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We would like to thank Sheryl Iott for collaboration on this post. We encourage you to watch Sheryl’s archived webinar titled, “Music Cognition: Patterns, Predictions and Practice,” by clicking here. Want to watch, but not yet a subscriber? Subscribe now for only $7.99/mo or $36/year. 1. Practice doesn’t make perfect. Not even perfect practice! What ...

As I write this article, I am inspired from attending the 2023 National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. This was my first in-person conference since 2019. It was so good to see people face-to-face, be inspired in person, and make new connections first hand. I had forgotten the energy that is present when so many passionate ...

Like many others, I had the good fortune to have Jim Lyke as a piano pedagogy professor and mentor. I credit him with starting me on my rewarding journey in this profession. As a graduate student in his pedagogy class, I was able to watch him in lessons with pre-college students. He noticed my engagement ...

Animals are the inspiration for Randall Hartsell’s latest piano solo collection for early- to mid-elementary level students. In the composer’s notes, Hartsell shares some people traits that we might have in common with the animals he has featured. He encourages students to sing as they play. From “Caterpillar Crawl”: “being a late bloomer is OK,” ...

Two of our responsibilities in piano teaching include setting students up for success through preparatory activities that form the foundation for their new musical learning and providing feedback while that learning is taking place. Feedback occurs during the lesson when students experience new music or technique and following each week of independent work on repertoire ...

Sandman’s Castle: The Solo and Duo Works of Vincent Ho is an exceptional collection of works by the award-winning composer, with outstanding performances by artists Dame Evelyn Glennie, Vicky Chow, Ben Reimer, Susanne Ruberg-Gordon, and Beth Root Sandvoss. From the opening “Nostalgia,” which beautifully captures the bittersweet emotion of its title, to the final piece, ...

Inspired teaching is driven by curiosity to learn, improve, and advance practice. By adopting a “beginner’s mindset” we embrace the opportunities to learn and grow every day. This summer, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy gatherings embodied this ethos. The breadth of programming encompassed music by underrepresented composers, new ideas on practice, creative strategies for ...

“Dancing under the Stars” would be right at home in a Golden-Age musical. The way its lyrical melody exploits the expressive possibilities that a minor key affords gives this piece an immediate, accessible appeal. Its song-like style and rich character may provide the motivation the student will need to dig into its technical challenges. There ...