We would like to thank Sara Ernst for this tribute to her mentor, Marvin Blickenstaff. On January 30, 2024 we are hosting a virtual Publications Party to celebrate Marvin Blickenstaff’s new book, Inspired Piano Teaching. Click here to register for this free event! If you are interested in learning more about Marvin’s book, you can read more here.
Marvin Blickenstaff, Sara Ernst and family, celebrating the end of her time at the New School for Music Study, 2013.
Marvin Blickenstaff is amazing in so many ways, as pianist, pedagogue, mentor, colleague and friend. I have had the pleasure of knowing him in all of these capacities, and my life has truly been transformed because of this. Among the many attributes Marvin possesses, I wish to celebrate in this tribute is his role as cheerleader extraordinaire. Whether for his students, colleagues, or friends, Marvin will be the first to congratulate the successes of those around him. I have heard his boisterous cheering and applause from the audience, I have heard his heartfelt speeches congratulating others in our profession, and I have received his personal emails commending my professional accomplishments. His genuine love and support of those around him is unparalleled and contributes immensely to our community. Being a musician, pianist, and educator can be difficult (while being tremendously rewarding), and we all need those in our professional lives who reflect to us our own impact and worth. He has provided a tremendous model to me of what that means and how important this is—this is one of the most significant ways we ensure the future of our profession. I encourage us all to follow his example, to project this enthusiasm for piano and teaching into the world, to support our students and colleagues, and to delight in the successes of all those around us.
In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page.
We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.
Attention budding composers! Piano Inspires Kids invites students to submit a piano solo for our first composition contest! Winning compositions will be featured in the Summer 2024 issue and on our website, kids.pianoinspires.com. Read below for all the details!
1. The composition must be a fanfare.
A fanfare is a short and usually brilliant piece used to announce the arrival of an important person or the beginning of an important event. Movies and TV shows often begin with a title theme, the national anthem signals the start of sporting events, and celebratory sounds fill the air as a newly wedded couple turns to walk down the aisle together.
The Summer 2024 issue will explore music and the Summer Olympic Games. Write a fanfare that could be used as the athletes walk into the stadium!
2. Need ideas? Get started with our downloadable Rhythm Creator!
3. The contest is open to students aged 7-18, divided into four age groups: 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18.
There is no limit to the number of compositions a student can submit. The student composer may receive assistance notating their work, but we want the ideas to be all student generated!
4. Give your composition a title, dynamics, articulations, and other musical markings.
Show us all of your creative and expressive ideas so others can play your work with style!
5. The contest deadline is March 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific.
Want to learn more about Piano Inspires Kids? Watch our webinar, “Inside Piano Inspires Kids: A New Publication of the Frances Clark Center” with Co-Editors-in-Chief Sara Ernst and Andrea McAlister: click here.
Calling all collegiate students! Looking for more information about how The Frances Clark Center can help you as you navigate the early stages of your career? Look no further. In this article, we will share information and resources including employment and postgraduate opportunities, opportunities for students, discounts on purchases, and other ways to get involved. To learn more, click here.
Employment and Postgraduate Opportunities
Student Internships
The Frances Clark Center invites applications for the 2024 internship program. Internships are open to current students or recent graduates and offer a range of administrative opportunities in areas such as conferences, programming, publishing, community outreach, event support, communications, production, design, and social media. The internship program is a paid part-time opportunity. We are currently accepting applications with a deadline of Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Continuing Education at The New School for Music Study
The Frances Clark Center offers a range of teacher education initiatives at The New School for Music Study in Princeton, NJ. These programs build on the educational philosophy and legacy of renowned founders Frances Clark and Louise Goss, and have produced internationally recognized teachers and performers.
The Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy is pleased to launch the Journal of Piano Research, a new peer-reviewed research journal and high-quality source of research articles dedicated to piano teaching, learning, and performance. The journal is an international, peer-reviewed publication promoting the exploration, discussion, and dissemination of high-level research that will advance professional practice and scholarship.
The Journal of Piano Research invites submissions of scholarly manuscripts based upon completed empirical research conducted through a variety of scientific methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, ethnographic, historical, and philosophical methods.
Piano Magazineis proud to showcase the talents of tomorrow’s teachers through an annual collegiate writing contest. Students are encouraged to write a 1,500 word article relating to the field of piano pedagogy. A panel of professionals will evaluate submissions based on content, clarity, originality, value to the profession, and writing style.
Grand prize: publication in a forthcoming issue of Piano Magazine
Secondary prizes: publication on the PianoInspires website
Submission deadline: Monday, May 1, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT.
Group subscriptions to PianoInspires.com are perfect for piano pedagogy classes, university membership chapters, or applied piano studios. Subscriptions include Piano Magazine quarterly issues and all digital resources on PianoInspires.com, including our comprehensive search feature. Subscriptions also include discounts on individual online courses and Jane Magrath’s Piano Literature for Teaching and Performance.
We invite students to interact with our engaging, educational content on social media. Our socials are a place for discussing relevant topics in pedagogy, engaging with teaching video content, diving deeper on composers and pieces, connecting with other curious pianists, and enjoying freebies and discounts throughout the year. Our socials are a great way to encourage students to interact with their craft on a daily basis through channels they are adept at navigating.
We would like to thank Ali Snow for this insightful article on managing performance anxietyand motivation. Want to learn more about motivation? Join us on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 11am ET for “Determinants of Motivation in World-Class Musicians and Olympic Athletes: Exploring the Front and the Back Side of the Medallion,” a webinar that highlights connections between sports and music research. Learn more and register by clicking here.
Mastering the inner game: Three “mind coaches” on managing performance anxiety
“Don’t be nervous! You’ll do fine!” “Take a few deep breaths and it’ll all be OK.” “Here, eat this banana. It’ll help your nerves.” “Just picture the audience in their underwear!” “You should put yourself in a lot of pressure-filled situations and soon you’ll just get used to it.”
Sound familiar? These are just a few of the most common answers musicians hear when asking how to overcome performance anxiety. Although well intentioned, each statement is either false folklore or a fad that has gone in and out of style. So why are students seeking advice in the first place? Perhaps it is because one of the biggest challenges many music teachers face is how to adequately prepare their students for the mental side of performance. In his classic book The Inner Game of Tennis, author W. Timothy Gallwey wrote, “Every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game.”1 If this is true, then how can teachers effectively teach the inner game, a game that often seems so abstract? This question will be explored through tips from three leading minds in this arena: performance coaches Jon Skidmore and Kjell Fajèus, and sports psychologist Richard Gordin.
