In this issue
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: Life in Music: Education is the greatest engine of personal development
A year ago, we faced the decision to move NCKP 2021 to virtual from our traditional in-person event. At the time, it seemed like a radical…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: Questions and Answers
Q: I've enjoyed your Frances Clark Center webinars on preparation activities. I am unsure of what activities I should do with and without the keyboard and would…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Rocherolle’s New Orleans Sketches: Teaching Tips for “Masquerade!”
Eugénie Rocherolle has written numerous compositions inspired by the music and culture of her hometown of New Orleans. Many of these appealing pieces offer students opportunities…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: First Looks: Book Reviews: Where Are All the Black Female Composers? and Why is My Piano Black and White? by Nathan Holder
Review by Vanessa Cornett When I first held these books in my hands and leafed through their cheerful pages, the same thoughts kept running through my mind. This is…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
How’s the Connection : Relational Lessons Online and In the Studio
These are words I have spoken countless times over the last ten months as I have adapted to the realm of online piano teaching. Some days…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
NCKP 2021: Preconference Sneak Peek
The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy invites you to attend thirteen stimulating days of preconference sessions that are guaranteed to reenergize your teaching! The conference is…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
I Wish I Could Answer That
Playing the piano can mean searching out middle ground, and that ground may be similarly ill-defined, well-nigh slippery, or even mired in paradox. Let's start with…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: First Looks: New Music & Materials
GRADE LEVELS Level 1: Beginning, five-finger patterns & simple rhythms Level 2: Easy, scales & simple syncopation Level 3: Intermediate, beginning counterpoint & complex rhythms, Bach Notebooks,…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Teaching the Tough Ones: Why It’s Worth It
When I was a kid, I wasn't the best student in the class. I certainly wasn't the smartest, and I was terrible at tests—which made school…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity: Piano Lessons In the VUCA Era
2020 was clearly unprecedented. We faced enormous challenges including COVID-19, a tense social justice climate, and record- breaking environmental disasters, just to name a few. Politically, Americans…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: First Looks: Recordings
E PLURIBUS UNUMLiza Stepanova, PianoNavona NV6300[Total Time: 55:23]navonarecords.com E Pluribus Unum is an extraordinary compendium of works by nine American composers with immigrant backgrounds, including five women. Perhaps…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
A Pianist’s Reflections from Germany
The first coronavirus lockdown in Germany came relatively early. By the last week of March, everything nonessential was basically shut down, including restaurants, bars, and schools.…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: Pupil Saver: Adagio in F Minor by Chevalier de Saint-Georges
Can you imagine performing a piece by a Black composer who was born into slavery? What a piece of history you would have at your fingertips! Chevalier…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Professional Associations: Your Indispensable Resource for Musicians’ Health Information
As an eager college student majoring in piano, I felt it was a badge of honor to practice eight hours a day on the weekends. I…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: Keyboard Kids
To print or save, use the PDF below. Hover your cursor over the document and a black bar should appear with print and download icons. Spring21_KeyBoardKidsDownload
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
In Memoriam: Nelita True
The world lost a legendary musician, pedagogue, and colleague with the passing of Dr. Nelita True Laires on January 17, 2021. In a 2010 Clavier Companion…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Celebrating 70 Years of Composing: An Interview with American Icon Eugénie Rocherolle
Rocherolle's impressive musical output over her long career is both broad and substantial. She has composed a total of 678 individual pieces and 108 collections for…
Spring 2021; Vol. 13, No. 1
Spring 2021: Editor’s Letter: Embracing the Positive as We Emerge from our Pandemic Cocoons
After the long, dark winter, springtime represents a time for rebirth and renewal. Yet, as we head into the second year of our new "pandemic" normal,…