Martha Hilley, Group Piano and Pedagogy Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus, shares her inspiring story on this episode with host Artina McCain. Listen to Hilley reflect on her long career at the Butler School of Music, her advice for young professionals, and her love for group piano and pedagogy.
Podcast: Play in new window
This Cyber Monday, take your pedagogical skills to the next level with incredible deals on continuing piano education from The Frances Clark Center! Whether you’re a new professional just starting your career, or an experienced teacher, our exclusive discounts on online courses, publications, and subscriptions will help you hone your teaching skills. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer to invest in your musical growth at a fraction of the price.
The New Professionals Bundle includes practical resources to jump start a teaching career. With access to 1500+ articles, 250+ webinars, and many more resources on PianoInspires.com, new professionals will find answers to all of their questions about piano teaching, learning, and performing. Jane Magrath’s book is an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and performers. It features works from the Baroque through Contemporary periods and includes annotations with composer biographies, musical characteristics, and pedagogical considerations. Finally, our online course, A Pianist’s Guide to Studio Management, will assist new professionals in managing their studios, from studio policies and budgets to marketing and professional goals.
The New Professionals Bundle includes:
Over 40% off, a $174.99 value for only $99.99!
The Marvin Blickenstaff Bundle is created for teachers of all ages and experience levels. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. Marvin’s inspiring words of wisdom and enthusiastic teaching demonstrations can be found within the 1500+ articles, 250+ webinars, and many more resources found on PianoInspires.com. Microcourse: Teaching Piano Skills gives teachers insight into the best practices of teaching and learning scales, chords, and arpeggios at the piano. Contributors to this microcourse include Marvin Blickenstaff, Scott McBride Smith, and Forrest Kinney.
The Marvin Blickenstaff Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $115.99 value for only $79.99!
This bundle equips teachers of beginners with activities, lesson plans, foundational pedagogy skills, and inspiration. Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print publication with access to digital back copies and resources. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. The Beginner Course is a comprehensive online course designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for working with beginning pianists (age 5-8 years old) in the most important year of piano study–the first.
The Teaching Beginners Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $218.98 value for only $149.99!
This bundle is designed for teachers of intermediate students (approximately Levels 3-7). Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print publication with access to digital back copies and resources such as improvisation activities and articles about music history. Jane Magrath’s book features works from the Baroque through Contemporary periods and includes annotations with composer biographies, musical characteristics, and pedagogical considerations, all labeled with the appropriate level. The Intermediate Course is intended for those who are just beginning their teaching careers as well as experienced teachers seeking to expand their teaching skills related to intermediate study, and is designed to introduce important concepts and material related to the teaching of intermediate students.
The Teaching Intermediate Students Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $218.98 value for $149.99!
The Inspiring Stories Bundle contains a wealth of motivational and inspirational material. The Autumn 2024 issue of Piano Magazine features Connor Chee, who shares the story of his cultural identity and artistic expression. Recollections gathers dozens of articles written by Robert Weirich that address many aspects of making a career in music. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. Hidden Gems and Unsung Heroes are two online courses, rich in diverse repertoire written by female and Black composers. This bundle also includes subscriptions to PianoInspires.com and Piano Inspires Kids. PianoInspires.com includes over 1500 Piano Magazine articles, 250 webinars, and 200 videos available to subscribers. Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print and digital publication exploring the world through the music, cultures, and people that connect us to one another.
The Inspiring Stories Bundle includes:
$100 off, a $329.97 value for only $229.97!
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Peter Mack, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Andrea McAlister. Want to learn more about Mack? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Mack on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Andrea McAlister: I do want to mention—touch on the fact that you are the MTNA President right now. You’re talking about giving all these master classes and teaching your own students. You are having such an impact on the future of music education, whether you think of yourself as being that impactful or not in the moment. I know sometimes it’s hard to see, like we were saying in the moment. How do you feel about that? What is your mission as we move forward in music education? What are your goals as MTNA President? What kind of impact do you want to make for the future?
Peter Mack: So the thing about living in the first quarter of the 21st century is that landscapes change so quickly. I mean, we’ve kind of got computers figured out now. And then along came COVID, and COVID changed things more than anything that I can think of in the field of education and music education than anything has in such a quick time. Because suddenly the internet, instead of being a thing that you could also do, became the primary thing that you can use to change music education. I think of things, the way that The Frances Clark Center and that Piano Inspires has embraced that.