Figure 1: Brain diagram. Illustration by jonskidmore.com
Physiological responses and the brain
According to Jon Skidmore, a performance coach and adjunct professor at Brigham Young University, the first major obstacle in approaching the inner game is rooted in the very definition of a “performance.” Rather than labeling it as an event, a performance should be shifted into the context of a process. “If you’re a professional and you’re throwing a gig, that’s an event. There are certain expectations,” says Skidmore. “But if you’re a student learning, you’ve got to look at this as an experience—whether it’s a performance or recital or audition. [This is] part of the process of becoming the musician you want to be.”
Consider how an event is processed in the mind: A portion of the brain called the midbrain constantly scans every experience for danger. It functions as a survival center (see Figure 1). “Once something has been programmed into the midbrain, there’s an automatic response,” says Skidmore. “It is often referred to as the ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ response. Now that works great for a rattlesnake, but it can be devastating in an audition.”
What Skidmore suggests is to shift the focus out of the midbrain and into another area, the prefrontal cortex (see Figure 2). This highly-developed part of the brain assigns meaning and allows for reasoning. By making this change, students can be in control by designing their mindset, rather than reacting by default.
Figure 2: Prefrontal cortex. Illustration by Wikimedia Commons
We hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Ali Snow’s article “Perspectives: Managing performance anxiety.” You can read more by clicking here.
El movimiento, para los niños, es necesario para el aprendizaje. Los cuerpos jóvenes son receptores sensoriales afinados que recopilan información, son curiosos y ansiosos por explorar el mundo que los rodea.1 El niño pequeño se encuentra en un período de sensibilidad para adquirir conciencia kinestésica y sensorial, junto con conciencia de sus propios pensamientos y emociones, que a veces pueden ser abrumadores. El aprendizaje a través del movimiento permite a los niños participar en experiencias alegres e intuitivas que conducen a hábitos de escucha productivos. Este compromiso lúdico mantiene a los estudiantes atentos a sus cuerpos y al mismo tiempo permite que conceptos abstractos como la notación rítmica surjan de experiencias naturales.
El placer de moverse y responder a la música es innato, como se observa en los bebés que bailan moviendo el cuerpo al ritmo de la música incluso antes de poder caminar. Existen fuertes conexiones bidireccionales en el cerebro humano entre nuestro córtex auditivo y el centro de control motor.2 El impulso rítmico es la fuerza motriz de toda la música, y los estudiantes que no desarrollan un fuerte sentido del pulso en las primeras etapas de sus estudios musicales pueden carecer más tarde del fraseo melódico, fluidez e impulso; en resumen, no sonarán musicales.
Sin embargo, para muchos profesores, la forma en que trabajamos con el ritmo es más matemática que musical; los alumnos pueden aprender a “contar”, pero no a sentir realmente el impulso rítmico en sus cuerpos. El énfasis no debe ponerse sólo en la lectura rítmica, sino también en escuchar y responder a patrones rítmicos. Aunque cualquier concepto musical puede experimentarse como un movimiento de todo el cuerpo, es ideal para la interiorización del pulso y la experiencia de contrastar tempi, métricas y patrones rítmicos.
El movimiento no es sólo una forma de “descansar” del aprendizaje, sino que es crucial para el desarrollo del cerebro del niño pequeño.
Los Beneficios del Movimiento Consciente
Cuando la práctica rítmica se combina con un movimiento lento e integrado, y especialmente cuando se utiliza en correlación con la respiración, los beneficios se magnifican. El impacto positivo del movimiento consciente en las habilidades cognitivas, físicas y emocionales ha sido bien documentado en la investigación, con beneficios físicos que incluyen la mejora de la coordinación, la conciencia corporal y la estabilidad postural.
El movimiento consciente también potencia la concentración y la atención, aumenta la memoria y mejora el conjunto de habilidades mentales denominadas “habilidades de la función ejecutiva”, que incluyen la capacidad de planificar, organizar y mantenerse centrado en las tareas mientras se resisten a las distracciones. Aumenta la mielinización entre los dos hemisferios cerebrales, lo que permite un procesamiento integrador en todo el cerebro, y alivia el estrés, lo que se traduce en una mejor escucha, comprensión y retención de conceptos.3
Incluso hay beneficios musicales. El movimiento consciente aumenta el procesamiento auditivo y la capacidad de respuesta, y contribuye al desarrollo del sistema vestibular u oído interno, que interviene no sólo en el equilibrio y la orientación espacial, sino también en el procesamiento del lenguaje y la discriminación de sonidos. Con estas ventajas, el movimiento consciente es especialmente beneficioso para los niños con necesidades especiales, como los que padecen TDAH, trastornos de procesamiento sensorial, ansiedad y autismo.4
Progresión del Desarrollo
En un proceso conocido como “progresión del desarrollo”, los niños utilizan primero los músculos más grandes de su cuerpo, como los brazos y las piernas, antes de desarrollar la fuerza y la destreza de las manos. En las clases de música, la motricidad fina se desarrolla tras una base de movimiento grueso de todo el cuerpo, que puede integrarse con conceptos musicales que mejoran la discriminación auditiva. Los alumnos pueden aprender a interiorizar el pulso mediante movimientos como caminar, balancearse, rebotar, saltar, correr, dar patadas, dar golpecitos con los pies y balancear los brazos al ritmo de una pieza musical.
Escuchar y responder a patrones rítmicos a través del movimiento conduce a la capacidad de traducir los símbolos de la página en ritmos auditivos, es decir, ritmos que son escuchados en la mente. La audación interna de los ritmos nos ayuda a crear música con un fuerte sentido del pulso y la fluidez; un alumno que practica la fijación del tempo “contando” un compás que oye en su mente está audiando. La práctica temprana de la dirección aumenta la audición; los alumnos que dirigen tanto en triple como en doble métrica aprenderán por contraste la “sensación” de estos diferentes patrones métricos. Los alumnos pueden utilizar la motricidad gruesa para dirigir utilizando todo el cuerpo mediante una combinación de movimientos en función de la métrica, que pueden incluir el movimiento de los brazos desde el lateral del cuerpo, a lo ancho a los lados, a la posición de oración y por encima de la cabeza (véase en la figura 1 un ejemplo de movimiento en métrica ternaria).
