In this issue
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
September 2013: Variations
She always wore a cherry-red coat... She always wore a cherry-red coat. At least that is what I remember she wore, whether that fact is true…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Remembering Van Cliburn
Earlier this year, the musical world lost one of the most iconic figures of the twentieth century. Van Cliburn was the first (and only) classical musician…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
The 2013 Laureates: A Cliburn Wrap-Up
The Fourteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition ended with the results many observers had predicted, with the gold medal going to a self-assured Vadym Kholodenko, 26,…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
The Drama and Desperation of the World’s Most Famous Piano Competition
Eight years ago, someone in Tel Aviv slid a letter under the hotel room door of Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky. A professor in the piano department at…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Diverse and Above Suspicion: Creative Juror Selection for the Future
It's a good thing I wasn't planning a leisurely Sunday coffee and croissant. June 9 was the last day of the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Adventures in Long Distance Piano Moving
Within a single year, I recently experienced many of the trials and tribulations that happen when attempting to move a grand piano from the East Coast…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Productive Practicing: The Hidden Part of the Iceberg
The demands of playing the piano at an advanced level are varied and complex. The list of skills pianists need to learn seems endless, and many…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
How Do Mobile Devices and Apps Inspire and Facilitate Your Teaching?
Every teacher who uses a mobile computing device has a favorite application. But rather than asking teachers about their favorite apps, I prefer to ask deeper questions:…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
September 2013: Create and Motivate
One fun and important area of teaching music that sometimes gets overlooked is creativity. While most of us would agree that improvising, composing, arranging, and playing…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Exploring the Teaching of Mary Craig Powell
It has been my privilege for many years to know Mary Craig Powell as a colleague and friend. Although Mary Craig is an internationally renowned Suzuki…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
How Do You Introduce Scales?
Richard Chronister, the founder of Keyboard Companion, made an astute remark to me one time at lunch. "It may be a scale," he mused over a Cobb…
September 2013; Vol. 5, No. 5
Interdisciplinary Inspirations: Using Visual Images to Enhance Your Teaching
Meaningful connections Successful teachers always try to make connections for students— creating and demonstrating meaningful relationships among various activities and concepts. They strive to show students…