Piano pedagogy

Piano pedagogy is the study of the teaching of piano playing. Whereas the
professional field of music education pertains to the teaching of music in school
classrooms or group settings, piano pedagogy focuses 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
pedagogy are called piano pedagogues, or simply, piano teachers.

Music Education at NCPE, depicting

Contents a piano teacher with a student
playing the piano and three fellow
Professional training students observing. (9370854744)
Musicians without degrees in piano pedagogy
Undergraduate and graduate studies in piano pedagogy
Professional organizations in the United States
Professional Organizations in Canada
Notable piano pedagogues in history
Topics of study
Ear training
Rhythm
Notation
Technique
Improvisation
Sight reading
Memorization
Repertoire
Venues offering instructions in piano playing
See also
References
Further reading
Business skills for piano teachers and artists
External links

Professional training
The range of professionalism among teachers of piano is undoubtedly wide. "Competent instruction is not 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, music history and theory, piano repertoire, experience in teaching, ability to adapt one's teaching method to students
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 specifically focused in piano performance or
piano pedagogy. Some teachers may hold degrees in another discipline in 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 been self-taught.

Undergraduate and graduate studies in piano pedagogy

The field of piano pedagogy may be studied through academic programs culminating in the attainment of 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
.[2]
teaching experience and at least abachelor of music or equivalent experience in piano performance and/or pedagogy

Although virtually all piano pedagogy programs include a significant portion of performance requirement, the pedagogy major may
be distinct from the performance major at some schools. Some members 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 or
ganizations, 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 prominent
organizations in the United States include:

American Council of Piano Performers - ACPP

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

Professional Organizations in Canada

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, while intermediate certificate allows teachers to teach up to grade 6 piano. Advanced piano
pedagogy is known as "ARCT" (Associate of Royal Conservatory of Toronto), which enables teachers to teach up to grade 10. There
are also a number of theory and history examinations that accompany each certificate program which must be completed. There is
also a Piano Teachers Federation based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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 books
Abby 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)
Stefan Ammer (Germany, 1942-)
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. Faina Bryanskaya, 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 is the 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 plays a significant role 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
Learning to read music is a critical skill for most pianists. There are generally three approaches to teaching students to read music,
although combined approaches are increasingly common. The "Middle C Method", a "single note identification" method, was the
most commonly taught method through the 20th century. It was introduced by W.S.B. Mathews in 1892 but popularized by
Thompson's Modern Course for Piano (1936). "Middle C" teaches positions relative to the middle C; in other "single note
identification" methods, other notes might be used.

The "intervallic method", developed by Frances Clark with her Time to Begin (1955) curriculum, teaches recognition of patterns, and
adds "landmark notes".

The "multi-key method", developed byRobert Pace and published in 1954, teaches students all major and minor keys fairly quickly
.

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 and at the fingertips, the physical landscape of the entire
range of the keyboard, finger dexterity and independence, 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
.[4]
naturally through the sound of the piano, so that the elements of technique will sound alive with musicality

Improvisation
Modern piano lessons tend to emphasize learning notation, and may neglect developing the creative spirit and sensitive ears which
lead to expressive music-making. Studies point to the need for using multiple 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 music learning
and practicing alive and interesting.[6] One way to do so is to make up stories full of different emotions through improvising, in order
[4]
to reinforce music theory concepts already introduced and to develop a wide range of touch and tone production.

Some mainstream piano methods, such as Faber Piano Adventures, have started offering improvisation options.[7] But in most
methods, improvisation remains supplemental, with the core curriculum centering around notation, theory, and technique.[8][9][10]
There are exceptions, such as The Music Tree, where every unit in the core lesson book has an improvisation activity.[11] One
playing-based piano method, Simply Music, includes improvisation beginning at the very first lessons and continuing throughout the
students' learning experience.[12]

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
should expect when sight reading.

Memorization
Memorization is useful to perform a piece confidently. It gives the student ability and freedom to experience the music for all of its
intricacies as opposed to focusing on the technicalities of notes and rhythm. Memorization can come easily to some students, and
harder for others. The most common memorization 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 room for lots of memory
slips. To have a strong foundation of memorization, students should be able to visualize everything that they play, and be able to start
from any passage.

[5]
Effective memorization results from the "combination of visual, kinaesthetic, aural and analytical skills".

Repertoire
[4][13]
Well-known keyboard works written with special attention for pedagogical purposes in mind include:

Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach(1725) by family and friends ofJ.S. Bach
Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach , Little Preludes and Fugues,Inventions and Sinfonias, & the Well-
Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach
Sonatinas by Muzio Clementi
Album For the Young, Op. 68 (1848) by Robert Schumann
Album For the Young, Op. 39 (1878) byPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Music for Children, Op. 65 (1935) by Sergei Prokofiev
Pieces by Igor Stravinsky, Dmitri Kabalevsky and Aram Khatchaturian
Mikrokosmos, Sz. 107, BB 105 (1926–39) byBéla Bartók

Venues offering instructions in piano playing

The teaching of piano playing most often take place in the form of weekly private lessons, in which a student 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 teachers

Piano and music stores
Community music schools
Continuing education programs
 Preparatory division of music colleges or conservatories
Music colleges or conservatories
Online Distance-learning Courses[14]

See also
Five finger exercise
Pedagogy
Pianists
Group Piano

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/progra
ms.htm)
3. Ulszer, Marienne (1995). The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-871780-5
4. 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/Jan 07-08.
7. "Discover Beginning Improvisation, piano book"(https://pianoadventures.com/browse/libraries/libraries-supplementar
y-works/libraries-supplementary-works-discover-improvisation/)
.
8. "Alfred's Basic Piano Course"(http://alfredsbasicpiano.com/pages/alfreds-basic-piano-course)
. Alfred's Basic Piano
Library. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
9. "Neil A. Kjos Music Company"(http://www.kjos.com/sub_section.php?division=5&series=13). www.kjos.com.
Retrieved 2016-10-15.
10. "Curriculum Overview" (https://pianoadventures.com/curriculum-overview/)
. pianoadventures.com. Retrieved
2016-10-15.
11. "Alfred Music | The Music Tree: Student's Book, Part 1 | Book" (http://www.alfred.com/Products/The-Music-Tree-Stud
ents-Book-Part-1--00-0686S.aspx). www.alfred.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
12. "How It Works | Simply Music Piano"(http://simplymusicpiano.com/how-it-works/). Simply Music Piano. Retrieved
2016-10-15.
13. 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
14. Hall, Robin. "Piano For All" (https://learnpianoquick.wordpress.com). Learn Piano Quick Online. Retrieved
28 October 2017.

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.ISBN 0-253-34855-2

Magrath, Jane (1995).Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature. Alfred Publishing 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: New York. ISBN 0-87910-966-1

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

External links
Music Teachers National Association - MTNA(USA)
The Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy
National Guild of Piano Teachers
Piano Teachers Congress of New York
Robert Schumann's Rules for Young Musicians

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