Desarrollar la Fluidez Rítmica
Los alumnos suelen aprender el concepto de pulso, que puede compararse con los latidos del corazón, antes que el concepto de duración, a menudo empezando con negras y pasando después a blancas. Pero el énfasis en el propio pulso, normalmente a través de las palmas, no incorpora el movimiento hacia o desde el pulso, que es lo que marca la diferencia entre una interpretación metronómica y una rítmica y musical. Como un niño saltando a la cuerda, el pulso sería la cuerda golpeando el suelo, pero el movimiento hacia y desde este pulso se produce en un movimiento circular. La sensación de avanzar hacia el siguiente tiempo fuerte da energía a muchas piezas, como en la música de J.S. Bach.
Un concepto fundamental de la eurítmica Dalcroze es que la fluidez musical se produce al sentir tres partes del compás: anacrusa (preparación), crusa (el compás) y metacrusa (seguimiento). Dalcroze también decía que los tiempos tienen tres cualidades: tiempo, espacio y energía.5 El movimiento es una forma ideal de sentir el espacio entre pulsos porque los alumnos pueden experimentar cómo sus cuerpos deben prepararse, rápida o lentamente, para cada pulso. Como sustituto de las palmas, un “flujo de brazos” ilustra el ciclo de un tiempo dentro de un patrón métrico: los alumnos pueden empezar con los brazos a los lados del cuerpo y levantarlos gradualmente por encima de la cabeza y luego hasta la posición de oración en el centro del corazón durante un compás completo (Vídeo 1; visite pianoinspires.com para ver los vídeos asociados a este artículo).
Equilibrar el peso de todo el cuerpo moviéndose en el espacio y transferir el peso de un lado del cuerpo al otro mientras se camina también enseña a los alumnos sobre el flujo de energía. Los alumnos pueden moverse al ritmo de una actuación improvisada del profesor a tempi rápidos, medios y lentos para experimentar cómo la misma cantidad de energía puede utilizarse para pasos más rápidos o para pasos más largos y lentos. Para añadir variedad con el movimiento integrado, los alumnos pueden utilizar de forma similar un “Guerrero Andante”; con los brazos por encima de la cabeza, pondrían un pie delante del otro con la rodilla doblada en la postura de yoga “Guerrero I” para caminar por la sala mientras escuchan la ejecución de un alumno o de un profesor (Vídeo 2; Figura 2).
Los alumnos que se lanzan directamente a leer nuevas piezas en el teclado sin haber oído y cantado la música antes, es más probable que toquen sin musicalidad, con el mismo énfasis en cada pulso en un ritmo correcto pero metronómico, sin un sentido de dirección hacia adelante. En su lugar, los profesores pueden utilizar las tres etapas de preparar, presentar y reforzar para garantizar que los alumnos tengan un modelo auditivo sólido de cómo debe sonar la pieza, quizás incluso antes de verla en la página. Cuando se les presentan piezas nuevas, los alumnos pueden moverse mientras escuchan la demostración del profesor; en la etapa de refuerzo, pueden moverse mientras escuchan la interpretación de un compañero. Cantar una letra bien escrita mientras se mueven ayuda a reforzar aún más la forma y la fluidez de cada frase.
Alineando la Respiración y el Cuerpo
Los cantantes y los instrumentistas de viento y metal utilizan la respiración como un componente natural e intuitivo de las decisiones de fraseo y forma. Lastimosamente, los pianistas podemos hacer música sin tener en cuenta la respiración en absoluto, lo que significa que a menudo perdemos esta oportunidad de sentir la forma de la frase y la estructura rítmica en nuestro cuerpo desde el principio. Toda respiración puede practicarse en correlación con el movimiento consciente y la práctica rítmica; en el flujo de brazos mencionado anteriormente, por ejemplo, en lugar de cantar, los estudiantes pueden inhalar mientras levantan los brazos en dos negras, y exhalar mientras bajan los brazos en una blanca. Cuando respiramos con atención mientras nos movemos, aprendemos a prestar atención a la respiración, lo que nos permite controlarla mejor en situaciones de actuación en las que los niveles de estrés son elevados.
En relación con el movimiento, los alumnos deben normalmente inhalar para elevar y expandir el cuerpo (como al ponerse de pie o extenderse hacia atrás), y exhalar para bajar, cerrar o mantener la extensión axial. Se pueden utilizar específicamente diferentes tipos de respiración para aumentar o disminuir la energía. Las técnicas que provocan la respuesta parasimpática son apropiadas cuando el nivel de energía de la clase es demasiado alto o cuando los alumnos parecen ansiosos o frustrados. Con la “respiración en globo”, los alumnos pueden imaginar que inflan un globo en el vientre en cada inhalación para conseguir una respiración diafragmática y calmada, quizás mientras se dan golpecitos rítmicos en el vientre. La “respiración de conejito”, por otro lado, aumenta la energía; consiste en inhalar tres veces y, a continuación, exhalar de forma constante por la nariz contando hasta tres (Figura 3). Los alumnos pueden practicar esta respiración mientras dirigen o hacen patrones de golpes en una métrica ternaria.
Movimiento Transversal
Los terapeutas ocupacionales se refieren a la actividad de mover una parte del cuerpo hacia el otro lado del cuerpo como movimiento “transversal” o “cruzando la línea media”. La “línea media” es una línea vertical imaginaria que separa las mitades izquierda y derecha del cuerpo. Los niños que tienen dificultades para cruzar esta línea suelen tener dificultades para leer, escribir y sincronizar las habilidades motoras finas y gruesas. El movimiento transversal refuerza las vías de las células nerviosas que unen ambos lados del cerebro a través del corpus callosum.6 Estos ejercicios, que pueden utilizarse como “pausas cerebrales” a mitad de una lección, son especialmente beneficiosos para la integración cerebral y ayudan a desarrollar la coordinación y la concentración.
Los movimientos físicos solidifican la nueva información en las redes nerviosas.
