Create to Motivate: Using Repertoire to Incorporate Creativity in Lessons – By Chee-Hwa Tan, p. 26
The ability to experiment and create with our instrument is an important part of piano study. Yet including creative activities like ear training, improvisation, transposition, musical composition, and analysis within the lesson time can create a logistical challenge for teachers. This article explores how repertoire assignments can be used to integrate experimentation and creation into piano lessons. The topic is addressed through teaching philosophy, repertoire selection, basic principles, and practical examples. This approach can be utilized during summers, several times a year, every other month, or with alternating pieces.
Gabriela Montero: From Advocacy to Artistry—An Interview with Luis Sanchez, p. 8
Born in Venezuela, Gabriela Montero has performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras and has appeared as a recitalist at internationally renowned venues. Her many awards include prizes at the Chopin Competition and the International Beethoven Award. However, her work and impact are not limited to the big stages of the world or the recording studio. A committed human rights advocate, Ms. Montero was named an Honorary Consul by Amnesty International in 2015, and the Human Rights Foundation honored her with an Outstanding Work in the Field of Human Rights award for her ongoing commitment to human rights advocacy in Venezuela. Luis Sanchez spoke with Montero about her career path, her advocacy, and her advice for aspiring musicians.
The Gilmore International Piano Festival: An Engine for Creative Activity, p. 19
The Gilmore International Piano Festival, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, influences professional pianists and amateurs alike through its promotion and development of world-class, inspiring keyboard experiences. The multi-week festival is held biennially but The Gilmore also identifies and supports Gilmore Artists and Young Artists, provides piano education programs for budding musicians of all ages in the region, and ensures that new keyboard music is commissioned and performed regularly. In celebration of the 2022 Gilmore International Piano Festival, this article explores the many facets of The Gilmore and how the work impacts the community.
The Seven Types of Rest: Strategies for Recovery – By Paola Savvidou, p. 44
This article invites readers to imagine a daily life in which we make time for rest. Rest allows us to stop “doing” and simply “be.” Through physical rest, mental breaks, sensory rest, creative rest, emotional rest, social rest, and spiritual rest, readers can explore ways to teach and create from a place of rest, rather than exhaustion.
Undefined by Hearing Loss: My Career in Music – By Cherisse W. Miller, p. 37
Being able to hear helps us feel included in conversations and shared sounds. When we lose some of our hearing, sound is diminished or even eliminated completely, compromising the way we understand the world around us. With a good attitude and determination, one can learn to live with hearing loss and even have a successful career in music. In this article, the author explores her experience with hearing loss and provides insight into ways that teachers can help those with hearing loss to engage in music making and learning.