It used to be that if a family had a child with a disability, especially a mental disability, it was shameful and they were hidden away. Thankfully, that is no longer the case! Students who may not be able to be successful in sports or academics or even dance might have the capacity to do well in music.

All of us have a student who has been labeled with a disability that’s been determined via a medical diagnosis. However, they are a child, or a person, first. There are ten characteristics that Beth and Scott have observed that are helpful when teaching students of any disability.

1. Consistency – the words used in the studio should be the same as those used at home or school. Even the day and time of the lesson should be strictly kept. Making changes could provoke a meltdown. Consistency provides comfort for the child. From week to week, the lesson should be structured in the same manner.

Specifically for a child with autism, their world is built around details, routine, systems, and procedures. For example, parents often have to give the child a rundown of each day’s activity in preparation for the lesson day. The same approach should be used when anticipating events such as a recital or festival. When the child comes to the lesson, they should be greeted in the same manner each week, asked the same questions, given the same sort of instructions. If you forget what comes next, just ask the student. They will remember.

Beth suggests using pocket schedule cards that help you and the student keep track of what to do in what order. Most meltdowns occur in the “New Learning” category. Even giving simple instructions can cause frustration because they assume that the student understands the terminology and is even watching or listening to you.

2. Adaptability – we all have been through lots of pedagogy training and have a bag of tricks. These may be helpful, but we should also delve into practical tools available through the special needs resources. Beth recommends a resource called Boardmaker that provides visual schedules for special needs students.

It’s also important to familiarize yourself with the world of a special needs student. Many of them are seeing other specialists and attending therapy sessions that make their lives far different than fully-abled students. You can also look for ways to tap into their natural habits. Scott had a young student who made a ticking sound under her breath. At first it drove him crazy, but then he was able to utilize her rhythmic sounds to play with excellent rhythmic pulse.

3. Flexibility – not just in teaching methods, but also how you relate to children from the moment they walk into the room. Other children may be able to just shake off a bad day, but a special needs student will often dwell on the particular bad point in the day. You can’t ignore it, but should address it and then move on. You may end up with a meltdown anyway, but it will often be followed up by an apology letter.

Roll with the moment on how to handle each situation. Sometimes you have to get close and be firm. Many students with autism have hyper-sensitivity issues. A faint air conditioning sound in the background may be like a hurricane to him. Always end the lesson on a positive note.

4. Setting Expectations – students with disabilities in Scott’s studio have the same goals as those without. Beth said she programs all of her studio in the same recital – both those with and those without disabilities. Both sets of families need training to behave appropriately. Those with disabilities need a model of good behavior. She said that all of her disabled students are better practicers, come to lessons well-prepared, and have their recital pieces memorized first.

It’s important to communicate openly with those organizing and adjudicating at events when you include students with disabilities.

Patience – this is important not just because of all the issues involved, but because the process may take a long time. For one of Scott’s new college students, it took several weeks for her to consistently and quickly find the key D on the piano. Be patient with yourself because you will mess up. It takes time to understand the lingo. When parents talk with you, ask what they mean.

Sometimes as the teacher you have to get out of the process. Give the student time to think and work through things on their own. Sometimes medical needs also keep students from being able to attend lessons. Be patient with the whole family.

5. Compassion – the parents don’t want you to feel sorry for them. They want someone who is willing to just be with their child. Your willingness to work with them means a lot!

Be open with the parents when they inquire about lessons. “Sure, let’s give it a try. If you feel like it’s not working, or I feel like it’s not working, we can talk about it again.” Many times the parents have been so appreciative because no one else will work with their child. Beth shared about her first special needs student who had been turned away by 80 other teachers.

6. Sense of Humor – sometimes you have to just laugh about the unexpected things the kids do. Also have a sense of humor with yourself. The kids will be quick to point out the mistakes you make. Remember, the parents don’t expect you to be perfect. The things students blurt out are funny, but they are instructive about their perspective on what’s going on and whether your approach is effective.

