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Piano pedagogyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Piano pedagogy is the study of the teaching of piano playing. Whereas the professional field of musiceducation pertains to the teaching of music in school classrooms or group settings, piano pedagogyfocuses on the teaching of musical skills to individual piano students. This is often done via private or

semiprivate instructions, commonly referred to as piano lessons. The practitioners of piano pedagogyare called piano pedagogues, or simply, piano teachers.

Contents

1 Professional training

1.1 Musicians without degrees in piano pedagogy

1.2 Undergraduate and graduate studies in piano pedagogy

1.3 Professional organizations in the United States

1.4 Professional Organizations in Canada

2 Notable piano pedagogues in history

3 Topics of study

3.1 Ear training

3.2 Rhythm

3.3 Notation

3.4 Technique

3.5 Improvisation

3.6 Sight reading

3.7 Memorization

3.8 Repertoire

4 Venues offering instructions in piano playing

5 See also

6 References

7 Further reading

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7.1 Business skills for piano teachers and artists

8 External links

Professional training

The range of professionalism among teachers of piano is undoubtedly wide. "Competent instruction isnot always assured by the number of years one has taken lessons", warned piano pedagogue and writer

of numerous pedagogical books, James Bastien.[1] The factors which affect the professional quality of a piano teacher include one's competence in musical performance, knowledge of musical genres, musichistory and theory, piano repertoire, experience in teaching, ability to adapt one's teaching method tostudents of different personalities and learning styles, education level, and so on.

Musicians without degrees in piano pedagogy

In the United States, piano lessons may be offered by teachers without higher education specificallyfocused in piano performance or piano pedagogy. Some teachers may hold degrees in another disciplinein music, such as music education or another performance area (voice, orchestral instrument, etc.). Other teachers, without higher education in music, may have studied piano playing independently or have beenself-taught.

Undergraduate and graduate studies in piano pedagogy

The field of piano pedagogy may be studied through academic programs culminating in the attainmentof a bachelor, master, or doctoral degree at music colleges or conservatories. The undergraduate level

may require many years of prior piano studies and previous teaching experience as prerequisites for application. At the graduate level, many schools require applicants to have some teaching experience

and at least a bachelor of music or equivalent experience in piano performance and/or pedagogy.[2]

Although virtually all piano pedagogy programs include a significant portion of performancerequirement, the pedagogy major may be distinct from the performance major at some schools. Somemembers of the latter group may have the option to take courses in the teaching of piano, but not all

do.[3]

Professional organizations in the United States

Many piano teachers hold memberships in professional organizations, to maintain their commitment to pedagogy and to network with peers and others in music. These organizations often offer teachers'workshops, conferences, mentorship programs, publications on piano pedagogy, and opportunities for scholarships, competitions, and performances for the students of members. Some prominentorganizations in the United States include:

Music Teachers National Association - MTNA National Federation of Music Clubs National Guild of Piano TeachersPiano Teachers Congress of New York Piano Teachers Federation

Professional Organizations in Canada

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The main organization that offers certificates and testing curriculum in Canada is Royal Conservatory of Music. There are three levels in their certificate program; elementary, intermediate and advanced.Elementary pedagogy certificate enables teachers to teach beginners up to grade two piano, whileintermediate certificate allows teachers to teach up to grade 6 piano. Advanced piano pedagogy is knownas "ARCT" (Associate of Royal Conservatory of Toronto), which enables teachers to teach up to grade10. There are also a number of theory and history examinations that accompany each certificate programwhich must be completed.

Notable piano pedagogues in history

Johann Nepomuk Hummel (Austria, 1778-1837)Carl Czerny (Austria, 1791–1857)Maria Szymanowska (Poland, 1789-1831)Frédéric Chopin (Poland, 1810-1849)Theodor Leschetizky (Poland, 1830–1915)Franz Liszt (Hungary, 1811-1886)Tobias Matthay (England, 1858–1945)

Heinrich Neuhaus (Russia, 1888–1964)Dimitri Bashkirov (Russia, 1931-)Leila Fletcher (Canada, 1899-1988) Ontario, Mayfair Montgomery Publishing

Neil A. Kjos (US, 1931-2009) Illinois, known for the James Bastien booksAbby Whiteside (US, 1881-1956)Isidor Philipp (France, 1863-1958)Harold Bradley (Canada 1906-1984)Vicente Scaramuzza (Italy 1885 - Argentina 1968)Frances Clark (US, 1905-1998)Ilana Vered (Israel, 1943-)

Topics of study

Piano pedagogy involves the study and teaching of motor, intellectual, problem-solving, and artistic

skills involved in playing the piano effectively.[3] Citing the influence of Zoltán Kodály, Carl Orff,Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, Russian-American piano pedagogue at Longy School of Music, Dr. FainaBryanskaya, advocates a holistic approach which integrates as many aspects of music-making as

possible at once would result in the most effective piano teaching.[4]

Ear training

Dr. Bryanskaya argues that the foremost task for piano teachers at the beginning of a student's study isthe introduction of a habit of listening to quality performances of “descriptive and strikingly expressive

music”, as a means for "sensitizing [the student] to the meaning of music".[4]

Rhythm

Teaching rhythm is important for the student to be able to learn a piece accurately, and also to

confidently perform a practiced piece. Developing an internal metronome may also play a significantrole when teaching rhythm. Teachers may encourage students to count out loud when practicing, or practice with a metronome to develop a steady internal beat.

