Colombia, a colonial city on the Caribbean coast. His father,…
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The Value and Survival of Music – Philosophies of Frances Clark
We are pleased to share some of our favorite quotes by Frances Clark, the pioneer pianist and educator for whom the organization is named. To read more of Clark’s writing, you can purchase her book, Questions and Answers, by clicking here. On the Value of Music “To understand music is to know an entire range…
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5 Things You Might Not Know About Career-aged Adult Piano Learners
Check out Pei-Chen Chen‘s presentation at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference, It’s Never Too Late – Lived Experiences of Amateur Adult Piano Learners, on June 11, 2023 from 3:00-3:25PM during our online event. Register now for NCKP 2023! 1. They take lessons to fulfill a long held-dream. Fulfilling a long-held dream is one of the most common…
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How to Teach like Kodály in 5 Easy Steps
Don’t miss Megan Rich‘s Lightning Talk at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference, Singing in the Piano Lesson: Zoltán Kodály’s 333 Elementary Exercises in Solfège Singing, on July 26, 2023 from 4:00-4:50PM during our in-person event. Register now for NCKP 2023! 1. Sing! Zoltan Kodály said that “To teach a child an instrument without first giving him preparatory…
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Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part Two
We invited our followers to submit questions for Marvin Blickenstaff about all things teaching. In honor of his birthday (May 19), we are posting his answers! You can read Part One here. Join us on social media for the opportunity to have your questions on a variety of interesting topics answered by additional experts in…
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Q&A with Marvin Blickenstaff: Part One
We invited our followers to submit questions for Marvin Blickenstaff about all things teaching. In honor of his birthday today (May 19), we are posting his answers! Join us on social media for the opportunity to have your questions on a variety of interesting topics answered by additional experts in the coming weeks. I love…
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The Consummate Role Model for Piano Teachers | Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff
Naegeli van Bergen Metcalf was my first college piano teacher and a beloved mentor. She left Wesleyan College after my freshman year to get married, and we stayed in touch throughout the remainder of her teaching years. So, during my junior year, she was in touch and encouraged me to go to the University of…
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Happy Birthday, Marvin Blickenstaff!
THIS WEEK IN PIANO HISTORY, we celebrate one of our own—Marvin Blickenstaff—who was born on May 19, 1935. A world-renowned music educator and pianist, Blickenstaff’s career as a leader in the field of piano pedagogy has spanned nearly six decades. Blickenstaff grew up in Nampa, Idaho and credits his teacher Fern Nolte Davidson with helping…