Special needs students often take language very literally. A phrase like, “You crack me up” won’t make sense to them. You also find out a lot about the families from these students. Learn from all of it and keep looking for ways to grow.

7. Learn from Your Mistakes – visualize the student as being “normal” and yourself as the one with the disability who must learn how to function in their world. A lot of working with students initially will involve learning appropriate behavior in the lesson. One of Scott’s mistakes came when after teaching the student the appropriate lesson etiquette of “my turn” and “your turn” asked the student to do something without specifying “your turn.” The student wouldn’t do it. He wasn’t misbehaving. Quite the opposite, he was just following the protocol.

8. Lose the Ego – students with disabilities are not going to change for you. You have to give up the right to be “king” or “queen” in your studio. Remember that what you’re teaching these kids is not just music skills, but social skills and other life skills.

View the students disabilities as a gift that gives them specific skills and opportunities. Help them learn to see it that way and give them tools to capitalize on those strengths.

9. Have Fun – Beth said that she has learned more from teaching disabilities than anything else. Scott said he’s a better person because of it. Learning to work with them opens all sorts of doors and opportunities.

The session concluded with video clips of some of Scott’s and Beth’s students.

In addition to learning repertoire, Scott does lots of improvising with his students. He showed one clip of a blind student who is classified as a savant. He gave her a one-measure motive and then had her improvise on the spot. It was amazing!

Recommended Resource: Woodbine House Publishing

After discovering and posting about Glory’s music theory videos a couple weeks ago, I was excited to see catch up with her again at their exhibitor booth and attend her workshop this afternoon.

Glory is an energetic and passionate educator and a great communicator. She has an amazing way of explaining theory concepts in a common sense way that clicks for teachers and students alike.

She explained harmonic intervals by showing two notes stacked on top of each other on a staff and drawing an H to represent a hotel, where the rooms are on top of each other. A melodic interval was likewise illustrated on the staff with an M drawn to represent a motel where the rooms are side by side.

Ultimate Music Theory is an attractive theory curriculum that is well laid out. In addition to the lessons with these creative memory joggers, the books contain review tests and in-studio exams. All of their scores/percentages are placed in the table of contents for an easy overview of the students’ overall music theory grade.

What is the point of doing music theory? It’s important to make it relevant to students. Theory helps us grow as musicians. It enables us to analyze a piece of music. Theory gives us the knowledge to understand what we are hearing and/or playing.

Glory shared a little bit about one of her favorite people: Albert Einstein. Of course, we know him as a brilliant scientist, but he was also a violinist and played the piano. His mother was a piano teacher. She closed by sharing several of his quotes:

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them.”

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

Up and coming composer, Naoko Ikeda, began the Willis presentation, sharing a little bit of her background and the inspiration of William Gillock in her own life as a pianist. In reference to her compositions she says, “When I compose I always consider the educational benefits of the piece.”

Each attendee received a complimentary copy of her new book, Miyabi: 5 Japanese Impressions for Piano Solo. The book is written for early intermediate students.

She played of each of the lovely, lyrical selections. My favorite was the last one – Soft Rain. She also has two volumes of a book called, Duets in Color. The first contains a piece in each of the major keys, and the second contains one in each minor key. She recommends performing them in pairs, for example playing the one in C Major from book one followed by the one in c minor from the second book. She and a duet partner demonstrated this with several selections. Scarlet Hearts from Book 1 was especially nice.

The other book in our packet was Jazz It Up! Mid-Intermediate Piano Solos of 7 Familiar Favorite Folk Songs.

The most important part of the day! haha! It’s fun to gather with other teachers and spend time visiting while munching on lunch (in my case, a smashed PB&J sandwich ).

I’m also enjoying hanging out with Joy, of the fabulous Color in My Piano blog! We’re attending the next several sessions together.

Subtitled, “The Relationship Between Healthful Technique & Compelling Artistry” Barbara Lister-Sink’s workshop promised to be insightful to the large collection of teachers gathered to participate in the session.

