From the International Track

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 deep learning experience. As we eagerly anticipate NCKP 2025, we asked our committee chairs to give us a sneak peek into their respective tracks of conference programming. Keep reading to see what you can expect in the International Track! Please note that the schedule of The Piano Conference: NCKP is subject to change. The most up-to-date listing can be found here.

Submitted by Dr. Luis Sanchez – Director of International Engagement – International Committee Chair.

The Piano Conference  International Committee has expanded its scope from the last two piano conferences to include tracks in Korean and Mandarin to the already existing tracks in English, Spanish and Portuguese. All sessions in foreign languages will include English closed captioning to make it accessible for all.  

The English International Track includes a series of rich and diverse sessions exploring global piano music. Renata Wu and Lisa Wang’s Echoes of East and West delves into the evolution of the Colombian pasillo through piano compositions by Fulgencio García, Adolfo Mejía, Carolina Calvache, and Victor Agudelo, highlighting the fusion of traditional, classical, jazz, and avant-garde styles while celebrating underrepresented voices. George Lopez’s session, African and European Influences on Cuban Salon Piano Music, covers the development of Cuban salon music from the 19th to 21st centuries, focusing on works by Saumell, Cervantes, and Lecuona, and offering practical teaching tips to diversify piano pedagogy. Yoshiko Arahata’s Sounds from Guatemala: Music by Ricardo Castillo showcases the vibrant rhythms and harmonies of Guatemalan composer Castillo’s piano suites, exploring their unique musical qualities. Koeun Grace Liee presents Contemporary Korea on Piano: Texu Kim’s Co.Ko. – un poco Loco (2017), a whimsical exploration of Korean traditions combined with Western styles, offering insights into Korea’s dynamic musical identity. Tsz Hin Lam’s Unveiling the Approaches of Renowned Chinese Educator Dan Zhaoyi explores Dan Zhaoyi’s influence on early childhood piano education, emphasizing cultural understanding and integrating non-Western methods. Alejandro Cremaschi’s Developing a Sense for Rhythm and Timing with Latin American Piano Pieces addresses the rhythmic complexities of Latin American piano music, providing strategies for enhancing students’ sense of rhythm. Finally, Hyrum Arnesen’s Approaching Global Repertoire: Identifying and Interpreting Argentine Folk Songs and Dances immerses participants in the rich musical world of Argentine folk genres, offering pedagogical insights for interpreting these styles in piano repertoire.

The Spanish International Track sessions cover a diverse range of topics in piano pedagogy and music. Melinda Marcos’ Afro-Porteño Composers from 19th-Century Buenos Aires explores key Afro-Porteño composers, blending historical context with their biographical details and music. Marcelo Lian’s The Pedagogical and Artistic Legacy of Vincenzo Scaramuzza focuses on Scaramuzza’s influence as a piano teacher, featuring his rarely heard mazurkas. Karina Glasinovic’s Poetic Pieces for Children examines 22 piano pieces inspired by Gabriela Mistral, presenting technical and interpretative challenges for young students. Daniel Goldstein and Elaine Rusk’s Argentine Panorama provides a historical overview of Argentine music, accompanied by a piano recital. Camila Osses’ Defining the Composer-Pianist in 20th-Century Chile highlights the work of three Chilean female composers through biographical discussions and performances. Jackeline Gutierrez’s Neurosciences, Piano and Pedagogy explores the connection between brain activity and piano performance, emphasizing neuroeducational methods. Alejandro Cremaschi’s Five Sonatinas from Argentina and Brazil discusses the stylistic and pedagogical richness of five sonatinas from Latin American composers. Maria Isabel Benitez’s Lines, Spaces and Notes addresses challenges faced by Spanish-speaking children in learning music. Anamarie Sabbagh’s Music Education Marketing emphasizes the cognitive and emotional benefits of early music education. Carla Salas-Ruiz’s Motivation and Development of Interest in Adolescent Piano Students presents strategies for sustaining motivation in adolescent piano learners. Guillermo Carro’s Ernesto Drangosch—Pianist and Pedagogue reflects on Drangosch’s legacy as a pedagogue and composer. Lastly, Jessica Alarcon’s Resignification of Functional Diversity through the Piano shares her experience teaching piano to children with intellectual disabilities, breaking the stigma surrounding their ability to learn music.