AM: You have a way of bringing people with you, of creating this community. You talk about how the internet can do this, and how we might use it to build relationships or bring people along with us. Do you think it’s the internet that’s doing that, or do you think it’s the people who are doing that?
PM: I think it’s both. I mean, I think it’s—you have to have a vision, you have to have that, but there’s no point in having a vision if you live in the age of the Pony Express. I mean, well, no, that’s not true. Your vision has to be different. And the fact that we are now in 2024, that’s the amazing tool of connecting—being able to connect people virtually—that’s the obvious place to do it.
When we think of music education and when we think of what we’re teaching people right now, all our colleges are wrong, or most of our colleges are wrong. One of my friends said, “When I was at college, I should have been taught how to market a studio, I should have been taught how to file taxes, I should have been taught how to [do] all these things about business. Since I graduated, I’ve done all these things, and I’ve never once been asked to write a fugue.” [laugh]
AM: [laugh] Well, perhaps that’s still coming. We don’t know that. [laugh] I agree very much that we need to create more well-rounded human beings who are leaving the nest of college, and not just somebody who can create a fugue.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Peter Mack on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Irish-born pianist Peter Mack is a nationally renowned performer, clinician, and convention artist, and the 2023-25 MTNA President. Listen to Peter Mack and host Andrea McAlister discuss Mack’s piano journey, his introduction to piano teaching, and the future of music and MTNA.
Podcast: Play in new window
This Cyber Monday, take your pedagogical skills to the next level with incredible deals on continuing piano education from The Frances Clark Center! Whether you’re a new professional just starting your career, or an experienced teacher, our exclusive discounts on online courses, publications, and subscriptions will help you hone your teaching skills. Don’t miss out on this limited-time offer to invest in your musical growth at a fraction of the price.
The New Professionals Bundle includes practical resources to jump start a teaching career. With access to 1500+ articles, 250+ webinars, and many more resources on PianoInspires.com, new professionals will find answers to all of their questions about piano teaching, learning, and performing. Jane Magrath’s book is an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and performers. It features works from the Baroque through Contemporary periods and includes annotations with composer biographies, musical characteristics, and pedagogical considerations. Finally, our online course, A Pianist’s Guide to Studio Management, will assist new professionals in managing their studios, from studio policies and budgets to marketing and professional goals.
The New Professionals Bundle includes:
Over 40% off, a $174.99 value for only $99.99!
The Marvin Blickenstaff Bundle is created for teachers of all ages and experience levels. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. Marvin’s inspiring words of wisdom and enthusiastic teaching demonstrations can be found within the 1500+ articles, 250+ webinars, and many more resources found on PianoInspires.com. Microcourse: Teaching Piano Skills gives teachers insight into the best practices of teaching and learning scales, chords, and arpeggios at the piano. Contributors to this microcourse include Marvin Blickenstaff, Scott McBride Smith, and Forrest Kinney.
The Marvin Blickenstaff Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $115.99 value for only $79.99!
This bundle equips teachers of beginners with activities, lesson plans, foundational pedagogy skills, and inspiration. Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print publication with access to digital back copies and resources. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. The Beginner Course is a comprehensive online course designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for working with beginning pianists (age 5-8 years old) in the most important year of piano study–the first.
The Teaching Beginners Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $218.98 value for only $149.99!
This bundle is designed for teachers of intermediate students (approximately Levels 3-7). Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print publication with access to digital back copies and resources such as improvisation activities and articles about music history. Jane Magrath’s book features works from the Baroque through Contemporary periods and includes annotations with composer biographies, musical characteristics, and pedagogical considerations, all labeled with the appropriate level. The Intermediate Course is intended for those who are just beginning their teaching careers as well as experienced teachers seeking to expand their teaching skills related to intermediate study, and is designed to introduce important concepts and material related to the teaching of intermediate students.
The Teaching Intermediate Students Bundle includes:
Over 30% off, a $218.98 value for $149.99!
