Inclusion, Ideas, and Innovations Volume 10, Number 3
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Clavier Companion Clavier May/June 2018 May/June May/June 2018 Consider this: Inclusion, Ideas, and Innovations Volume 10, Number 3 10, Number Volume Bringing music-making to everyone The repertoire-rich challenge The Housewarming Project May/June 2018, Vol. 10, No. 3 Contents Ideas Preludes First Looks 4 Editor’s page 8 Musical news & notes 60 Closer Look: Method Review The balance of things The Lang Lang Piano Method Deborah Rambo Sinn 9 Poetry Corner Susan Geffen 62 New music reviews 6 Variations 9 Recent research Barbara Kreader Skalinder 64 Recordings 72 Questions & Answers 66 Apps for teaching Sam Holland 70 Keyboard Kids’ Companion Learning Repertoire Perspectives &Teaching 44 Fostering collaboration 52 My hardest lesson ever Autumn Zander Eric Street 36 Go green (screen) and bring the music to life! 50 Pupil Saver: “La Cage de Cristal” 56 Making money, making space Chris Madden and from Histoires by Jacques Ibert How to become an indispensible Jennifer Stadler Adrienne Wiley piano teacher Wendy Stevens 42 Create and motivate: combining scales and chords 58 Mind matters Bradley Sowash Change Julie Jaffee Nagel 9 36 66 70 May/June 2018, Vol. 10, No. 3 Bringing music-making to everyone 10 Scott Price MusicLink Connection 14 Joanne Haroutounian Celebrating the Spectrum 17 Piano Festival Derek Kealii Polischuk Music knows no walls 20 Anna Hamilton The repertoire-rich Bringing it home: 24 Returning to challenge in-house concerts The more you learn in the modern era Elissa Milne Jeremy Siskind More is more: 27 Forty pieces and beyond Benjamin Steinhardt 28 The challenge that revolutionized my piano studio Lizbeth Atkinson 30 Front Cover: Digital illustration by Trevor Roberson A magazine for people who are passionate about the piano. ClavierCompanion.com Publisher Associate Editors Who We Are THE FRANCES CLARK CENTER NANCY BACHUS FOR KEYBOARD PEDAGOGY BRUCE BERR MICHELLE CONDA Interim Editor-in-Chief REBECCA GROOMS JOHNSON Director of Digital Content GEORGE F. LITTERST and Operations SCOTT MCBRIDE SMITH DEBORAH RAMBO SINN HELEN SMITH TARCHALSKI Senior Editor Contributing Editors CRAIG SALE TONY CARAMIA VANESSA CORNETT Executive Director STEVE HALL JENNIFER SNOW GEOFFREY HAYDON PHILLIP KEVEREN Design & Production BARBARA KREADER SKALINDER TREVOR ROBERSON JANE MAGRATH JULIE JAFFEE NAGEL Managing Editors CHRISTOPHER NORTON STEVE BETTS BRADLEY SOWASH SUSAN GEFFEN WENDY STEVENS LEILA VISS Advertising Digital Management ROBERT WEIRICH RYAN GREENE RICHARD ZIMDARS Copy Editors Circulation CARLA DEAN DAY PUBLICATION FULFILLMENT KRISTEN HOLLAND SHEAR SERVICES Clavier Companion is written and edited entirely by pianists and piano teachers. What We Do Our editorial content focuses on: v Coverage of the newest trends and ideas in performance and pedagogy v Practical solutions for piano teaching and learning v Profiles of leading pianists and pedagogues v Thought-provoking ideas from a range of contributors v Reviews of the latest music, recordings, books, technology, and educational products 3 May/June 2018 Clavier Companion Editor’s Page Deborah Rambo Sinn The balance of things Our topic this month, “Consider this: something similar? From a few succinct sentences, one has Inclusion, Ideas, and Innovations,” invites you the philosophical foundation for the ensuing decisions that to explore this expanding universe of piano need to be made for a studio. pedagogy. For some Clavier Companion Consider this my long-way-around-the-block readers, you will find yourself admiring those encouragement to take a step back and understand who work with disadvantaged populations. that you, as a teacher, do not need to be everything to For others, you may find yourself wanting to learn more so everyone. In my chat at MTNA in March, I suggested that that you can incorporate new ideas into your studio. And using technology is not required to be a successful teacher. for another group of readers, it will be tempting to eat the (There was more to this statement, but this snippet serves pie all at once, devouring all the information in one gut- my purpose here.) I would like to expand that notion and busting gulp, with the idea of widening your scope as a say that each teacher has unique gifts and contributions teacher as quickly as possible. to the field. Your tools of the trade will not, and should Gluttony aside, where does one begin to figure out how not, look like anyone else’s. Your own special sets of talents to dispense one’s resources of time, energy, and money in and interests makes you irreplaceable. Teaching as an creating the ideal studio? outpouring of your core calling makes you authentic. The I would like to suggest that it begin with your personal ideas in this issue may or may not pull you toward other teaching philosophy. At your core, why do you teach and interests that are in line with your