Clavier Companion sept 2014

8/11/2019 Clavier Companion sept 2014

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78

Table

of

Contents

The Piano Magazine

Ideas Preludes First Looks

September/October 2014, Vol. 6, No. 5

4 Editors Page

Chip and Bobo

Pete Jutras

6 Variations

I have a student who . . .

Barbara Kreader

80Questions & Answers

Sam Holland

10 Letters to the Editor

12 Staff picks

13 Musical news & notes

13 Competition corner

13 TED

726252

62 Closer Look

Music for the holidays

64 New Music Reviews

66Book Review

The Art of Piano Fingering

68 CD & DVD Reviews

72 Apps for teaching

78 Keyboard Kids Companion

Learning

&Teaching32Lesson plans: A teaching

essential?

Craig Sale with Arlene Steffen

and Stephen Hughes

40 Create and motivate: Dot spots

Bradley Sowash

Repertoire 42 Prelude sets for every occasion

Matthew Roy

50 Pupil saver: Pizzicati

Adrienne Wiley

Perspectives 52 Choosing a masters degree program

in piano pedagogy

Angela Meyers

60 Preparing an audition program

Catherine Kautsky


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feature

s

The Piano Magazine

September/October 2014, Vol. 6, No. 5

14

20

27

professionalcontributions of

Louise Goss:

Poetry Corner

In memoriam

TeachingTips fromLouise Goss

Louise Goss

The

by Judith Jain

by Sam Holland

On the cover:This issues cover features two ofLouise Gosss lasting contributions to piano pedagogy:The New School for Music Study in Princeton, NJ,and Chip and Bobo from The Music Tree.

28


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ClavierCompanion.com

The Piano Magazine

Publisher

THE FRANCES CLARK CENTER

FOR KEYBOARD PEDAGOGY

Editor-in-Chief

PETE JUTRAS

Executive Director

SAM HOLLAND

Design & Production

TREVOR ROBERSON

Managing Editors

STEVE BETTS

SUSAN GEFFEN

Digital Edition Production

NXTBOOK MEDIA

Advertising

LAUREN THOMPSON

Copy Editors

CARLA DEAN DAY

KRISTIN JUTRAS

KRISTEN HOLLAND SHEAR

WhoWeAre

OurMission

A magazine for people who are passionate about the piano.

ClavierCompanion.com

Clavier Companionis written and edited entirely by pianists and piano teachers.

Our editorial content focuses on

vPractical solutions to everyday problems of practicing and teaching

vCoverage of the newest trends and ideas in performance and pedagogy

vProles of leading pianists and pedagogues

vThought-provoking ideas from a variety of contributors

vReviews of the latest music, recordings, books, and products

Associate Editors

NANCY BACHUS

BRUCE BERR

MICHELLE CONDA

REBECCA GROOMS JOHNSON

GEORGE F. LITTERST

CRAIG SALE

SCOTT MCBRIDE SMITH

HELEN SMITH TARCHALSKI

Contributing Editors

TONY CARAMIA

STEVEN HALL

GEOFFREY HAYDON

PHILLIP KEVEREN

BARBARA KREADER

JANE MAGRATH

CHRISTOPHER NORTON

BRADLEY SOWASH

LEILA VISS

ROBERT WEIRICH

RICHARD ZIMDARS

Circulation

PUBLICATION FULFILLMENT

SERVICES

Director of Outreach

MAGGIE ZULLINGER


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CLAVIERCOMPANION September/October 2014

4

n this issue we pay tribute toLouise Goss,who passed away in April.Louise was one of the most important and

influential pedagogues of the twentieth

century; without her, the Frances Clark Center

for Keyboard Pedagogy would not exist. She

is responsible for the continued presence of

Clavier Companion, the National Conference

on Keyboard Pedagogy, and the New School

for Music Study. Louises work on The Music

Tree and the Frances Clark Library for Piano

Students has influenced every subsequent

piano method in North America, and her

dedication to excellence in teaching has

touched thousands of teachers and countless

students.