The Inspiring Stories Bundle contains a wealth of motivational and inspirational material. The Autumn 2024 issue of Piano Magazine features Connor Chee, who shares the story of his cultural identity and artistic expression. Recollections gathers dozens of articles written by Robert Weirich that address many aspects of making a career in music. Inspired Piano Teaching is filled with practical advice on teaching students at all levels and is dedicated to keeping inspiration and artistry alive for every student in every lesson. Hidden Gems and Unsung Heroes are two online courses, rich in diverse repertoire written by female and Black composers. This bundle also includes subscriptions to PianoInspires.com and Piano Inspires Kids. PianoInspires.com includes over 1500 Piano Magazine articles, 250 webinars, and 200 videos available to subscribers. Piano Inspires Kids is a quarterly print and digital publication exploring the world through the music, cultures, and people that connect us to one another.
The Inspiring Stories Bundle includes:
$100 off, a $329.97 value for only $229.97!
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Pete Jutras, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Jennifer Snow. Want to learn more about Jutras? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Jutras on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Jennifer Snow: How did [working for] the [Piano] Magazine inform you? Like that experience of expanded community, how did that change the way you perceived what you were going to do yourself, personally? All of a sudden, your exposure broadens dramatically.
Pete Jutras: Yeah, that’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I ever thought about it that way. One of the principles that was always very important to me as editor was to present a real range of ideas. I never thought the [Piano] Magazine would be any good if it was Pete’s ideas. That’s not what a magazine should be. You know, it should be the world’s ideas. And so I tried very hard to, you know, even when there were things I might have raised my eyebrows at or said, “Well, I wouldn’t really teach it that way,” I still always wanted to run that content. There’s always value in any idea, and I think the dialectic process of comparing ideas is also really valuable.
So I would say it just had a huge influence in cluing me into all the different things that were happening out there, all the different ways people were thinking and approaching teaching and studios. You know, new ideas, old ideas, different approaches. It was really valuable to have a front row seat for all of that and, you know, just see what the world was thinking.
JS: What a legacy you created also for yourself in that leadership role, because you influenced the entire field. You helped to advance and mentor a lot of people’s ideas forward because you took that attitude of ‘everybody’s voice needs to be heard.’ We need to build community, again, coming back to building community.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Pete Jutras on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
MORE ON PETE JUTRAS
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Catherine Rollin, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Pamela Pike. Want to learn more about Rollin? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Rollin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Pamela Pike: How do you feel your work is having an impact in the world? You are fortunate. You hear from teachers all the time. You hear about these positive stories. Are there any you might want to share with us?
Catherine Rollin: I can tell you a very recent experience. Now that I have an active website, I have all these hard copy books. I’m also doing some digital downloads. So it’s been very, very rewarding to just get orders—I mean, obviously it’s nice to get orders for your music. But even more than the order is getting letters from people around the world, because people around the world are mainly reaching out for getting digital, because it’s so hard and so expensive to mail things.
One lady who had contacted me during the pandemic time [is] in Ukraine, and she had already used a lot of my music before the war started. She was sending me student performances and many times students were—I don’t think they had even the comfort or freedom to even meet in one place for [a] recital—playing in their own house and then sending them in.
She sent me a lot of things, but the nicest thing was that she contacted me and she went on my website, and she got all my new music, all these digital downloads, which was really wonderful, and then she wrote [to] me. She said, “This is gonna be the next recital, but we’re giving a recital of your Museum Masterpieces, Books A and B. Would you be so kind to just say hello to each student? I’ll give you the names of the pieces they’re playing. [Could you] just say hello or some little message to the student?”
So there were about 30 students performing. I felt embarrassed because I don’t think I pronounced their names very well, but that was very meaningful to me.
PP: And it must have been for the students because they now have a connection with a real, living composer.
CR: Yes. I can’t even tell you because I felt like things were really hard in the country, and I felt like, if this is giving the kids some spirit—my music—what can I say other than it just made me feel like I was doing what I hope music is always doing, but it seemed especially special under their kind of dire circumstances. They just started sending me, before I left for here, all the tapes that they had made because I gave it as a pre-message. And so I haven’t had a chance to listen to all of them. I only listened to one, but it was outstanding.
PP: Well, that’s wonderful that that’s still happening. You know, those children need music in their lives now.
CR: Yeah, right. So in that regard, I mean, anytime I feel that I’ve reached somebody who loves a piece and that means that they love music, I always feel gratified. But that one was especially moving to know that they carried on into this recital, you know, and and all that in these circumstances. So it was great.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Catherine Rollin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
MORE ON CATHERINE ROLLIN
Catherine Rollin is a pianist, composer, clinician, author, and teacher of prize-winning students. Her more than 400 published pedagogical compositions are recognized worldwide for their combination of musicality and “teachability.”
