Essential Holiday Gifts for Piano Teachers: Top Resources

Build your holiday wish list with our inspiring collection of piano teaching resources! From expert repertoire guides and diverse repertoire collections to practical teaching tools and personal essays by leading educators, our publications make the perfect gift to enrich your studio and spark creativity all year long.

Questions and Answers: Practical Advice for Piano Teachers

By Frances Clark

For more than 26 years, piano teachers across the country turned first to Frances Clark’s beloved “Questions and Answers” column in Clavier magazine for practical, insightful, and inspiring teaching advice. Now, this treasured collection brings together some of her finest responses—wisdom that continues to guide and uplift teachers today.

In this indispensable volume, Clark addresses the real-world challenges of piano teaching with clarity and compassion. Topics include lesson planning, rhythm, theory, ear training, memorization, phrasing, group lessons, recitals, adult students, and transfer students—each explored with her signature warmth, humor, and experience.

Frances Clark’s writing has inspired generations of teachers to reflect, grow, and bring more joy and artistry into their teaching. Whether you are a beginning instructor or a seasoned pedagogue, this book will become a trusted companion in your studio.

A Piano Teacher’s Legacy

By Richard Chronister

Discover the timeless wisdom of one of piano pedagogy’s most influential voices.

A Piano Teacher’s Legacy brings together the most insightful writings, lectures, and addresses from one of the great music educators of the twentieth century. For over forty years, Richard Chronister inspired generations of piano teachers—transforming how they approached music learning, student motivation, and teacher development.

Chronister’s ideas continue to shape the field today. He founded the first university degree program in piano pedagogy, co-founded the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and created Keyboard Companion magazine to connect and inspire teachers worldwide.

In this essential volume, readers will find Chronister’s thoughtful responses to questions every piano teacher asks:

• How can I nurture a child’s natural love of music?
• How do I teach so students keep learning, practicing, and creating?
• What makes a truly independent learner?
• How can I observe my students—and myself—more effectively?

Written in a clear, conversational style, Chronister’s reflections blend practical strategies with deep insight into the art and craft of teaching. His words challenge and inspire teachers to think critically, experiment, and grow.

Whether you teach in a university setting or a private studio, this book is an indispensable resource for piano teachers, music educators, and anyone passionate about developing lifelong musicians.

The Success Factor: Making Practice Perfect

By Elvina Truman Pearce

The Success Factor: Making Practice Perfectis a definitive, inspiring, and practical guide for piano teachers seeking extraordinary results in teaching, practicing, and performing. Written by Elvina Truman Pearce and edited by Craig Sale, this volume blends encyclopedic pedagogical insight with down-to-earth strategies that teachers can immediately apply in their studios. Jam-packed with actionable teaching tips, it also highlights the reflections and wisdom of one of the most influential piano pedagogues of the last fifty years.

Elvina Truman Pearce studied piano with Isabelle Vengerova and pedagogy with Frances Clark. She was a founding faculty member of The New School for Music Study, one of the founders of The Frances Clark Center, Editor-in-Chief of Keyboard Companion magazine from 2000–2006, and has been actively involved with NCKP since its inception. As pianist, pedagogue, composer, and clinician, she is internationally recognized for her rare combination of excellence, creativity, and practicality.