Notation

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Technique

Good piano playing technique involves the simultaneous understanding in both the mind and the body of the relationships between the elements of music theory, recognition of musical patterns in notation andat the fingertips, the physical landscape of the entire range of the keyboard, finger dexterity andindependence, and a wide range of touch and tone production for a variety of emotional expressions.Skills in all of these areas are typically nurtured and developed for the sake of expressing oneself more

effectively and naturally through the sound of the piano, so that the elements of technique will soundalive with musicality.[4]

Improvisation

Modern piano lessons tend to emphasize learning notation, and may neglect developing the creativespirit and sensitive ears which lead to expressive music-making. Studies point to the need for usingmultiple approaches in learning musical skills which engage both sides of the brain—the analytical and

the intuitive—for students to master all aspects of playing.[5] Therefore, teaching improvisation skills

may help students take ownership of the expressive quality of the music they make, and to keep musiclearning and practicing alive and interesting.[6] One way to do so is to make up stories full of differentemotions through improvising, in order to reinforce concepts of music theory already introduced and to

develop a wide range of touch and tone production.[4]

Sight reading

Sight reading heavily depends on the students' ability to understand rhythm, and recognize musical patterns. Teaching sight reading can include teaching students to recognize intervals, scale passage patterns, note reading and the ability to internalize rhythm. The ability to have strong knowledge of different major and minor key signatures can also help students anticipate the accidentals they shouldexpect when sight reading.

Memorization

Memorization is useful to perform a piece confidently. It gives the student ability and freedom toexperience the music for all of its intricacies as opposed to focusing on the technicalities of notes andrhythm. Memorization can come easily to some students, and harder for others. The most commonmemorization technique is muscle memory. However reliance on muscle memory alone can hinder

students if they have not made the cognitive connection between every note they play, and leaves roomfor lots of memory slips. To have a strong foundation of memorization, students should be able tovisualize everything that they play, and be able to start from any passage.

Effective memorization results from the "combination of visual, kinaesthetic, aural and analytical

skills".[5]

Repertoire

Well-known keyboard works written with special attention for pedagogical purposes in mind

include:[4][7]

Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (1725) by family and friends of J.S. BachKlavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, Little Preludes and Fugues, Inventions andSinfonias, & the Well-Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach

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Sonatinas by Muzio ClementiAlbum For the Young, Op. 68 (1848) by Robert SchumannAlbum For the Young, Op. 39 (1878) by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyMusic for Children, Op. 65 (1935) by Sergei ProkofievPieces by Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Kabalevsky and Aram KhatchaturianMikrokosmos, Sz. 107, BB 105 (1926–39) by Béla Bartók

Venues offering instructions in piano playingThe teaching of piano playing most often take place in the form of weekly private lessons, in which astudent and a teacher have one-on-one meetings. Instructions may sometimes be offered semi-privately(one teacher meeting with a small group of two or more students) or in classes of larger groups, in other

intervals of time. Piano lessons are offered in a variety of different settings, including the following:[3]

Studios of independent piano teachersPiano and music storesCommunity music schools

Continuing education programsPreparatory division of music colleges or conservatoriesMusic colleges or conservatories

See also

Five finger exercisePedagogyPianists

References

1. Bastien, James (3rd Ed. 1988) How to Teach Piano Successfully. Neil A. Kjos Music Co: San Diego, CA.ISBN 0-8497-6168-9

2. University of Michigan Piano Department: Degree programs(http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/piano/programs.htm)

3. Ulszer, Marienne (1995). The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-871780-54. Bryanskaya, Faina (2nd Ed. 2007). Teaching Fundamentals of Music Making: A Holistic Integrated

Approach, A Handbook for Piano and Music Teachers. Brighton, MA (USA). LC 2003-552304.http://www.chipublib.org/search/details/cn/1902269

5. Chappell, Sally. "Developing the complete pianist: a study of the importance of a whole-brain approach to piano teaching." Piano Journal , Winter 2000.

6. Kampmeier, Valerie. "Intuitive Improvisation: A Guide for Beginners." American Music Teacher. Dec/Jan07-08.

7. Braudo, Isaiah. On the study of key board works by J. S. Bach in music schools. Washington DC: H. A.Frager & Co ISBN 0-929647-10-6

Further reading

Bryanskaya, Faina (1988). The Key to Music Making: Piano Method for Beginners, Parts I, II, & III.

Providence, RI: White Lilac Press. ISBN 0-929571-00-2, ISBN 0-929571-01-0, ISBN 0-929571-02-9

Gerig, Reginald (2nd Ed. 2007). Famous Pianists and their Technique. Indiana University Press. ISBN0-253-34855-2

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Magrath, Jane (1995). Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature. AlfredPublishing Co. ISBN 0-88284-655-8

Business skills for piano teachers and artists

Riley, Peter Jason (2002). The New Tax Guide for Artists of Every Persuasion. Limelight Editions: NewYork. ISBN 0-87910-966-1

Colombo, Sebastián (2013). Vicente Scaramuzza. La vigencia de una escuela pianística. EditorialCírculo Rojo. ISBN 978-84-9050-015-6

External links

Music Teachers National Association - MTNA (http://www.mtna.org) (USA)The Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy (http://www.keyboardpedagogy.org)

National Guild of Piano Teachers (http://pianoguild.com/)Piano Teachers Congress of New York (http://PTCNewYork.org/)

Robert Schumann's Rules for Young Musicians(http://jmm.people.si.umich.edu/blog/schumann%27s_rules_for_young_musicians.pdf)

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