Los alumnos pueden fluir a través de posturas laterales-cruzadas en una respuesta rítmica a una pieza musical dirigiendo, bailando con pañuelos con un movimiento haciendo la figura del 8, o aplaudiendo con compañeros las canciones como “Hot Cross Buns” o “Pat-a-Cake”. Los alumnos pueden moverse al ritmo de una pieza estando de pie o sentados en “postura del aspersor” (Figura 4) y girando de un lado a otro con las manos sobre los hombros. En la “marcha de la cigüeña” (Figura 5), los alumnos golpean con una mano a la vez la rodilla contraria mientras marchan al compás. En lugar de caminar, los alumnos también pueden practicar la “natación”, en la que dan un paso adelante con un pie y “nadan” con el brazo contrario hacia delante al mismo tiempo. Para facilitar el aprendizaje, los alumnos pueden colocar una calcomanía del mismo color en la mano y el pie opuesto. También pueden utilizarse canciones populares conocidas para vincular el movimiento con el canto; por ejemplo, los alumnos podrían colocarse en “pose de estrella” (Figura 6) con las piernas muy separadas y llevar una mano a la vez hacia la tierra en un giro mientras cantan “Estrellita”.
Estabilidad Postural
Algunas habilidades fundamentales que deben estar presentes para el desarrollo de la motricidad fina son la fuerza y la estabilidad del hombro, el codo y la muñeca. En los músicos, la estabilidad del tronco permite una postura más equilibrada, mayor libertad y amplitud de movimiento en las extremidades, más potencia para el control del sonido y menor riesgo de lesiones. Para reforzar la estabilidad postural mientras cantan una conocida canción popular, los alumnos pueden sentarse en la “postura del barco” (figura 7) con los dedos de los pies apoyados en el suelo para mayor estabilidad, y mover los brazos entrelazados de un lado a otro mientras cantan “Merrily We Roll Along” (vídeo 3). La “postura de la rana” (figura 8), una sentadilla baja, también desarrolla la fuerza del tronco y la estabilidad postural.6 Los alumnos pueden practicar el salto de una posición en cuclillas a una posición de pie; este movimiento podría, por ejemplo, utilizarse para ayudar a los alumnos a sentir los “pulsos grandes” (o macro pasos) en el compás de 6/4 (vídeo 4).
El movimiento no es sólo una forma de “descansar” del aprendizaje, sino que es crucial para el desarrollo del cerebro del niño pequeño. Los movimientos físicos solidifican la nueva información en las redes nerviosas. Si aprovechamos la inclinación natural de nuestros alumnos jóvenes a moverse y responder con curiosidad a la música que escuchan, podemos ayudarles a interiorizar su comprensión del pulso, el gesto rítmico y el flujo musical desde el principio de su estudio de la música. Los beneficios a largo plazo de este enfoque incluyen un mayor disfrute del estudio de la música, así como la capacidad de tocar con facilidad, fluidez y musicalidad.
Si aprovechamos la inclinación natural de nuestros alumnos jóvenes a moverse y responder con curiosidad a la música que escuchan, podemos ayudarles a interiorizar su comprensión del pulso, el gesto rítmico y el flujo musical desde el inicio de su estudio de la música.
NOTES
1 Carla Hannaford, Smart Moves: Why Learning is Not All in Your Head, 2nd ed. (Salt Lake City, UT: Great River Books, 2005), 92.
2 Adriana Barton, Wired for Music: A Search for Health and Joy through the Science of Sound (Berkeley, CA: Greystone Books, 2022), 36.
3 Lesley McAllister, Yoga in the Music Studio (New York: Oxford, 2020).
4 Lisa Flynn, Yoga for Children: 200+ Yoga Poses, Breathing Exercises, and Meditations for Healthier, Happier, More Resilient Children (Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2013), 56.
5 Julia Schnebly-Black and Stephen F. Moore, Rhythm: One on One (Van Nuys, CA: Alfred, 2004).
6 Flynn, Yoga for Children, 32.
7 Dee Hansen and Elaine Bernstorf, “Linking Music Learning to Reading Instruction,” Music Educators Journal 88, no. 5 (March 2002): 21–27.
8 Danielle Bersma and Marjoke Visscher, Yoga Games for Children: Fun and Fitness with Postures, Movements and Breath (Alameda, CA: Hunter House Publications, 2003).
LESLEY MCALLISTER, DMA, NCTM, is Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Director of Keyboard Studies at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. An active writer and clinician, she has published two books on musician wellness: The Balanced Musician and Yoga in the Music Studio.
LESLEY MCALLISTER, DMA, NCTM, es catedrática de Pedagogía del Piano y Directora de Estudios de Teclado en la Universidad Baylor de Waco, Texas. Escritora y conferencista activa, ha publicado dos libros sobre el bienestar de los músicos: The Balanced Musician y Yoga in the Music Studio.
We would like to thank Dominick Cristofori D’Alessandro for this insightful article on collegiate group pianoand motivation. Want to learn more about motivation? Join us on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 11am ET for “Determinants of Motivation in World-Class Musicians and Olympic Athletes: Exploring the Front and the Back Side of the Medallion,” a webinar that highlights connections between sports and music research. Learn more and register by clicking here.
Four months ago, if someone had asked me to explain the difference between giving a piano recital and teaching a group piano class, I would have replied with a lengthy answer detailing the unpredictability of live performance versus the necessity of lesson planning. If asked that same question today, my response would be, “The amount of time you spend standing up!”
Throughout the spring 2023 semester, I held a supervised teaching role in two group piano classes at Temple University. My students were undergraduate music majors in their fourth, and final, semester of the secondary group piano curriculum. Initially, my teaching duties included a weekly sight-reading exercise, but my responsibilities gradually increased, and I began teaching the classes in their entirety by midterm. Despite having completed ten piano pedagogy courses throughout my undergraduate and graduate education, no amount of theoretical study could fully prepare me for the experience of teaching my first group piano class. Standing before a dozen students, I quickly realized that teaching is a performance.
Classroom dynamics is arguably the most complex aspect of group piano teaching. It represents all the intricate social interactions in teaching that cannot truly be learned from a textbook. Hypothetical discussions may allow pedagogy students to plan for classroom dynamics, but actual teaching is the only true way for new teachers to experience the phenomenon. Three key components of classroom dynamics that I have noticed throughout my student teaching are real-time feedback from students, the physical environment of the classroom, and the social environment of the classroom.