Barbara’s long journey into healthful playing began with a personal injury. First and foremost, she is a performer and a musician. But she is into the long line – taking the time to be patient with other injured players, be kind to them, help them explore their unique history, and get back into playing.

Today, she will be talking about her favorite thing – music-making. Compelling music-making. She opened with a music video depicting Lola Astanova at the piano playing the Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff. The next clip featured Lang Lang at the piano performing Liszt to wild cheers on a stage full of flashing lights and atmospheric smoke. The last clip was Artur Rubinstein from his New York apartment playing the Prelude in F-sharp Minor, Op. 28, no. 8. She pointed out that his audience wasn’t even watching him.

Barbara loves performing art. She is a visual artist herself, and loves synthesizing the two. In our society, the eye is the dominant sense, with the ear taking a back seat. In the old radio shows you actually had to listen and use your imagination to create the visual for yourself.

Her teacher used to say, “Put your ears out on stalks so you can hear everything that’s going on.” She sat beside Barbara and they started going through the entire program. Every time she suspected that Barbara lost focus and wasn’t listening. Barbara couldn’t turn her ears on continually for a long time. Eventually, she understood and was able to hear the long line and get rid of false accents. Her teacher was only interested in what came out of the piano, not what was meant to come out.

There are a lot of things that we can look back to even if we aim to be teachers of the 21st century. A lot of it has to do with attention. What does this have to do with technique? It is a highly controversial topic. There are many views, but there are still many people who suffer debilitating injuries.

She recommended Famous Pianists and Their Technique as a fabulous book. She shared several quotes in which people attempt to define technique.

“Music is technique. It is the only aspect of music we can control…”

Technique means the power of expressing oneself musically.” Tobias Matthay

She tells all of her students, “You can be free as a bird, but dull as a brick. If you cannot draw people in with the musicality of the music, they won’t care at all about your technique.”

Being technically informed and musical are not incompatible. There are fears that if we really understand what we’re doing from a bio-mechanical point of view that it will somehow void our artistry. She read quotes that espouse this perspective:

“Piano playing will never be a science. If it was, it would cease to be an art.”

Barbara believes that it need not be either/or, but both.

She had audience members raise their hands to indicate if they have had playing-related injuries. About 25% of the audience raised their hands. Are technique and musicality foes? It depends on the technique.

Piano playing has become the darling of neuroscience.

Several more quotes highlighting the incredibly demanding nature of developing advanced piano playing skills.

Interestingly, one statistic revealed that women are two times as likely to suffer from playing related injuries as men.

“A well-coordinated technique leads to a more efficient use of the brain. Playing more efficiently and playing without distracting excess tension frees up “cortical real estate” for listening and making music.”

Barbara showed photos of various pianists and discussed their technical qualities. She had audience members slide forward in their seats, become aware of their posture, balance their heads on their bodies, release shoulders, breathe easily, torso balanced on sitting bones, legs falling, and feet supported by the floor. Arms should hang freely from the shoulders. All of this was done with closed eyes. “You are now using your kinesthetic sense, the starting place for all of this.” Maintaining kinesthetic awareness is critical when playing.

Healthful technique operates in harmony with the laws of nature.

[A list of how healthful technique can enhance musicality.]

“The brain has more room to think about real music making when it doesn’t have to deal so much with the mechanics…” – Sam, one of Barbara’s students

A collection of student performance video clips illustrated the harmony of healthful technique and artistic playing. Barbara pointed out the common technical elements in each student: balanced on sitting bones, free neck, and continuous listening. Another observation is that the rhythm is embodied in the body. The performer feels the rhythm in their arm, though not in a floppy way. She described the tone as “ear candy – it’s so delicious how that tone falls on the ear.”

Barbara concluded the session with a performance of several bits of pieces demonstrating the techniques she’s been discussing:

Her closing comment: With this, every piano becomes your friend. It’s like an arranged marriage. You learn to love each other and make music together.