Our cover image features two important

parts of Louises legacy: the New School for

Music Study in Princeton, NJ, and Chip and

Bobo, fixtures of The Music Tree. In the 1990s,

when The Music Treewas undergoing a major

revision, there was some discussion about the

worth of Chip and Bobo. Did these characters,

created decades earlier, still have relevance in

the modern world?

Fortunately, in my opinion, the decision was

made to keep Chip and Bobo. For me, they

have always represented more than just cute

charactersthey are flag bearers for good

pedagogy in a variety of different ways.

Child-centered educationWhile many early twentieth-century methods

included child-like illustrations, these characters

typically illustrated what the piece was

about, or perhaps a movement related

to technique. In the words of Sam

Holland, Chip and Bobo were the

first interactive characters that

spoke directly to the students

about things they needed to

hear or see to become skillful

music makers. They were more

than cute cartoons. They were

learning companions, particularly

for the students home practice. Including Chip

and Bobo in the first (1955) edition of Time to

Beginwas a forward thinking move that signaled

a dedication to student-centered learning.

Multiple modes of learningLouise (and Frances) insisted that any con-

cept taught in the piano lesson or class should

be learned and experienced three ways. Stu-

dents should understand sound, touch (how

the concept feels on the piano keyboard), and

sight (how the concept looks on the page).

Also forward thinking for the time, this focus

on a variety of modes of learning indicates the

importance both of learning a concept com-

pletely and reaching students with different

learning styles. Chip and Bobo help reinforce

these modes of learning: Chips big eyes re-

mind students what to look for, and Bobos big

ears remind them what to listen for.

Presentation and follow-throughThroughout its volumes, The Music Tree is

a masterpiece of sequencing. Concepts are

carefully presented in a logical manner, ensur-

ing both initial success and thorough learning.

Reinforcement and follow-through give stu-

dents the practice needed to master and re-

tain knowledge. Chip and Bobo are important

guides through this process. As new concepts

are learned, they help direct students attention

to the important elements of those concepts,

paving the way for success. When a piece is

completed, Chip and Bobo return to ask im-

portant questions that review and reinforce

the material.

Chip and Bobo have been guiding piano stu-

dents for more than fifty years. Students enjoy

seeing their friendly, encouraging faces. They

are much more than cute companions, how-

ever. They personify excellence in teaching in

many different ways, and they will carry on the

work of Louise Goss and Frances Clark for gen-

erations to come.

I

EditorsPagePete Jutras

ChipandBobo


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have a student who grad-uated from my studio thisyear.Leah began study with me asa curly-haired, precocious five-year-

old. Today she is a vibrant young wom-

an of eighteen. Leah chose three pieces

for her final performance: Footfalls, by

Wayne Shorter, which included a lumi-

nous jazz improvisation; the first move-ment of Beethovens Moonlight Sonata,

played with insightful maturity and sen-

sitivity; and George Harrisons While My

Guitar Gently Weeps, one of Leahs sig-

nature songs.

I have another student who also played

that afternoon: second-grader Owen,

who is my first grandstudent. In the au-

dience sat his mother, Rachel, along with

her twin sisters, Lesley and Molly. They all

studied with me from the time they were

six until they graduated from high school.

The students who stayThe next time you are gathered togeth-

er with a group of music teachers, count

how many times you hear one of them

say, I have a student who . . . We teach-

ers love to talk about music, but we like

to talk about our students even more.

We mention those who stayed with us

through high school with particular pride

and affectionespecially those who

went on to a life in music. These studentsvalidate our work and make us feel suc-

cessful.

My first such student, Lisa, who would

now be fifty, went on to major in piano

at Northwestern and taught for many

years. Emily, currently earning her Ph.D.

in neuroscience at Berkeley, relaxes by

playing the piano. Zoe, who, according to

her mother, still practices every day, is a

senior studying to be a writer at DePaul

University. Rachel, Owens mother, is an

attorney, as is her sister, Molly. Mollys

twin, Lesley, is an artist and a music ther-

apist. And so the conversation goes.