Real-Time Feedback from Students
During class, group piano students provide teachers a great deal of real-time feedback, which is often communicated silently through body language and facial expressions. Teachers must learn to use this valuable information to improve their lesson plans. For example, perhaps the way you initially present a new concept is met with confused looks from most of the class. First, try to explain it again but in a clearer and more deliberate manner. Successful teachers should always be ready to convey the same lesson in different ways to accommodate various learning styles. For students of different musical backgrounds, simply translating between pitch names, solfège syllables, scale degrees, or intervals can make all the difference. Second, take a moment to pause and give students time to digest and consider the information. It may be helpful to silently count for a few seconds; sense of time is significantly sped up while teaching. Third, ask the class if there are any questions. Some students tend to be reluctant to ask questions. Occasionally encouraging quiet class members to share may convince them to raise their hand. Finally, consider including an activity students particularly enjoy. Even with a busy lesson plan, spending a few extra minutes on a fun activity can greatly increase class morale. It allows students to have a gratifying experience in a course that may be challenging or viewed only as a requirement outside of their major area of study. This activity can be as simple as an online tool that randomly selects keys for a technique review. As long as it works on a skill and students find it enjoyable, it may be worth devoting extra time to it.
We hope you enjoyed this excerpt from Dominick Cristofori D’Alessandro’s article “The Unrecognized Performing Art of Group Piano Teaching.” You can read more by clicking here.
We would like to thank Sara Ernst for this tribute to her mentor, Marvin Blickenstaff. Since 1999, Marvin Blickenstaff has been a beloved faculty member of the New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ. In honor of the 25th year of his work for NSMS, we recognize the tremendous impact he has had on so many in our profession. Are you interested in teaching at the New School for Music Study? Learn more and apply to our Postgraduate Teaching Program by clicking here.
Marvin Blickenstaff, Sara Ernst and family, celebrating the end of her time at the New School for Music Study, 2013.
Marvin Blickenstaff is amazing in so many ways, as pianist, pedagogue, mentor, colleague and friend. I have had the pleasure of knowing him in all of these capacities, and my life has truly been transformed because of this. Among the many attributes Marvin possesses, I wish to celebrate in this tribute is his role as cheerleader extraordinaire. Whether for his students, colleagues, or friends, Marvin will be the first to congratulate the successes of those around him. I have heard his boisterous cheering and applause from the audience, I have heard his heartfelt speeches congratulating others in our profession, and I have received his personal emails commending my professional accomplishments. His genuine love and support of those around him is unparalleled and contributes immensely to our community. Being a musician, pianist, and educator can be difficult (while being tremendously rewarding), and we all need those in our professional lives who reflect to us our own impact and worth. He has provided a tremendous model to me of what that means and how important this is—this is one of the most significant ways we ensure the future of our profession. I encourage us all to follow his example, to project this enthusiasm for piano and teaching into the world, to support our students and colleagues, and to delight in the successes of all those around us.
In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page.
We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.
We would like to thank Karen Zorn for this tribute to her teacher, Marvin Blickenstaff. On January 30, 2024 we are hosting a virtual Publications Party to celebrate Marvin Blickenstaff’s new book, Inspired Piano Teaching. Click here to register for this free event! If you are interested in learning more about Marvin’s book, you can read more here.
Karen Zorn and Marvin Blickenstaff
It’s such an honor to write about my teacher and friend, Marvin Blickenstaff. I could tell a million stories about Marvin’s brilliance as a teacher and how much better a musician and teacher I am because of his teaching. But I suspect that many of you already know that side of Marvin and have stories of your own. So, I’d like to share a few stories that reveal what an amazing human being Marvin is and how my life is immeasurably better for knowing him.
It seems to me that this is how Marvin lives his life. Meet people where they are. I felt this acceptance from him right from our beginning days together as teacher and student.
There’s a phrase that is probably overused these days, but I like it—meet people where they are. It says so much and I think it is so needed in Music Education. With this one simple phrase—meet people where they are—we can leave behind our limiting thoughts about students: “not well-prepared enough,” “not talented enough,” “not good enough.”
I talk about this quite often in my current work, and I believe I learned this philosophy from Marvin. It seems to me that this is how Marvin lives his life. Meet people where they are. I felt this acceptance from him right from our beginning days together as teacher and student.
Marvin was never the distant teacher. Rather, he was in touch all the time. He had the most uncanny ability to sense when you needed help. Marvin used to knock on my practice room door, sometimes just to say hello and see how I was doing. Other times he’d say something like “Uh…just curious if you EVER practice slowly.”
The truth is, back in the day, I almost never practiced slowly, and Marvin knew it. I wasn’t alone. We all practiced fast. A lot. Except when we sensed that Marvin was nearby. And we were ALWAYS aware when Marvin was around. We felt it. Marvin’s aura would drift down the practice room hallway, much like when you spot a state trooper up ahead on the highway. One by one we slowed down to “tempo di studio.” Marvin’s presence was like a human radar gun. Metronomes came out of the closet and fingerings suddenly got sorted.
We all thought Marvin was amazing. The cool professor—you know, “with it.” Except in one way—his typewriter. A Royal Manual Deluxe with an industrial metal case and pica type—the kind that you had to hit with a hammer to get the keys to go down. The kind where if you missed a keystroke, your finger would get trapped in a subterranean encampment of thrashing metal. And while we kind of poked fun of Marvin’s typewriter, we secretly loved it. Before and after lessons Marvin could be heard, pecking away, writing letters—thank you notes to presenters who had hosted him, words of welcome to prospective students, congratulations to colleagues for their accomplishments. If any of you knew Marvin back then, you probably received a note written on the old Royal Manual.
Marvin Blickenstaff
Of course, he also used it to write to his students. He actually wrote us letters on a regular basis. They were usually words of encouragement: where he’d noticed big improvements in our playing, words of “well done” after a performance, or things he’d been thinking about as possible next steps for us. It meant so much to all of us to see the envelope in our mailbox with the initials “MB” scrawled in the upper left. It was such a gift.
