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Piano Inspires Discovery

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  • Five Things You Might Not Know About Practicing the Piano

    Five Things You Might Not Know About Practicing the Piano

    We would like to thank Sheryl Iott for collaboration on this post. We encourage you to watch Sheryl’s archived webinar titled, “Music Cognition: Patterns, Predictions and Practice,” by clicking here. Want to watch, but not yet a subscriber? Subscribe now for only $7.99/mo or $36/year. 1. Practice doesn’t make perfect. Not even perfect practice! What…


  • The Consummate Role Model for Piano Teachers | Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff

    The Consummate Role Model for Piano Teachers | Honoring Marvin Blickenstaff

    Join us for our first webinar of the season titled “The Life Saving Work of Teachers,” presented by Marvin Blickenstaff on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 11:00am EDT. Click here to register! Naegeli van Bergen Metcalf was my first college piano teacher and a beloved mentor. She left Wesleyan College after my freshman year to…


  • OLGA KERN: A Consummate and Positive Artist

    OLGA KERN: A Consummate and Positive Artist

    We are pleased to share this conversation with Olga Kern about her vibrant career and mission as a musician, written by Sara Ernst. This conversation originally appeared in the Summer 2023 issue of Piano Magazine. If you would like to explore other articles from Piano Magazine, please subscribe now for only $7.99/mo or $36/yr. Concert…


  • Hats Off to You, George! | Honoring George Litterst

    Hats Off to You, George! | Honoring George Litterst

    George Litterst is a recipient of the 2023 Frances Clark Center Lifetime Achievement Award. His extensive contributions to the field of piano pedagogy are extraordinary and exemplify outstanding dedication to the field of music and piano teaching. The Frances Clark Center Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor and is presented on behalf of the…


  • 5 Steps for Successfully Incorporating a Sight-Reading App into Your Studio

    5 Steps for Successfully Incorporating a Sight-Reading App into Your Studio

    Check out Anna Beth Rucker’s presentation at the NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference online event, How to Choose and Use Sight-Reading Apps to Enhance Student Learning Experience, on June 11, 2023 from 4:30-4:55PM. There’s still time to Register for NCKP 2023! In recent years, sight-reading apps have quickly populated app stores and captured the minds…


  • 5 Reasons You Should Include Asian Repertoire in Your Studio

    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…


  • 5 Things You Might Not Know About Colombian Composer Jaime León

    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,…


  • The Value and Survival of Music – Philosophies of Frances Clark

    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…


  • 5 Things You Might Not Know About Career-aged Adult Piano Learners

    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…


  • The Piano Conference – Perspectives of New Professionals

    The Piano Conference – Perspectives of New Professionals

    Now that The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 has passed, we would like to thank Janna Peña and Anthony Ty for this insightful post about their experience as new professionals at the conference. Look for news about The Piano Conference: NCKP 2027 in fall 2026! Attending The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 was a meaningful experience: inspiring,…


  • Interleaved Practice: A Counterintuitive but Powerful Practice Method

    Interleaved Practice: A Counterintuitive but Powerful Practice Method

    We would like to thank Molly Gebrian for this article about interleaved practice. To read the full article from the summer issue of Piano Magazine, click here. Most of us practice using a blocked practice method: we work on one thing for a large block of time before moving on to something else. We typically…


  • What to Expect at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025

    What to Expect at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025

    Thanks to Trevor Thornton, member of the New Professionals Committee for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025, for this post. Only a few days until the conference begins. Haven’t registered? Register for The Piano Conference today! So, it’s your first time at The Piano Conference: NCKP. You are probably curious about what to expect. I remember…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Artina McCain

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Artina McCain

    On Wednesday, July 23rd from 8:00-10:00pm, The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 will present the 2025 Celebration Concert featuring pianists Rochelle Sennet, Connor Chee, Alexa Stier, Carol Leone, Derek Hartman, Artina McCain, Spencer Myer, Susanna Garcia, and William Chapman Nyaho. In celebration, we are sharing this excerpt from Artina McCain’s appearance on the Piano Inspires Podcast.…


  • Sneak Peek Inside The Piano Conference: Teaching Demonstrations and Concerts

    Sneak Peek Inside The Piano Conference: Teaching Demonstrations and Concerts

    The Piano Conference features an inspiring lineup of artists and teachers from July 23-26, 2025. Read more about the teaching demonstrations, lunchtime concerts, and New Professionals Concert below, and view the full schedule here. Want to hear these amazing demonstrations and concerts live? Register for The Piano Conference today! TEACHING DEMONSTRATIONS The Transformation of Advanced…


  • A Sneak Peek into PEDx at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 – Part 2

    A Sneak Peek into PEDx at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 – Part 2

    PEDx speakers and panelists at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 will discuss visions for jazz piano pedagogy, A.I. in music, Indigenous composers, and piano suites. Don’t miss these inspiring sessions! Haven’t registered for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 yet? Register here. Friday, July 25, 2:00-4:00 PM CDT Harmony in Contrast: Four Jazz Pianists Discuss Their…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: An Interview with Connor Chee

    Piano Inspires Podcast: An Interview with Connor Chee

    On Wednesday, July 23rd from 8:00-10:00pm, The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 will present the 2025 Celebration Concert featuring pianists Rochelle Sennet, Connor Chee, Alexa Stier, Carol Leone, Derek Hartman, Artina McCain, Spencer Myer, Susanna Garcia, and William Chapman Nyaho. In celebration, we are sharing this excerpt from Connor Chee’s appearance on the Piano Inspires Podcast.…


  • Piano Inspires Podcast: Rochelle Sennet

    Piano Inspires Podcast: Rochelle Sennet

    On Friday, July 25th from 2:00-4:00pm, The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 will present PEDx talks, highlighting exemplary work and projects performed by members of our community. In celebration, we are sharing this excerpt from Rochelle Sennet’s appearance on the Piano Inspires Podcast. Interested in hearing more from Sennet? Register for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025…


  • How To Travel to The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 without Breaking the Bank!

    How To Travel to The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 without Breaking the Bank!

    The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 is just around the corner! With events running from Wednesday, July 23 through Saturday, July 26, the conference will feature concerts, PEDx talks, presentations, and more. Have you registered yet? Register today for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 by clicking here. Having spent a good amount of the last 30…


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