The students who leaveYet what about the hundreds of other

students, ones who studied with us foronly several months or a few years? In

preparing introductory remarks for Le-

ahs final performance, I unearthed my

folder of recital programs. I wanted to

show Leah, her parents, and the audience

the progression of her growth and par-

ticipation over the years. Leafing through

more than forty-five years of programs,

I had the rich opportunity to remember

my other students, ones who were just as

important in my life as those who stuck

with me until they graduated.

Lessons for the teacherSarah was the student who taught me

that mistakes are almost never random.

Sarah loved Bob Vandalls Preludes, but

often found a phrase or two that she

simply could not master. Sarah loved to

compose music of her own, and we soon

realized that she preferred her mistak-

en harmonies to the ones Vandall com-

posed. Once we established that fact, we

called Mr. Vandall. He delighted in Sarahsimprovisations, and shared the rea-

sons he had chosen the elusive phrases

particular harmonies. Sarah then had no

trouble learning and enjoying the music

as Vandall composed it.

Allie was the student who continual-

ly reminded me that music heals. Born

with a serious disorder of the involuntary

muscles, she benefits from medicine that

I

VariationsBarbara Kreader


6

I

have

a

student

who

.

.

.

Wecanbereflectiveonlyifwe

allowourfearsandourmindstogofree.


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makes her life not only possi-

ble, but nearly normal. Allie isa particularly joyful and aware

person, and she brought this

delight and insight to her mu-

sic. One afternoon Allie, then

eight years old, played Phil-

lip Keverens arrangement of

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star so

beautifully that both her mother

and I became teary. Allie spoke

into the silence that followed,

You know why I chose that

piece this week dont you? Itsbecause of the astronauts, who

were killed in the Challenger ex-

plosion. The tenth anniversary

of the crash had occurred the

week before.

Rita was the student who

taught me that praise for noth-

ing means nothing. Rita never

sugar coated anything she said

or did, and in those days I did

sugar coat, always beginning

with a positive comment in aneffort to be supportive. One

day Rita played a piece full of

wrong notes, incorrect count-

ing, and a variety of tempos,

none of them the right one. Her

pedaling, however, was perfect

and I told her so. Rita looked at

me with her wise eyes and said,

Oh, thats ok, Mrs. Kreader. You

dont have to be nice. I know

that performance was a mess.

Just tell me how I can fix it. Ritais now a mother of three and a

social counselor. I envy her cli-

ents, and I am certain they ben-

efit from her mental clarity.

Meredith was the student

who taught me that children of-

ten know how to fix their own

problems. A transfer student,

Meredith came to me with poor

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VariationsBarbara Kreader


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reading skills, and I subsequently discovered

that she had a learning disability. She knew

how to work hard and practiced regularly.Yet, despite our theory work with note names

and intervals and our use of sight-reading

exercises, her reading continued to lag. One

day Meredith turned to me and said, I think I

know what we can do. I have this same prob-

lem at school and I have discovered that if I

write down the word or the information my-

self, I get it. Let me try writing in every note

name.

Because Meredith was playing at a

late-elementary level, this sounded like a

tedious proposition. In addition, I feared itwould ignore reading by intervals and lead to

note-by-note rather than phrase-by-phrase

playing. Yet I knew Meredith to be an intel-

ligent, serious student, so I listened to her.

Every week she wrote in every note of ev-

ery piece. Her suggestion worked. Once her

note-naming improved, she progressed to

writing in the intervals. The physical act of

writing down the information did the trick.

Life lessons

Finally, I had a fellow student who taughtme the importance of wearing your talent

with grace, gentleness, and generosity. I grew

up in Lincoln, Nebraska, where I studied with

Beth Miller Harrod. When I was twelve years

old, I played a Haydn Concerto at a recital

that combined my teachers piano students

with the string students of Carol Work. On the

program that day was eleven-year-old Marc

Johnson, who performed the first movement

of the Dvork Cello Concerto. I will never

forget the astounding beauty of his perfor-

mance with its liquid phrasing and assured,warm tone.

Marc and I both attended Rocky Ridge

Music Center for several summers. In high-

school, Marcs playing, whether as a soloist or

a chamber musician, grew to early maturity.

At the age of fifteen, in 1963, he won the na-

tional MTNA string competition.