So, here’s the thing: Marvin is never just someone’s piano teacher. It is never just about piano lessons. With Marvin, you get it all—the entire suite of attention, care, and love. He’s the Deluxe Edition piano teacher. When you study with him you get “the works.” He’s the all-inclusive, elite-level cruise, room with a view. The automatic upgrade. The executive platinum status. The super-size me, combo-platter piano teacher.
Marvin, I hope you know how grateful we all are to have you in our lives. We are immeasurably better for knowing you.
In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page.
We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.
The Winter 2024 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids is coming soon! Subscribers will be receiving the print issue in their mailboxes in the coming weeks. Not yet a subscriber?Click here to receive the issue and give the gift of music to the musicians in your life! Keep reading for a sneak peek into the Winter Issue.
Want to learn more about Piano Inspires Kids? Watch our webinar, “Inside Piano Inspires Kids: A New Publication of the Frances Clark Center” with Co-Editors-in-Chief Sara Ernst and Andrea McAlister: click here.
Join Karen Zorn, President of Longy School of Music, and Jennifer Snow, CEO of the Frances Clark Center, as they discuss advocacy, leadership, and the future of music as a transformative force in the world.
We would like to thank Melody Morrison for this insightful article on adulthood and collegiate group piano. This year more than a dozen collegiate students submitted essays in the collegiate writing competition. The topics were varied and the entrants, who came from eleven different universities, were at different stages of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The judges chose a winner, runner-up, and an honorable mention. We are printing all three of these essays, as they represent the top “collegiate voices” from the 2023 competition. We thank pedagogy faculty Dr. David Cartledge (Indiana University), Dr. Meg Gray (Wichita State University), and Dr. Ivan Hurd (University of Texas–San Antonio) for completing blind reviews of the entries and for reaching consensus on the 2023 winners. Thanks to the pedagogy instructors who mentor their students as they refine their ideas and write their essays. We encourage all collegiate students to enter the 2024 competition (essays will be due on May 1, 2024).
Typical college students find themselves in a phase of life that has been identified as “emerging adulthood”— a time when characteristics of both children and adults are present in individuals who are in their late teens to early twenties.1 Collegiate group piano classes consist of mostly first- and second-year students (likely seventeen to twenty years old) and are in the beginning stages of emerging adulthood.2 Because the students who are in undergraduate group piano classes exhibit traits of children and adults, elements from both pedagogical and andragogical teaching approaches should be applied. It is therefore beneficial for a teacher to understand the teaching methodologies which highlight the adjustment of one’s teaching style according to the age of the student.3
This discussion will synthesize the research literature related to the differences between pedagogy and andragogy, and undergraduate class piano. In conclusion, implications and suggestions for teaching undergraduate class piano and this age population will be presented.
Pedagogy and Andragogy: History, Characteristics, and Differences
Pedagogy has often been used to encompass learning in all stages of life. However, the word “pedagogy” is derived from the Greek words paidos and agogus which translate to “child” and “leader of” respectively.4 Pedagogy, therefore, can be defined as the art and science of teaching children.5 European monks between the seventh and twelfth centuries began to observe how children learn and developed the first pedagogical concepts. Ideas from this era were eventually seen in schools throughout Europe and North America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and educational psychologists continued to study and develop the pedagogical model.6
A new focus on effective adult learning within the United States in the 1920s demonstrated that pedagogical concepts did not appear to work with the same success rate in adult students. Different teaching methods for adults began to develop throughout the twentieth century, and in the 1960s American educator Malcolm Knowles popularized the term andragogy. Andragogy originates from the Greek words aner whose stem andra means “man,” not “boy,” and agogue which means “leader of.” Knowles emphasized that andragogy was different from pedagogy, the latter referring to the education of children.7
The differences between pedagogy and andragogy can be summarized in six “assumptions” found in Figure 1.8 One of the noticeable differences between children and adult learners is that children often willingly receive instructions from a teacher if the directions are clear, while an adult learner will want to know the importance of a concept before they take the time to study it. Adult learners also carry with them many life experiences which will affect numerous areas of their learning.9 Children on the other hand come to a learning environment with more of a “clean slate.” Another difference between pedagogy and andragogy is that children often are motivated by outside forces, while adults demonstrate more internal motivation.10 Lastly, adults have shown preference toward self-directed learning.11
1 Jeffrey J. Arnett, “Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development from the Late Teens through the Twenties,” American Psychologist 55, no. 5 (2000): 469–480.
2 Christopher Fisher, Teaching Piano in Groups (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010); Pamela D. Pike, Dynamic Group-Piano Teaching (New York: Routledge, 2017).
3 Malcolm S. Knowles, The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy (Englewood Cliffs: Cambridge Adult Education, 1980); Joseph Mews, “Leading through Andragogy,” College and University 95 (2020): 65–68.
4 Malcolm S. Knowles, The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (Houston: Gulf Publishing Company, 1973); Malcolm S. Knowles, Elwood F. Holton III, and Richard A. Swanson, The Adult Learner (New York: Taylor & Francis, 2012).
5 Geraldine Holmes and Michele Abington-Cooper, “Pedagogy vs. Andragogy: A False Dichotomy?” The Journal of Technology Studies 26 (2000). doi.org/10.21061/jots.v26i2.a.8
6 Knowles, The Modern Practice of Adult Education.
7 Ibid.; Joseph Davenport, “Is There a Way Out of the Andragogy Morass?” Lifelong Learning 11, no. 3 (1987): 17–20.
8 Darcy B. Tannehill, “How Do Post-Secondary Institutions Educate and Service Adult Learners?” EdD diss., (University of Pittsburgh, 2009).
9 Sang Chan, “Applications of Andragogy in Multi-Disciplined Teaching and Learning,” MPAEA Journal of Adult Education 39, no. 2 (2010): 25–35.
10 James A. Draper, “The Metamorphoses of Andragogy,” Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education 12, no. 1 (1998), 3–26; Mews, “Leading through Andragogy.”
11 Sharan B. Merriam, “Andragogy and Self-Directed Learning: Pillars of Adult Learning Theory,” New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, (Spring 2001): 3–14. doi.org/10.1002/ace.3
We would like to thank Shuk-Ki Wong for this insightful article on including repertoire by Asian composers in the piano studio. Want to learn more about music from Asia? Register for the free webinar, “Composers and Music of Asian Heritage” presented by Yoshiko Arahata, Kairy Koshoeva, and Gulimina Mahamuti, with Chee-Hwa Tan, moderator and Luis Sanchez, host on January 10. Learn more and register here: https://pianoinspires.com/webinar/1-10-24-webinar/.