This is one of the sessions I’ve been most looking forward to, thanks to my student Luke who first introduced me to some of Mr. Zander’s insightful presentations via some YouTube video clips.

Despite an incredibly impressive list of credentials

Mr. Zander quickly grabbed the attention of the audience by walking around the room, pointing out the first arrivals who were all sitting in the back row. This led to an extensive discussion on the psychology of where people sit and why so many people choose the back row. He pointed out the complete absence of people in the front row and said he experienced the same thing when talking to a Fortune 500 group where every attendee made billions of dollars a year. Then he invited people to come to the front, stating that it was very important to him to have the front rows completely full. This was no problem since the room was packed with standing room only!

“Teachers are the highest form of human life.” Mr. Zander continued by introducing his plan of talking about two worlds.
Two shoe salesmen went to Africa in the 1800s to sell shoes. They responded very differently:
1 – “Hopeless situation. They don’t wear shoes.”
2 – “Glorious opportunity! No one has shoes yet!”

The situation is the same. It’s what is said about it that is different. And it’s not only words we speak, but ways we be. As teachers, we can choose every moment which world we will dwell in. “The world will show up for you entirely in the way you create it.”

He shared about a man he met on the elevator just a few minutes before. When asking how he was, the man responded, “Could be worse.” He rested his case. In contrast, when he asked a 15-year old years ago how he was, he responded “If I were any better I would be a twin!” Referring back to the front row discussion, he said it doesn’t matter where you’re sitting; it matters what you’re being while you’re sitting.

It looks like the first world is about failure and the second is about success. But it’s more complicated than that. The first world is about failure and success. The second world is not about winning and losing. He shared about a gorgeous young woman he observed whom he described as looking a little bit like Mary Queen of Scots before she was about to be executed. Upon inquiring he discovered that she was getting ready to play the piano for the piano competition. Again, in contrast, he told a story about a 5-year old who excitedly ran through the hall with her cello thrilled for the opportunity to play.

He was faced with this in his teaching at the New England Conservatory. The students are constantly questioning, “Am I better than her? Am I as good as him?” They are constantly measuring and comparing. When one of them comes out to play, it looks like there is only one person playing. But there are two. The one playing the instrument and the one behind them whispering in their ear, “You haven’t practiced enough. There’s that tricky passage you missed in practice. You’re going to miss it again.” If you ask, “What voice in the head?” That voice. Sometimes this voice talks so loudly that it drowns out the music.

Mr. Zander told about his book, The Art of Possibility, authored by his wife with whom he co-authored the book. He said she couldn’t be here because she was busy writing the next book that they will be co-authoring. He read a brief excerpt:

“Artists, musicians, performers, painters, poets have rarely been in a position to speak to those directly engaged in business or finance…In our new society there are no compelling institutions that speak to the majority…this begs for creativity…it may be that the artist in each one of us has the unprecedented opportunity to set the path…”

He invited us to his class in September. He addresses the students, “Your grade is an A. It’s an A for the whole year. There is one condition. It’s not that you have to come to class. If you don’t come to class, I can’t promise the results.” In the last class there were 56 students in attendance; only 47 were enrolled. “People don’t go to a class to get a grade any more than people go to work to get money.” “I just invented that.”

The only condition is that they must write a letter dated May of the following year. It must begin with, “Dear Mr. Zander, I got an A because…” and then they must describe the person they have become as a result of taking the class. Then fall in love with that person that they have envisioned. He adds, ” You see, I only take A students.” You can give an A to anybody. You can give an A to your students. It’s a gift. It’s unconditional. He quoted a therapist, “If there’s a breakdown in a relationship, you’re not giving somebody an A.”

It’s only when you give an A to somebody that you can tell the truth to them. Another teacher assumed that if Mr. Zander discovered that a student wasn’t living up to his grade that he would modify it from an A to something lesser. He told of a young 15-year old girl who angrily responded that her name was Joy. Did her parents change her name because she wasn’t joyful? Of course not. You don’t give children a name as an expectation to live up to, but as a possibility to live into.