I participated in the piano division of the

same competition, losing in the first round.

Throughout what was for Marc a joyful and

for me a discouraging experience, he treat-

ed me with warmth and respect. He remind-ed me that the music I was playing brought

me emotional sustenance, which was more

important than winning a contest. He didnt

sugar coat my experience with false praise.

He encouraged me to figure out why I played

like an angel (I valued that comment for

years) and then wandered off the notes at

what seemed like random moments.

Marc went on to study at Eastman and Juil-

liard and to win many more awards. His years

as the cellist in the Vermeer Quartet brought

the world music of unsurpassed intelligence,technical prowess, and warmth. I last heard

him play, this time as a soloist, in late January

of this year. When I greeted him briefly back-

stage, he reminded me, with his characteristic

dry humor, Our camp daysdo you realize

they were over fifty years ago?! On April 1,

Marc died of a heart attack at the young age

of sixty-seven.

I am a teacher and musician who . . . .


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FROST FACULTY: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF MUSICFrost School of Music Proudly Announces

Newly Appointed Faculty

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ber music and recording artist. After 23 years as pro-fessor of music at Indiana University, she now joins the piano

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Letters to the Editor

Preludes

Dear Editor,

I was happy to see the Caring For Your Piano arti-

cle by Fred Sturm in the May/June 2014 issue of ClavierCompanion. Fred is an articulate, knowledgeable, and

meticulous piano technician, and greatly admired in the

ranks of the Piano Technicians Guild. He is also a very

accomplished pianist, which gives him great credibility

with both technicians and teachers. Thank you for show-

casing his talents.

While Patrick Dunnes Loving An Old Piano article

is a warm and inspiring human-interest story, I must take

exception to many of the statements he made. It is ad-

mirable that Mr. Dunne recognizes the fine qualities and

possibilities of many of the vintage American-made in-

struments, but his comments about restringing a pianoto restore resonance and repairing a cracked sound-

board with epoxy are dangerous simplifications. Like-

wise, the sweeping statements about new Kawai or

Yamaha pianos sounding exactly the same, and the im-

plication that Mason & Hamlin no longer makes a fine in-

strument are misleading. Mr. Dunnes use of the term re-

built is unfortunate because it implies major renovation

of an instrument that is likely to cost much more than

the $3,000$4,000 he spent. Rebuilt, to a piano tech-

nician, suggests a new pinblock, new strings, new action

parts, key work, and quite possibly a new soundboard.

Mr. Dunnes advice on the care of your piano is excel-

lent: be careful to avoid direct sun and heat/air vents, nofood, no drinks, and no vases. Closing the lid is certainly

a way to reduce contamination by dust or cats; however,

closing the fallboard on ivory keytops will cause them

to turn yellow and discolor. Ivory keys need light to help

keep them white. Please do heed Mr. Dunnes wisdom

and hire a professional piano mover when your piano

needs to be moved.

Richard Capp, RPT, Piano Technicians Guild

Boulder, CO

Dear Editor,

I enjoy readingClavier Companion and find the

articles very informative. The article Hand posi-

tion basics, by Nancy Bachus, (March/April 2014)

sparked my curiosity because of my interest in

anatomy. As a piano teacher and a registered oc-

cupational therapist, I strive to support my teach-

ing of the physical approach to the piano with ev-

idence-based medicine.

In this article, Nancy Bachus discusses the perfect

hand position. It is true that one position that guides us

to find the balanced hand position with normal resting

tone is to let the arm hang at the side and allow the

fingers to find their position of rest, forming a natural

curve. However, a balanced hand position is the result ofthe relationship of the extrinsic (large muscles) originat-

ing near the elbow and inserting into the fingers and the

intrinsic (small) muscles of the hand that originate in the

hand and insert onto the bones of the fingers.

In the section entitled Hand anatomy, Nancy states

that: A major support of the arch of the hand is a mus-

cle that connects the thumb and finger three. The arch is

completed by finger five I was intrigued by this state-

ment, as the arch of the hand is an important compo-

nent in hand positioning.

