I am available for teachers’ workshops and master classes with pre-college and college students. I enjoy presenting lecture-demonstrations on a number of topics including topics related to classical teaching literature, cur
rent thought in piano pedagogy.
A typical day could include one or two lecture-demonstrations and a master class, or perhaps may include a video-session with representative student performers for study and analysis. Many of these sessions also offer motivational suggestions and insights.
Several workshop topics and descriptions are listed below, but topics and session content are continually evolving. Please contact me for a current list of topics and descriptions.
This workshop will present unusual, effective teaching literature for various levels . Enliven and refresh your lessons with this material, and learn new ways to present the pieces. Examples of the handouts and slides can be found online by clicking here.
A central concern for all teachers is the pacing and building of pianistic and musical skills in students. This session will focus on using perception, foresight, and insight to choose motivational literature for student performances.
So much has changed in the last twenty years with our added knowledge of the Black Hole Teaching Literature, classical literature for progressing pianists. What is there to teach, what has become increasingly standard, and what is a perspective on the wonderful body of classical teaching literature that we have?
This session provides a discussion and performances of literature that has been carefully sequenced to build skills for progression from the easiest romantic works to the standard pieces in the repertoire. Emphasis is on the discovery of appropriate romantic teaching literature that is effective i
n performance. An additional focus is on teaching stylistic performance from the beginning. A detailed handout is provided.
This session is presented with the aid of a video presentation of piano students performing. Student performances discussed exhibit typical (but not-so-easy to fix) technical problems and musical problems. Potential solutions and ramifications of the problems will also be discussed. Additional video presentations are also available.
Twentieth-century teaching literature that is effective in performance. An additional focus is on teaching stylistic performance and on building skills through the great literature.
Suggestions for building technique including strategies on how to develop, pace, and teach pure technique. The emphasis is on building technique rather than on teaching technique.
A crash-course is presented that surveys the body of literature by standard classical composers that is sometimes termed the “black hole” literature. Teachers work best when they are aware of options, from Menotti Poemetti to Schumann Album Leaves, Op. 124, to appropriately assign and build repertoire. What are the major teaching collections, what is there that is appropriate, and what are some possible ways to build a student’s repertoire?
Standard literature that may not be so well known that is paced and sequenced for the typical pre-college student of today. Specific works are discussed from the upper-elementary to the lower-advanced levels. Suggestions are given for finer points in teaching it in terms of style, performance practice, practice suggestions, preparation and other aspects.
Typical teaching pieces from the standard classical literature are assessed in terms of practice techniques for today’s hurried child. A practice formula is established for the student to follow in his quest to learn a new work.
The focus of this presentation is to take a closer look at some perhaps little-known literature that can motivate and inspire students (and teachers) looking for “the perfect piece.” Literature that has been carefully selected to be effective in performance is discussed and performed.
This session presents a myriad of piano-related books to help teachers keep abreast of current trends and information on piano playing and teaching. Included is information on books in the following categories: essentials for the young piano teacher, books for the continuing thinker and learner, books with a reflective orientation, and a list of books not to be forgotten.