Join host Pamela Pike and guest Catherine Rollin as they discuss Rollin’s piano journey, the inspirations behind her compositions, and her passion for teaching.
Podcast: Play in new window
We would like to thank Carol Salas for this tribute to her teacher, Marvin Blickenstaff. 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.
I have been an adult student at The New School for Music Study for 34 years. Marvin has been my teacher for so long that neither of us remembers how many years. I think at least 20 years! The fact that I have been studying piano beyond my 80th birthday is a testament to Marvin’s wonderful teaching. He is also an amazing person and friend. I now have a large repertoire of music that I love and can play for friends. And I intend to keep playing and learning as long as Marvin is there to help. – Carol Salas
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.
MORE ON THE POWER OF A PIANO TEACHER
In celebration of the recently unearthed composition, Serenade in C, discovered by the Leipzig Municipal Libraries network, here are five little-known facts about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Like the Serenade in C, this piece was left undiscovered until after Mozart passed away. While nearly complete when discovered, the final ten measures of this work were likely completed by August Eberhard Müller. Alternative endings, such as a fugue, a repeat of the introduction, and more have been proposed. Compare the alternate ending performed by Mitsuko Uchida to the written ending in the following recordings:
Like many other famous composers in the 18th century, Mozart was known to improvise during performances. He competed against Muzio Clementi in Vienna for Emperor Joseph II to see who was the greatest improviser. The duel was declared a tie. For more information on improvisation competitions between famous composers, please see page 3 of the Autumn 2024 Issue of Piano Inspires Kids. (link to kids.pianoinspires.com/magazine)
Often touted as being able to speak fifteen different languages, Mozart was only known to speak German, Italian, and French fluently. Of his complete, incomplete, and collaborative operas, nine were in German, fourteen were in Italian, and one was in Latin.
The glass armonica, invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761, is an instrument made of glass bowls blown to specific sizes and thicknesses to produce pitches. In order to play the instrument, the performer begins by dampening the exterior of the glasses, then pressing a foot pedal to spin the bowls, and lastly, applying light finger pressure to produce sound. Mozart composed the Adagio for Glass Armonica, K. 356 in May of 1791, just months before his passing.
Mozart’s baptized name was Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart. Born Catholic and baptized on January 27, 1756, “Johannes Chrysostomus” refers to his saint name, and Wolfgang is the Germanic version of “Wolfgangus.” Interestingly, the German translation for “Theophilus” is “Gottlieb,” but Mozart often signed his name with the French and Italian versions of the name, “Amadé” and “Amadeo,” respectively. He is now most commonly referred to with the latin spelling of his middle name; “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.”
MORE ON MOZART
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Sean Chen, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of his conversation with Sara Ernst. Want to learn more about Chen? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Chen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Sara Ernst: I want to ask about you as a teacher, you know, because that’s a different process when you have another person where you’re helping them to discover [how to express their ideas] and find that, and explore that. So how has that been for you as an instructor?
Sean Chen: It’s a very interesting experiment and experience for me, because I’m always trying to think, “Okay, am I doing the right approach for this student?” I have a default approach I like to do. You know, I’m very logical. I like to talk about form, talk about articulations, which reflects my teachers. It also depends on the kind of piece, because if it’s something— I think French pieces just draw the [Jerome] Lowenthal out from me. So I go into, like, more the spirit of music making and, you know, the imagination, but sometimes I have to remind myself to, you know, take a step back and be like, “Hey, is this working? Do I need to try a different approach for this student? I’m still relatively young and I think I still have a lot of room to grow in terms of being able to more efficiently pinpoint, like, “Oh, this student needs me to be maybe even more strict about not letting them get away with stuff.” Whereas some other students I know, “Okay, they’ll fix it next time.” I don’t like people being too pushy with me. I’m like, “I’ll get it, you know, I’ll work on it. I’ll get it. I remember what you say.” But not everyone’s like that. Some people want to be a little bit more strictly guided.
SE: It makes me think back to your teacher who put the dates in your score. Right?
SC: Yeah! For example, I even, as a student, didn’t really write stuff in my score. Sometimes my teacher, Lowenthal, didn’t really write too much stuff. Matti [Raekellio] wrote a lot of stuff. There’s big circles and lines and big all caps.