We are like priests in a general sense – religious leader. We only have one thing to care about: the spirit. Does that mean that competitions aren’t good? No. Competitions are great! He shared an anecdote: Two men were sitting together and one asked the other, “How’s your wife?” After great deliberation, he responded, “Compared to what?” The question was asked to invite a conversation about relationship. The answer was given in a downward spiral, as only a comparative. They were asked and answered in different places.

He asked a student once, “What does it feel like to get an A in the first class when you haven’t done anything yet?” The Asian students revealed that in Asia it’s important to be right, and the teacher is always right. The best way for a student to be right is to remain silent. Mr. Zander believes the opposite. You can’t learn anything if you don’t make mistakes. He encourages students to celebrate when they make mistakes.

It’s been said that you cannot play great music unless your heart has been broken. “I say, well then, let’s have more broken hearts and get on with it.” He told of an Asian student who told him that he had been number 68 out of 70 in his country’s university. Now Mr. Zander told him he was an A. It was very confusing. But eventually he decided that he was much happier being an A and decided to go with that.

While having breakfast with a friend in London he discovered that he didn’t have a knife. He called the waitress over, “I have a perfect life, but I don’t have a knife.” She went to get the knife and a young girl at the next table over thought it was hilarious. He smiled and winked at her. The next morning, Mr. Zander went over to greet her at her breakfast table and asked how she was. “Perfect,” she responded. He thinks she had discovered the secret of life. What is the secret of life? “It’s all invented.” When he discovered that, it changed his life. He had been leading a normal life when one day he had a shattering “road-to-damascus” experience in which he discovered that the conductor doesn’t make a sound. The conductor gets his power from his ability to awaken possibility in other people. How do you know if you’re doing that? Look at their eyes. If their eyes are shining, you know that you’re doing it. If the eyes are not shining, ask a question, “Who am I being that my players’ eyes are not shining?” We can do that with our children, our students, our husbands and wives.

He went even a step further. As a conductor, it’s different than being a teacher. Life in the orchestra is very difficult. But we are all conductors. As a teacher, if you’re sitting with an 8-year old child, you’re the conductor of that relationship.

[The audience was enamored with Benjamin Zander]

“This room is full of woman. Every company I go to, I can gauge the success of the company by how many women are in authority.” He shared briefly about his removal from New England Conservatory due to a scandal that happened 20 years ago not related to him. He has received numerous letters in appreciation of the influence he has had in many lives. Teachers have a sacred influence in their students’ lives.

It matters who we are being all the time, not just in the piano lesson. He shared of a time when he was at the airport and got upset because his ticket was given away. After expressing himself, a man close by said, “I’m sorry I saw that because I really enjoyed your talk.”

He said he would share with us what he always does in his talks. But he is used to talking to groups that have no connection to music. Usually there are maybe 7 out of 900 that have a personal musical connection. There’s another group, though, that don’t mind classical music. Most of the group is comprised of those who never listen to classical music all year long. A tiny group of people think they are tone deaf. It’s not possible. Nobody is tone deaf. If you were tone deaf, you couldn’t change the gears on a stick shift, or hear the kettle, or tell the difference between a lion and a bird or a Texan and an Italian. When your mother calls, you can tell not only that it’s her, but also what mood she’s in. In the Chinese language the same words can mean multiple things based on the tonal quality of how it is said.

Tone deaf is something that happened when you were seven years old singing in a choir. The teacher said, “Shh, don’t sing. Just pretend you’re singing so you don’t spoil the choir.” He wishes we could take out a malpractice suit against such teachers. That is the end of the musical experience for many people.

It will take eleven minutes to get everyone in the room to love classical music. He takes business leaders through this process:

We only recognize what we have a category for. Education is not the transference of information but the opening up of new categories.

Mr. Zander concluded his presentation with an interactive illustration by having the audience sing Happy Birthday to one of the attendees. He helped us figure out how to emphasize the appropriate part of the phrase (“you”), use gestures, sing with passion, and inform the face so that it reflects the emotion of what you are saying.