1. Only 1.77% of scheduled pieces in concert halls were composed by Asian composers.
Despite efforts to diversify music and concert programming, works of long-deceased white male composers still make up 76.4% in 2021-2022 season programming in concert halls around the globe.1 While there is marginal improvement in the representation of Black and women composers (with 3.39% and 7.7% of the 20,400 works performed respectively), Asian composers only comprise 1.77%––a total of 361 works were presented on stage last year. Such data shows the urgency to accelerate change by actively boosting diversity and inclusion in our studio and programming.
Fig. 1. Total number of scheduled pieces in 2021-2022 concert halls. Data from Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire, a report published by Donne––Women in Music in 2022.
2. Learning diverse repertoire is an enriching musical experience that sparks creativity and collaboration with students.
As the student population continues to become more diverse, it is critical to support our learners by providing an enriching musical experience that connects students’ upbringing, as well as their rich, unique musical cultures. The perpetual foreign stereotype of Asian Americans has not only caused identity denial in Asian students, but also contributes to the invisibility of such a student body. Being open-minded and accepting of Asian repertoire can transform our studio into a creative space for interactive music activities while embracing diverse cultures. For instance, imitating Asian musical instruments on the piano and experimenting with simple music writing with non-Western notation systems are great ways to (re)introduce the richness and significance of Asian musical cultures to our students.
3. Asian student-musicians may face more barriers in classical music than you think.
The deep-rooted model minority stereotypes of Asian and Asian-identified students create a number of obstacles in music learning. In addition to emotional distress, invalidation of achievements, and conflicts with peers and family members, such misconceptions may also lead to the neglect of musical development and limitations to resource access. For instance, students may be falsely assumed to understand musical concepts faster, come from a background with economic advantage, and face less systemic racism and discrimination.2 An initial step to embracing Asian repertoire is a powerful agent for social change while elevating Asian and Asian-identified students.
4. Diversifying standard repertoire does more beyond connecting minority students.
While we witness the power of introducing refreshing repertoire in the connection and growth in students, such endeavors foster belongingness in our students, especially pianists in the historically marginalized community. All young musicians need a safe musical space that embraces their backgrounds and identities. They also need to see themselves in this deep-seated, white-centric classical music world. Not only can diversifying standard repertoire reaffirm the uniqueness of our diverse students, but also uplift and empower students of color while enabling other learners to recognize the artistic values of musical works beyond tradition.
5. Yes, we really can make a difference in our students!
Never underestimate the impact an inclusive and comprehensive teaching approach can have on our students––it is far beyond just learning new and diverse repertoire. We expose our students to diverse music, equip them necessary skills to navigate this fast-growing multicultural society, and create awareness of diverse cultures while advocating for marginalized populations through our studio. We can and we are making a difference!
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SOURCES
“Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire,” Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire (Donne, Women in Music, September 2022), https://donne-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Donne-Report-2022.pdf.
Angela Kim and Christine J. Yeh, “Stereotypes of Asian American Students,” Stereotypes of Asian American students (The Educational Resources Information Center, February 2002), https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED462510.pdf.
We would like to thank Chee-Hwa Tan for this insightful article on creative activities to explore with your students. Want to apply these tips with your students? We encourage your students to submit to the Piano Inspires Kids 2024 Composition Contest. Student applicants are tasked with composing a fanfare inspired by the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics. Learn more here: https://kids.pianoinspires.com/composition-contest/.
The ability to experiment and create with our instrument is an important part of piano study. Yet I would venture that for many of us who teach, this component of piano study presents a logistical challenge as we juggle the many aspects of music study. We may feel defeated at our inability to include creative activities like ear training, improvisation, transposition, musical composition, and analysis within lesson time, experience an existential crisis at the prospect of teaching what we did not ourselves learn, or feel overwhelmed about plowing through stacks of resources purchased at a workshop. On the other hand, when we do include these activities, perhaps our student freezes like a “deer in the headlights” when asked to improvise or create. If any of these scenarios are relatable, you are in good company.
This article will explore how we can use repertoire assignments to integrate experimentation and creation into regular lessons. Repertoire study is a staple of every lesson; assigning pieces that meet performance study needs, and that also serve as inspiration for creative assignments, is a way to meet both goals in a sustainable manner. This approach can be utilized during summers, several times a year, every other month, or with alternating pieces.
I will address this topic from the following framework:
A “whole” teaching philosophy: I start with this because our teaching philosophy impacts how we motivate students and whether we prioritize time for creativity.
Repertoire selection: How to select the right kind of music to organically incorporate creative activities in your lessons, without designing a whole separate track.
Basic principles: What to do with repertoire that you assign in your lessons.
Examples: Practical applications from a selection of pieces at different levels.
A “Whole” Teaching Philosophy
Our teaching philosophy states WHY we teach and WHAT is important to us in our teaching. A teaching philosophy serves as a compass—a “priority check” for us when we feel overwhelmed by all the teaching to-dos and performance deadlines. As educators, it is good to revisit our teaching philosophy periodically to allow for personal growth and adjustments. Here, I share here my personal teaching philosophy:
I teach…
To nurture a love and understanding of music.
To create a pathway to lifelong music making at the piano, for both the hobbyist and the professional.
To equip my students with skills that will make them independent learners and to give them ownership of their music.
To pursue music making with joy, with abandon, without guilt.
So that my students will be more whole from the experience.
As teachers, we imprint a “feeling“—a feeling about the student’s identity in relationship to their music study. Long after formal lessons have ended, our students may not remember much of what they learned or even how to play what they learned, but they will remember how they felt in their lessons. This feeling will spur them to continue to pursue music in some shape or form, or this feeling will cause them to be afraid to try because they feel they are “not good enough” to meet the standards or expectations. Reviewing my teaching philosophy helps me to remember to prioritize the emotional connection with my student and the music making process and then to ask myself: What skills do I want my student to still have twenty to thirty years from now?