The Portuguese International Track will feature eleven presentations on various innovative approaches to piano teaching, with an emphasis on technology, pedagogy, and emotional engagement. Caroline Silva will discuss Guerra-Peixe’s Suíte Infantil No. 1 in her session Why Wait? Exploring Modern Music for Pre-Intermediate Levels. Ana Filipa Neves Ferreira’s The Relevance of Emotional Engagement and Neuroplasticity Principles in Piano Learning explores how neuroplasticity principles, such as repetition and specificity, enhance piano teaching by integrating emotional engagement. This approach fosters a holistic artistic development, strengthening technical, expressive, and emotional skills. Fabiana Bonilha’s Technologies for Transcribing and Reading Piano Works in Braille focuses on tools for transcribing piano works into Braille, improving access to piano repertoire for blind pianists. Fatima Corvisier and Ellen Miyashiro’s Polyphonic Repertoire at Elementary and Intermediate Piano Levels investigates the importance of introducing polyphonic pieces early in piano learning, using historical and modern works to facilitate understanding of this technique.

Fernando Corvisier’s The Sound Universe of Almeida Prado: Cartas Celestes XIII presents an interpretative analysis of the Brazilian composer’s work, examining compositional techniques and pedagogical aspects in contemporary piano literature. Henrique Villela’s Teaching Practice in Piano Bachelor’s Degree Courses discusses how Brazilian piano bachelor programs integrate pedagogical training to prepare students for teaching careers. Isis Natali Cardoso’s Lorenzo Fernandez: Didactic Piano Music as a Pedagogical and Artistic Tool examines Fernandez’s intermediate compositions, highlighting their technical and creative potential for piano education. Gil Peijnenburg’s From Drum to Piano: Adaptation of Congo Capixaba from Barra do Jucu for Solo Piano will share techniques for transferring percussive style to the piano. Lully Benassi and Fernando Corvisier’s Extended Techniques in Teaching Piano Repertoire explores the incorporation of contemporary Brazilian repertoire with extended techniques, encouraging students to engage with new sounds and develop their instrumental skills. Patricia Melo’s Experiential Knowledge in the Construction of Piano Teaching highlights the importance of practical pedagogical experience in undergraduate piano courses at Brazilian universities. Lastly, Rafael Gomes’ Group Piano Teaching: Expanding Harmonic Possibilities presents a group teaching approach to studying harmony through improvisation and harmonization. 

The Korean International Track includes three engaging sessions aimed at enhancing music education. The first session, titled Summer Piano Camp Program that Enhances the Joy of Learning, presented by Chee Hyeon Choi, explores creative ways to make piano learning enjoyable during the summer. It emphasizes group classes, improvisation, and thematic pieces to help students of all levels quickly grasp the essence of piano music. The second session, The Magical Fusion of Different Music: The Encounter Between Korean Geomungo and Piano Music, delves into the fusion of Korean geomungo and piano music, offering an overview of composers and available repertoire, along with live performances to demonstrate this unique blend. The final session, Understanding and Supporting Students with ADHD in Music Classes, discusses strategies for teaching students with ADHD, providing twelve practical methods across three stages—before, during, and after the lesson—to ensure effective learning in music classes.

The Mandarin International Track covers a variety of topics related to piano health, career prospects, and education. Juyang Qi’s lecture explores performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in pianists, focusing on causes, prevention, and treatment, especially for injuries to the upper limbs, neck, and back, and emphasizes the importance of ergonomic keyboards. Zhenzhen Su’s presentation discusses the role of piano performance in promoting physical and emotional health, drawing from Colette Maze’s philosophy of connecting through music and visual art to foster social interaction and well-being. Yingzhou Hu’s speech addresses the employment prospects for piano majors in American colleges and universities, providing guidance on career planning and the challenges students may face.

These 37 sessions that have been carefully curated by the committee explore not only repertoire from different corners of the world but also delve into the current research on learning and teaching that is carried out beyond the United States’ borders.  

Join us for The Piano Conference: NCKP 2025 as we gather together in person and online. The Piano Conference seeks to explore the challenges and opportunities facing our international community at this inflection point for the profession. Full conference registration includes four days of engagement, including the summit, concerts, keynotes, PEDx presentations, and more, as well as access to the online event and online event archives. Student, Single-Day, and Online-Only registration options are also available. Early-bird registration is available until May 8, 2025, at 11:59 PM Pacific. Subscribers receive an additional 10% off; log into PianoInspires.com and go to ‘My Discounts’  to find your discount code. Learn more and register for The Piano Conference by clicking here.