A few closing thoughts and musical demonstrations were designed to help the audience realize that the talk was not motivational, but transformational. “Motivational talks are like Chinese food. They taste good, but leave you wanting more in two hours.” A transformational talk is something you keep thinking about that changes your perspective and the way you approach life and teaching.

Classical music is for everyone. But our profession doesn’t see it that way. We are living too much in the first world and are caught in a downward spiral. It is up to us. “We are the priests. We are holding the flame that must be passed on.” Within minutes of leaving the session, he proposed that we would be engaged in a conversation that has the potential for downward spiral. But it doesn’t have to be. Who will enroll whom in the other’s world?

In closing, he referenced his book and said that he wouldn’t be surprised if someday you go to the hotel and open the drawer and there are two books…

The Art of Possibility. Possibility is always only one sentence away. Mr. Zander wrapped up his presentation by reading a short story of monks, rabbis, and the impending downfall of a monastery. After being told by a Rabbi that one of them was the Messiah, the monks began treating themselves and others with greater respect. All the visitors were drawn to the place because of their attitudes and treatment of each other. The monastery once again became a thriving order.

Randall Faber greeted the early morning audience by asking us to imagine that we are sitting in our home studios getting ready to teach the fourth student of the day. There are four more after him. It sounds wearying already. Because for us it is like the 4,000th lesson. But there is value in routine.

The problem with routine is when we disengage. We have to use the tools of routine and learn to focus our attention for maximum engagement. Use flexibility to find novelty, to look at something routine with new eyes.

With that introduction, Randall explained to the audience that the 2nd Edition of their Piano Adventures series is designed to allow for better flexibility with the familiarity of the first edition. He had everyone take out and follow through the complimentary Sightreading Book Level 1 that correlates with the Lesson book.

[Here's our packet of free materials!]

Randall discussed some of the latest research in the brain. He referenced the distinctions made between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. He said that the reality of the difference is as follows:

* The right brain is processing the novelty, things that are new.
* The left brain is storing the routine.

The goal is to move patterns and routines from the newness in the right brain to the storage of the left brain. This is part of the benefit of exercises like the Sailing in the Sun variations in the Sightreading Book. As we play the routinized patterns, our brain is processing the sound, the sight, and the movement all at once.

Next, we moved into an overview of the second edition of the Lesson Book. Randall said that sometimes we have the mistaken view that “we teach, therefore the student learns.” This is not always the case. We have to keep reinforcing it until the student really knows the material and absorbs it into their being. That’s what it takes to be an excellent musician. Here is what the process looks like:
1. Teach
2. Learn
3. Know
4. Absorb

Some of the pieces have been moved around a bit; others have been added, including a theme from Bach and one from Brahms. This is in keeping with structure and approach from the My Very First Piano Adventures series for very young students.

Several video clips of Nancy Faber working with students were shown. In one where a student first scoped out and started practicing the hardest part in the piece she said, “Your fingers have to be taught and you are training them!”

A fun video clip of Nancy and a student playing Jazz Blast from Lesson Book 2. There is an additional page now that encourages the student to improvise on the pattern. Students will love this!

After finishing the Level 2 overview, Randall skipped a few levels and moved into Level 4. He said this is critical because at this point we are helping students move into an intermediate level of playing. He discussed important technique concepts of alignment and the necessity of building the bridge in a student’s hands so that they learn to balance the weight properly and not just play with a curved finger gripping the key.

He continued to emphasize using the arm weight as he went through the remainder of the technique secrets in the Technique and Artistry book of level 4. You can see from his demonstrations how it is so important to give students the technique tools and understanding so that they can play any piece beautifully by implementing the appropriate gestures. This sets students up for success as musicians.

We turned to the back of the book where a “wheel” gives a handy layout of which books are used simultaneously and what books are designed to be used as a supplement to the series at each level.