philosophy. what are your values around your teaching? Teaching In his January 8 blog, Seth Godin said, “When confronted philosophy statements are a common requirement when with too many good options, it’s easy to get paralyzed. The applying for university positions but may not be something complaint is that we don’t know what to do next, because independent music teachers think of very often, if at all. “I we’re pulled in many good directions—and doing one thing believe”—or, as Diane Hidy does below, “I will”—statements with focus means not doing something else.”2 are a good way to begin. Once you externalize with words Marketers will always try to convince you that you what you understand deeply about yourself as a teacher, need more, and it is tempting to pull out the credit card decisions on how you will build your studio become simpler. when we think our teaching might improve with the latest From there, you will start to identify your strengths, who and greatest gadget, app, book, or music. I speak from your clientele is, and what tools you will need to serve them experience. Facebook teachers may inadvertently shame best. you because you do not include enough _______ (fill in the blank) in your teaching. Listening to too much noise will Diane Hidy, in the first paragraph of her studio policy, states keep you from successfully filling your teaching niche (both the following: physically and philosophically), which may or may not I will teach your child the language of include whatever that “fill in the blank” might encompass. music. I teach music with this single “Consider this” is not a call to change, but rather an purpose: so my students will be able invitation to learn more about the world around us. It is to give voice to that which they cannot a celebration of the personal callings of a number of say, and for which they have no words. our colleagues and an encouragement toward lifelong My studio has a positive and enthusiastic education and exploration. It is a challenge given to inspire environment. I will tailor the curriculum you toward equilibrium and confidence in your calling as a to match your child’s specific learning teacher. And, who knows? You may find yourself heading needs.1 out on a new avenue in your studio. The wellspring of this statement comes from her core 1 DianeHidy.com/how-my-studio-works/ teaching philosophy. This vivid paragraph will help her 2 SethGodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2018/01/stuck-on- potential students understand who she is. Have you written whats-next.html 4 Clavier Companion May/June 2018 Inclusion in piano study Bringing music-making to everyone By Scott Price f there is one thing that music and hearing impairments, and developmental can do, it can bridge all divides. It delays of all types. Students have weekly does not recognize age or gender, lessons (30, 45, or 60 minutes), and each race or social class. Music does lesson includes instruction in improvisation. not recognize disability. Music Music composition is included for students does not discriminate. It finds and as possible. They perform on a recital each nourishes the good in everyone, semester and are required to improvise for the and every person has the ability audience in addition to performances of their to experience and make some repertoire. Some students also perform their kind of music. If we cannot find a way together, own compositions. Ior if we reach an impasse, music can always open a door, or be the door to understanding. Inclusion in music is about ways to open doors for everyone—to include everyone regardless of circumstances and allow them the opportunity to study and enjoy music. Inclusion in music means traditional study, but also music therapy, music for people with special needs, music and medicine, music study for the disadvantaged, music study as a form of cultural awareness and celebration, and music as a form of social justice. This series of articles highlights just a few of the programs that have been created and are providing inclusion in music study for differing populations. I am truly proud to be part of such a remarkably dedicated profession that believes The students with special needs also so strongly in the ability of music to bring joy contributed to the creation of some graduate and to empower people in all communities and piano pedagogy seminars at The University throughout their lives. of South Carolina. Carolina LifeSong Initiative The Carolina LifeSong Initiative at the students were crucial to the development and University of South Carolina School of Music content of the course “MUSC 776 Teaching is a program designed to provide piano Students with Special Needs,” where graduate lessons and music experiences to students students receive instruction on adaptive with autism and other special needs including, pedagogy, policy and regulation, and related but not limited to, Down syndrome, visual subjects.