Based on my own research, I have found that the ma-

jor support of the arch is formed by the ligaments whilethe muscles contribute to finger motion which changes

the shape of the arch. The arch leaves its normal posi-

tion, and the curve of the arch is increased as the oppon-

ens pollicisof the thumb and the opponens digiti minimi

of the little finger come closer together.

I respectfully disagree with the statement that finger

five is one of the stronger fingers. It has been demon-

strated that a larger muscle produces more mechani-

cal work than a small muscle. The work capacity index

(based on the total weight of the muscle bellies below

the elbow) of opponens digiti minimiis 2.0%. The work

capacity index for the long flexors of the third finger is

6.8%. The work capacity of the long flexors of the littlefingers is 3.7%.

Please regard this letter as an expression of sincere

interest in the well-being of teachers and students. I be-

lieve that an understanding of anatomy is valuable to

piano teachers and the piano teaching profession.

Maria Holian OTR/L, MT-BC, SCTM, NCTM

Plymouth, MI

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to Robert Weirichs Winds of

Change column (July/August, 2014). As a young piano

teacher, I would like to speak to the value of honest input

from mentors. I entered college as a piano performance

major, but had doubts from the beginning. I was not as

technically proficient as my peers and music was not the


10

I know that I am a better teacherbecause of the advice that I wasgiven in my moment of crisis.


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11

sole love of my life. During my sophomore year, I had

a crisis of the sort that Mr. Weirich describes, where

I had to choose between music and history. I loved

teaching piano in the pre-college program at my uni-

versity, but I did not love the music classes I was taking.

The piano professor I studied with that year had wise,

honest words: if you love history, major in it, but dont

quit piano. There is a reason you chose pianoyou have

to rediscover your love for it. At the time, I had no desire

to continue piano after college, but I took his advice

and double majored.

The professor said that I was learning music to please

professors and not myself. If I could take ownership of

the learning process, that would help me rediscover my

love for music. No one had ever told me that before.

That was the key difference between history and music:

my love of history compelled me to study and discover

new things independently of any professors direction.

My piano professor challenged me and helped me take

ownership of music learning.

By choice, I renewed my efforts and tackled piec-

es that challenged my deficiencies, greatly improving

my skills. In the spring of my senior year, I completely

changed all of my post-graduation plans and asked for

recommendation letters to a piano performance & ped-

agogy masters program.

Now, I am almost two years out of that masters pro-

gram and have a small studio of my own. I absolutely

love teaching and could not imagine doing anything

more rewarding with my life. I know that I am a better

teacher because of the advice that I was given in my

moment of crisis. I cannot be more grateful for the hon-

est wisdom that I received.

May Lauren Brinkman

Greenville, SC

Have a comment about Clavier Companion?

We would love to hear from you! Email editor@cla-

viercompanion.com.


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12

Everyone loves attending conferences (dont forget

NCKP this summer), but ground transportation can be

a major headache, not to mention a major expense. A

streamlined version of a cab service, Uber is my favorite

new option for rides. I open the free app, confirm my

location, and a driver arrives in 5-10 minutes. The fares

are generally less expensive than those of traditional

taxis, with savings often approaching 30-50 percent. My

credit card is charged through the app, so there is no

waiting for money to be exchanged, i.e. no way to get

ripped off, when we reach the destination. Uber can be

a great way to get to piano concerts and meetings, too.

Theres an interview on NPRs Marketplacewith Spanx

founder Sara Blakely in which the powerhouse CEO

advocates hiring your weaknesses: paying someone

else to do the tedious tasks that you dont enjoy. Why

spend time and energy enforcing a make-up policy or

late fee? Why waste hours wondering why a website

isnt generating traffic when there are professionals

who can optimize it for search engines in a couple of

hours? There are many places to hire out weaknesses,

but I find HireMyMom.com to be the most appealing.

The site centers on mothers that want to work around

family schedules but do not want to give up their

professional lives. From an accountant to an attorneyto a website administrator, you can find flexible, top-

notch professionals ready to assist you at a very

affordable price.