SE: And then you open the book and just think fondly of your teacher when you see all those things.
SC: Yeah! So sometimes, again, I have to remember myself like, “Oh, I should go write it in their score because if they’re not writing it, I have to first be like, “Okay, are they going to remember it based on my experience of teaching them?” Because I know I don’t like to write stuff in my score, but maybe they need to. So it’s stuff like that. That’s very, very “psychology of teaching.” It’s not so much like are you a good pianist? It’s like, are you good at understanding people.
SE: Oh no it’s very true, right? It’s interesting how that can even change through the course of working with a student where their needs will change over time, right?
SC: Definitely, yeah. I try to channel my teacher when I [was] growing up, trying to get them interested about repertoire. You know, “Hey, have you heard this composer? Have you heard these pieces?” Trying to get them to broaden their horizons because I think at least from what I see where I’m teaching, a lot of students just want to play the standard repertoire. Even amongst the standard repertoire, a very limited version of the standard repertoire. I’m like, “Have you considered—do you know any Szymanowski?” “No, who’s that?” I don’t know nearly enough that I, you know, I think about post-modern stuff. I appreciated it when my teachers asked me, “Oh, have you heard this piece?” And so I try to do that too. Some of them take, well, to it. Some of them bring things in and I’m like, “Oh, you too! You actually chose this piece. Good! Whereas others just bring the same Beethoven sonatas in. I’m like, “Okay, all right, fine. We’ll work on that. That’s great.”
SE: And then plant some seeds and see where they go.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Sean Chen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
MORE ON SEAN CHEN
This episode features Sean Chen, pianist, composer, and arranger, playing with audiences around the world in solo and chamber recitals, concerto performances, and masterclasses, after having won the 2013 American Pianists Awards and placing third at the 2013 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Listen to this conversation between host Sara Ernst and Sean Chen as they discuss his early training as a pianist, his competition journey, and the different areas which he draws inspiration from.
Podcast: Play in new window
This episode features Midori Koga, a prominent soloist and chamber musician with the Haven Trio, and is the founder of the University of Toronto Piano Pedagogy Program. Join Koga and host Andrea McAlister as they discuss the future of piano pedagogy, and how to inspire students to find their voice and maintain motivation.
Podcast: Play in new window
To celebrate the latest episode of the Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Midori Koga, we are sharing an excerpted transcript of her conversation with Andrea McAlister. Want to learn more about Koga? Check out the latest installment of the Piano Inspires Podcast. To learn more, visit pianoinspires.com. Listen to our latest episode with Koga on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
Andrea McAlister: How do you maintain—I’m not even going to say balance because I don’t know that we can say in a balance—how do you maintain that motivation, inspiration, that keeps that passion going in yourself so that you can model that for others?
Midori Koga: It’s a really great question, and I’d love to ask you, too. [laughs] One of my great privileges is playing with my trio. I’m with a soprano and a clarinetist, and the three of us started playing together about 12 years ago. We live in different cities. Kim lives in Texas, and Lindsay lives in North Carolina, and I live in Toronto. And we happened to come together. Each one of us kind of knew the other one, and then we came together and did a couple of concerts, and there was a synergy as people, as three mothers and three women, working women, and as musicians.
We play, we commission new works.The piano/soprano/clarinet combination is a little unusual, so we have been writing grants and commissioning works, and working with kind of a family of living composers. We keep going back to them, and they’re dear friends. We keep going back to these composers, I think because they tell stories of life and joys and gratitude and sometimes life and death, and a lot of parenting.
One piece that we just commissioned, is by Ivette Herryman Rodriguez, and she’s a woman from Cuba and is living in the States. We just sat together in a brainstorming session, and she said, “I would love to write a piece of music that somehow conveys this in-between. My home is Cuba, and my home is in the United States, but one foot in each place sometimes makes me feel like I’m in another world. And sometimes that’s special, and sometimes it’s lonely.” She expressed it so beautifully, and it’s something that I kind of responded to. I’m in Canada, I lived in the US, and I’m of Japanese heritage, and sometimes I feel, “Where do I belong?” In experiences like that where we talk as a trio, [we talk] a lot about what is our voice as a trio? What is our voice individually as musicians, and what is the voice of the composer and telling that story, and who are our audiences?