A lot of what we do as teachers focuses on the “what” and the “how”—specific skills for teaching repertoire and technique, materials, how to practice, style and interpretation, pedaling, theoretical knowledge—the list goes on. However, far more important than this is teaching the “why?” Do our students know the overarching purpose behind the concepts and skills that we teach them? Are they able to take what they learn in their music and apply it for their own purposes? Students who can do this are students who will make music for the rest of their lives.
Why is it important to encourage students to create?
When we create, we get ownership of our learning.
Ownership empowers.
This makes us curious to learn more.
Curiosity is motivating!
If we have not experienced this type of process ourselves, this can be intimidating. The underlying philosophy is to nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity about this amazing process we call music. From the very beginning of piano study, slow down and reinforce theory and musical concepts by helping the student discover or identify the sounds in each of the pieces they study. Then, experiment with at least one of these concepts through listening and explorative play with the student.
Why use repertoire as the basis for composition or improvisation?
Using specific pieces provides a natural structure from which to take off—a blueprint for concrete inspiration. This is common practice throughout music history.
It is less intimidating to have a few guidelines or a “track” to stay within.
Students need to learn that there is structure in creativity.
Music is all about structure—neurological studies show that our brains automatically search for aural patterns in music.
Everything has a form and structure—rhythmically, melodically, and harmonically. Entities that do not have clear form tend to lack longevity.
Chee-Hwa Tan has served as the Head of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Denver Lamont School of Music, as well as on the piano pedagogy faculties at the Oberlin Conservatory and Southern Methodist University. Ms. Tan is the author of internationally acclaimed A Child’s Garden of Verses and other piano collections. Her music is published by Piano Safari; with selections included in the Repertoire and Study series of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Canada, and the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London.
As we continue the season of gratitude and giving, we pay tribute to piano teachers from around the country who are transforming the lives of their students. Students, parents, and colleagues are honoring piano teachers from their communities as part of the “Power of a Piano Teacher” campaign. We welcome you to celebrate your own teacher by sharing a tribute with us and donating to The Frances Clark Center.
The Frances Clark Center staff at NCKP 2023: The Piano Conference.
During this holiday season, we want to take a moment to extend our deepest thanks for your incredible support of The Frances Clark Center this past year.
Your dedication to the power of music has been pivotal in our ability to provide quality resources and programs for piano teaching and learning. This season, we reflect on the impact your support has had in shaping a brighter future for piano educators and students worldwide.
Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. Your continued support means the world to us.
In 2023, the Frances Clark Center established the Marvin Blickenstaff Institute for Teaching Excellence in honor of his legacy as a pedagogue. This division of The Frances Clark Center encompasses inclusive teaching programs, teacher education, courses, performance, advocacy, publications, research, and resources that support excellence in piano teaching and learning. To learn more about the Institute, please visit this page.
We extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in commemorating Marvin Blickenstaff’s remarkable contributions by making a donation in his honor. Your generous contribution will help us continue his inspiring work and uphold the standards of excellence in piano teaching and learning for generations to come. To make a meaningful contribution, please visit our donation page today. Thank you for being a part of this legacy.
We would like to thank Lia Jenson-Abbott for this insightful article on Florence Price. Want to learn more about Florence Price? The winter issue of Piano Inspires Kids will explore her life, music, and work. Our first batch just shipped, but there is still time to receive a copy by subscribing today.
Florence Price
1. At age 18, Florence Price graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with two degrees: Teachers Diploma in Piano and Soloists Diploma in Organ.1
It is extremely difficult to earn a single music degree at a major conservatory. Students who pursue double degrees have an even more ambitious workload to undertake, thus, it is rare for students to pursue two degrees simultaneously. That Florence Price achieved two degrees concurrently in three years is nothing short of astonishing and further underscores her work ethic and her abilities.
The Soloists Diploma was the highest attainable certificate awarded by the Conservatory.
Rae Linda Brown2
Price’s Class at New England Conservatory
2. While we know about her classical compositions, many may be surprised to learn that Florence Price also composed popular music for radio commercials and theater under the pen name, “VeeJay.”3
When Florence Price arrived in Chicago, she devoted more time to composition. As a composer, Price was ultimately trying to support her family as well as to write music which would find a larger performing base for her music. Clearly, Price felt the financial need to work in the popular music industry along with the Classical art music realm. While this music has not been given as much scholarly critical consideration to date, it would certainly be interesting to study these works to help complete the history of her amazing compositional output.
The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price by Rae Linda Brown
That Price was invited to conduct her Concerto in this star-studded venue for so large an audience is testimony to the high esteem with which she was regarded as a composer by the early 1930s.
Rae Linda Brown4
3. In 1933, Price was invited to conduct the orchestra while her former student, Margaret Bonds, played her Piano Concerto in One Movement at the Century of Progress Exhibition.5
Florence Price was a gifted composer, but also a gifted and dedicated teacher. Her student Margaret Bonds, herself a tremendous musical talent both as a pianist and as a composer, had a close relationship with Price and was instrumental in helping to disseminate Price’s music.
4. In the spring of 1941, Florence Price moved to the Abraham Lincoln Center, where she taught close to one hundred piano students.6
While Price taught so many students due to economic necessity, the physical and mental energy needed to sustain this kind of teaching underscores a certain aspect of Price’s nature, notably her drive to have a career in music. From this evidence, one can conclude that Price obviously worked tirelessly to serve her students, her family, and her career. Given the obstacles she faced, her achievements become that much more historically exemplary.
As the most well-trained piano teacher at the center, Price had a huge studio. She taught both beginners and advanced students, numbering at one time close to one hundred.
Rae Linda Brown7
5. In 2021, after learning about Florence Price, the students at Kaufman Music Center in New York City, were inspired to write a children’s book about Florence Price.
Over recent years, Price’s music has finally received the critical reception it has always deserved. For children to be so intrigued and genuinely compassionate about telling the story of an overlooked musical role model might underscore Price’s legacy in the most genuine and most resonant means possible. Price was a lifelong educator, with a great deal of her compositions devoted to teaching music. It is a fitting tribute to this dedicated teacher, composer, and performer, to have a new generation of children become her voice.
The book is called Who is Florence Price? Young Musicians Tell the Story of a Girl and Her Music. It was written and illustrated by the middle school students at Special Music School. It is available for purchase on Amazon.
Brown, Rae Linda, Guthrie P. Ramsey, and Carlene J. Brown. The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price, 53. University of Illinois Press, 2020.
