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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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Have at It, Kid! | Honoring Ed Turley
We 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 Center via this form. Together, we…
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This Week in Piano History: Birth of Jorge Bolet | November 15, 1914
This week, we celebrate the birth of Jorge Bolet, born on November 15, 1914 in Havana, Cuba. Bolet was a Cuban-American pianist whose impressive technical and expressive powers made him a champion of the music of Franz Liszt. Bolet began his studies with his sister Maria. From a very early age, Bolet was captivated by…
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Thoughts on Healthy Musicianship: Special Guest Q&A with Carla Salas-Ruiz
This week we invited our followers to submit questions for Carla Salas-Ruiz about healthy musicianship. Today, Carla is answering those questions in advance of our facilitated discussion event next week (Thursday, November 17 at 11am ET) that will focus on Carla’s article in the Autumn 2022 issue of Piano Magazine, My Journey to Healthy Musicianship:…
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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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What to Expect at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025
From the Performance Practice, Teaching Adults, and Business & Entrepreneurship Committee Chairs The committees of The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 contribute to the program of the conference by curating topic-based tracks from the call for proposals. These unique scheduling blocks allow attendees to explore a series of presentations that have been thematically grouped for a…
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This Month in Piano History – March 2025
THIS MONTH IN PIANO HISTORY we celebrate Black women in jazz, Piano Day, a giant in the music education field, and the birthday of Maurice Ravel. Read more below to learn more about the many historic musical anniversaries in March, a wonderful reminder of the great variety within the world of piano. March 1 –…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Leila Viss
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Leila Viss, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Andrea McAlister. Want to learn more about Viss? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Viss on Apple Podcasts,…
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What to Expect at The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025
From the Creative Music Making, Independent Studio Teachers, and Young Musicians Committee Chairs The committees of The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 contribute to the program of the conference by curating topic-based tracks from the call for proposals. These unique scheduling blocks allow attendees to explore a series of presentations that have been thematically grouped for…
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The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 Schedule Announcement
We are pleased to announce the schedule of The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025! Returning to the Westin Chicago Lombard Hotel (Lombard, IL), The Piano Conference features a new, innovative in-person summit. This opening one-day summit engages the full community and provides a gathering for all to collectively share, dialogue, and exchange ideas. The Piano Conference…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Gail Berenson
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Gail Berenson, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Alejandro Cremaschi. Want to learn more about Berenson? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Berenson on Apple Podcasts,…
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Breaking Stereotypes: Indigenous Composers Defining New Musical Frontiers
We would like to thank Connor Chee for this insightful article on Indigenous composers. To read the full article, click here. The Frances Clark Center is excited to share our latest publication: Weaving Sounds: Elementary Piano Pieces by Native and Indigenous Composers, compiled and edited by Connor Chee and Renata Yazzie. Learn more and get…
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Piano Inspires Podcast: Courtney Crappell
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Courtney Crappell, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Jennifer Snow. Want to learn more about Crappell? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Crappell on Apple Podcasts,…
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This Month in Piano History – February 2025
February is a month of reflection and celebration as we observe Black History Month and Valentine’s Day. It is also a time of remembrance and commemoration as we recall many important composers and pianists. Read below to discover more about a famous pianist and showman, the lives of two different composers, and a celebrated American…