Every time my students have said that they like it when I go away. Oh, I should think about why they’re saying that, but they like it. Let me see what they mean. [laughs] So they like it when I go away, because when I come back, you know, I have stories that I can share, and also I’m reminded again about the importance it is, “I know you’re stressed out, right?” They’re really feeling the pressure of upcoming recitals. It’s coming close to the year end, and you know, [I try] to help them remember that there’s a reason why you’re here. There’s a kernel of that passion and love and joy and a connection to the music that you’re playing and that you’re playing music of composers who have stories to tell, even as long ago composers. But now they’re playing more and more living composers, and I’m so glad to see that really blooming in recent years.
If you enjoyed this excerpt from Piano Inspires Podcast’s latest episode, listen to the entire episode with Midori Koga on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or our website!
MORE ON MIDORI KOGA
At The Frances Clark Center, we are honoring piano teachers who are working every day to make the world more empathetic, inclusive, and connected through the transformational power of music. We welcome you to celebrate your own teacher by sharing a tribute with us and donating to the Frances Clark Center. Students, parents, and colleagues are honoring piano teachers from their communities as part of the “Power of a Piano Teacher” campaign.
The teachers featured here are making profound contributions to students at all stages, from the youngest beginners to college students, and to those who study later in life. These inspirational, personal stories testify to the timeless impact piano teachers have on their students and their communities.
Join us by honoring your teacher today through the “Power of a Piano Teacher” campaign.
Dr. Yang is a devoted teacher with a pointed focus on the highest success of each of her students. She took me where I was in my piano journey and helped me to see my potential and just how capable I am. I’ll be forever grateful for her influence!
Belkiss was born in a small town in Brazil on February 15, 1928, and passed away on November 17, 2005. She moved to Rio de Janeiro to study at the National Conservatory, aiming to establish a music school back in her state. In 1956, she founded the State Conservatory, which later became responsible for forming the future faculty of the School of Music at the Federal University. She served as the director and piano professor from its inception until 1977.
Beyond her contributions to Brazilian culture and music, she taught a generation of pianists and piano professors from 1950 to 1996. Her legacy is deeply embedded in the history and development of Brazilian music. I had the privilege of studying with her for nine and a half years, starting when I was almost sixteen. The mere thought of playing for her made me tremble, not out of fear, but out of profound respect. Everything I know about technique, practice, and musicality was taught by her. She also championed the development of arts, letters, and music, which we closely observed and learned to promote. I owe her everything I know.
Dr. Beth Bauer brings deep knowledge and commitment to everything and everyone she teaches. I had the privilege of studying with her at Wheaton College, IL. Dr. Bauer taught me my greatest pedagogical lesson as a piano teacher: students first. But beyond teaching this principle, Dr. Bauer lives it.
Dr. Bauer customized the lectures, assignments, and discussions to meet her students’ unique needs. I remember how she customized her Music in Special Education course to prepare the music education majors to accommodate individuals with disabilities in their classrooms while, at the same time, guiding my cohort of pedagogy and performance majors in designing materials for our studios. Dr. Bauer’s classes were not one-size-fits-all courses, just like Dr. Bauer is not a one-size-fits-all pedagogue.
I personally experienced Dr. Bauer’s encouragement and am who I am now because of it. Her mentorship transformed not only my teaching but also my essence as a teacher as I endeavor to carry on the lessons she exemplified.
Dr. Bauer doesn’t just teach her scholars how to put their students first; she leads by example by investing in her own students. She inspires each student to believe in themselves just as much as she believes in them. By prioritizing inclusive understanding and comprehensive investment in each student’s potential, Dr. Bauer models excellent teaching to us all.
I am forever grateful to Dr. Jay Hershberger for challenging and shaping me as a pianist during my time at Concordia College. While at Concordia, I grew immensely in musical understanding and confidence. Dr. Hershberger believed in me as a pianist and pushed me to grow outside my comfort zone. When I told him that I didn’t believe I could perform, he said, “well, I think you should play a full recital in the spring!” And then he worked with me to select repertoire and develop a plan to make it happen. He gave me concrete musical advice and the tools needed to handle musical articulations and phrasings—I still use these tools with my own students today! When I was at a crossroads in my career path, he encouraged me to take my piano study even further—to graduate school. I always felt that he cared deeply about his students and wanted them to be their very best. Jay Hershberger, thank you for the investment, both in me and to all of your students!
MORE ON THE POWER OF A PIANO TEACHER