A little chocolate goes a long way, whether your

workday involves back-to-back lessons or, like me,

back-to-back advertising and project management

responsibilities. I am currently addicted to Trader Joes

dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Try themyoull

forget all about that unreasonable parent asking to

switch lesson times. Again.

Fantastic images are essential in todays digital

marketing, and Google has a free app called

Snapseedto edit photos right from your smart

device. Crop, edit, and add filters, then save to

your photo library, email to a friend, or share

directly on Facebook or Instagram. A quick tip

Ive discovered: After cropping, use the Tune

Image setting to brighten the image and

increase the saturation, then use Center Focus

to fine tune the focal point of the picture.

Although I initially picked up Kim John Paynes

Simplicity Parenting on the recommendationof another mom friend, I find it to be a deep

source of inspiration for teaching. Payne

writes, from his perspective as a family

counselor-therapist, about the prevalence

of too much in our childrens worldstoo

much on the schedule, too much clutter,

too much adult conversation, too much

technology. His eye-opening stories illustrate

the effect this too much epidemic has on

the youngest members of our society. We

can make intentional choices to combat this

in our teaching studios. Is the teaching space

too cluttered? Is the lesson plan too full? Doesit include too much technology? Is there a

simpler way to look at the score? Eliminating

the too much that crowds our lessons can

give more space for creative playing and a

higher level of musical understanding.

When she is not eating her

weight in dark chocolate,

Lauren Thompsoncoordinates

advertising for Clavier Com-

panionand serves as Associate

Director for NCKP. She lives in

Seattle.

Get around

Hire your weaknesses

Create better images

Simplify

Indulge

Staff Picks by Lauren Thompson


16/85

Musical News & Notes

Preludes


13

World PianistInvitational

postponedThe 2014 World Pianist Invitational

competition has been postponed

until 2015. The board of the

competition cited scheduling

challenges as the reason for

delaying the event. All application

fees will be refunded.

The 2015 competition will be at

The John F. Kennedy Center for the

Performing Arts in Washington,

D.C., and applications will beaccepted beginning Fall 2014.

More information is available at

http://www.worldpianist.org.

Upcoming deadlinesLook sharp!Application deadlines are

fast coming up for several prominent pia-no competitions. Among them:

The 2015 Cleveland International Piano Compet-

ion for Young Artists, Cleveland, OH, May 13-22. Ap-plication deadline December 1, 2014. Visit http://www.

clevelandpiano.org/young-artists/about/.

The 2015 Valletta International Piano Com-

petition, Valletta, Malta, February 6-9. Appli-

cation deadline December 5, 2014. Visit http://

www.vallettapianofest.com/competition.html.

The 2015 Concerto Competition The-

odor Leschetizky in New York, April 18-19

(Winners Concert April 22). Application

deadline February 6, 2015. Visit http://www.

leschetizky.org/compe.html.

The First Cliburn International Junior Piano Com-

petition and Festival, Fort Worth, TX, June 21-28. Ap-

plication deadline January 9, 2015. Visit http://www.

cliburn.org/competitions/junior-competition/.

Bachauer CompetitionWinners of the 2014 Gina Bachauer

International Artists Piano Competitionwere announced in Salt Lake City on June 25. The gold

medal winner was twenty-eight-year-old Rus-

sian pianist Andrey Gugnin, whose prizes include

$40,000 cash, multiple concert engagements

(including a recital at Carnegie Hall), and a re-

cording contract. The silver medal went to Chi Ho

Han, 22, of Korea, and the bronze medal winner

was Ukrainian Artem Yasynskyy, 25. Gugnin also

received the audience favorite award, an extra

$1,000 in cash.

CompetitionCorner

Time travelerClassical music, says conductor

Michael Tilson Thomas, is a

dialogue between the two

powerful sides of our nature:

Recommended

Talk

he Frances Clark Center forKeyboard Pedagogy has ac-

quired the internet journal

Piano Pedagogy Forum. Found-

ed in 1998 by Frances Clark Cen-

ter President Scott Price,

Piano Pedagogy Forum

was the first online jour-

nal in its field. The journal

has published twenty-six

issues and included the

work of more than 112

writers from ninety-threecolleges and universities.