Randall concluded by advocating that students be given music and skills that are functional. He said that for those at this intermediate level their motivation is closely tied to their social spheres. As teachers, we should help them succeed in this sphere by giving them what they need in order to bring music into their social spheres in a utilitarian way, not just working on one big piece a year for a competition. And we certainly don’t want them to end up in the situation of having only the Chopin G-minor Ballade to play at their sister’s wedding!

Gail Berenson, past president of MTNA welcomed attendees and introduced author, Stuart Isacoff.

Stuart began his presentation on A Natural History of the Piano: The Instrument, the Music, the Musicians – from Mozart to Modern Jazz and Everything in Between. His goal in conducting this research and writing the book was to look for common threads throughout history instead of considering various periods and aspects of music history in a disjointed manner.

He illustrated this point by playing an excerpt from a piece by Couperin that is reflective of parallels in some of Ravel’s music.

An excerpt from Bach seems to be a precursor to Johnny Hodges Jazz music…

Stuart continued by giving an overview of what is include in his book, including a history of the invention of the piano by Cristofori (which is actually pronounced with the emphasis on the “o” as a short “o”). Its remarkable ability to change dynamics based on the amount of force/touch used made it unique from all other keyboard instruments. This design allowed it to sing for the first time.

[Incidentally, I had the privilege of seeing the original Cristofori piano at the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday! As soon as I started writing that, Mr. Isacoff said that he actually had the experience of playing the Cristofori piano at the museum! Guess he one-upped me on that one. ]

At first, pianos were very scarce, but Mozart and his piano concerto compositions had a great deal to do with the growing popularity of the piano. He began offering his music in restaurants and guest houses. The piano was not yet a universal instrument, but continued to evolve for years. It was developed until it had the full 88-key keyboard by the end of Beethoven’s lifetime.

The growth of the piano’s popularity was also due to the changing views in society. In those years, instrumental skill was considered to be “of primary importance in the education of women.”

The piano was incorporated into all sorts of different shapes and styles. This gave rise, also, to traveling virtuosos. One man claimed that Beethoven’s Sonatas were responsible for moving music out of the homes and into the concert halls.

Piano companies sponsored the virtuosos and released all sorts of ads promoting their concerts.

Mr. Isacoff said that in order not to be arbitrary, he started looking for threads in the sound of the piano itself. Just like a painter has access to the same palette of colors, they have different techniques and brush strokes and ways of capturing light to create their masterpieces, pianos are created with the same basic components but have many variables in regards to tone production, dynamic capacity, emotional expression, and harmonic chemistry.

He uses categories when discussing the way different pianists make use of the components of the piano:
Combustibles – people who make use of dynamic contrasts (Beethoven, Jerry Lee Lewis)
Melodists (Schubert, J.C. Bach, Schumann)
Alchemists [creating atmospheric qualities] (Bill Evans, Claude Debussy)

No great musician will be forced into one of these categories; they will be capable of all of them at different points in different situations. But what do people hear when they hear the music of a particular composer or performer played in a concert setting? What stands out to them?

Time for another showcase! I got delayed in the Exhibit Hall (trying to redeem all those special offers!), so I got to this session a little late. But the energetic Helen Marlais is always a fun presenter.

She’s giving an overview of the newest levels of her piano method, Succeeding at the Piano, 2B and 3. It’s helpful to hear background information about each piece and the pedagogical goals behind it.

Even better, you get to hear her play each piece, gaining inspiration and vision for how to teach it and help students learn to play artistically!

As anyone who’s been to a national conference will tell you, one of the highlights of the experience is the extensive Exhibitor Hall!

MTNA prints a coupon book that contains special offers from many of the exhibitors. This is a great way to pick up catalogs, teaching goodies, and lots of free books and sheet music!

You see all sorts of great things, including a craftsman at work on a beautiful grand piano from Steinway & Sons.

And of course, you have a chance to meet the publishers, listen to composers play their own compositions, collect autographs, and visit with other teachers. The only drawback is that there’s never enough time to do everything and still make it to all the sessions!