Its articles have been re-

printed in publications

including Clavier CompanionandAmerican Music Teacher. All back

issues of the journal are now avail-

able at http://www.keyboardped-

agogy.org/ppf.

Frances Clark Center acquiresPiano Pe agogy Forum

T

instinct and intelligence, and

notation, in its many forms, is the

silent partner that allows us to

track large swaths of musical

history. Now, as we continue

our move into the technological

complexities of the twenty-first

century, what innovations will help

us share our powerful art form?

The what,the how, and the why

of music, Tilson Thomas says, are

worth examining, and his 2012

TED Talk, Music and Emotion

through Time, provides a

fascinating look at the evolution

of Western music and musical

language, from 200 B.C. to

today. Download the talk at

https://archive.org/details/

MichaelTilsonThomas_2012?

start=173.5.


17/85

by Judith Jain

professionalcontributions ofThe


18/85

Her tireless efforts, along with those of Frances Clark,

include the establishment of arguably one of the first

piano pedagogy programs in the United States at Ka-lamazoo College in Michigan, the creation of the New

School for Music Study, the development of The Music

Treeand the Frances Clark Library for Piano Students,

the presentation of countless workshops, the creation

of the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy,

the proliferation of the National Conference on Piano

Pedagogy and its continuation as the National Con-

ference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the publication of

Keyboard Companion and later Clavier Companion

magazines, and the editorship of books and articles

on piano pedagogy.

Gosss work has touched the lives of innumera-ble piano students, piano pedagogy interns, and pia-

no teachers. I would say that my mission in life and

the mission of the school [the New School for Music

Study] has been to do everything we can to improve

piano teaching methods and materials, so that every

child who takes piano lessons can have a wonderful,

joyful, growthful experience, stat-

ed Goss.1 But it was not in Gosss

nature to seek public recognition

for her work, as Marvin Blickenstaff

reaffirms: Louise is not one to covet the spotlight and

willingly relinquishes that position.2During an interview,

Goss remembered, When she [Frances] was getting a

lot of praise, she many times said to me, Just remember,

I couldnt have done one bit of this work without you.3

The Music Trees Time to Beginis the first book of a

piano method like no other. While the main purpose of

many piano methods is to present a

series of enticing pieces so that the

student is motivated to continue

learning, The Music Treeis a curric-

ulum designed to facilitate the implementation of the

teaching principles developed over the years by the

Clark-Goss team and the New School for Music Study.In Gosss words, Time to Begin is the milestone of

everything we created. Time to Begin is the nugget.4

In 1953, when the first version of Time to Begin was

prepared for the publisher, Clark and Goss suddenly

changed their minds about the book. Goss recounts,

The manuscript was literally packed and ready to go

up [to the Summy Company] on the 5 a.m. train. The

engravers and everybody were standing by to start

work that morning at 9, and we called and said: Weve

taken it off the 5 a.m. train. We cant send it at this time.

A lot of it was to be rethought. And I remember hear-

ing our publisher say: I could have wrung their necks.5

Clark and Gosss strong commitment to their teaching

principles led them to completely rewrite Time to Begin.

When asked whether The Music Treecould be taught

incorrectly, Goss replied: Ive seen it taught wrongly.

If there is a weakness to the course, its the fact that it

cant be really absorbed and understood without some

help. The teacher who is learning it has to have some

help. And that is not true of the courses which are less

comprehensive and less sophisticated.6

From my experience as a fellow at the New School

for Music Study, I learned about The Music Treesguid-

ing philosophical principles, which are essential tounderstanding the method. Gosss primary goal as a

teacher was to develop students minds so they grow

to be independent learners, making the teacher ex-

pendable. Key components of this philosophy include

understanding and adapting teaching styles to fit

each student, comprehensive musical understanding,


15

The professional contributions ofeminent American piano pedagogueLouise Goss are countless.

Louise Goss with

the faculty of

the New School

for Music Study,

2009.

Louise Goss at the

National Confer-

ence on Keyboard

Pedagogy, 2009.Photo

byCarlaDay


19/85


16

Theprofessionalcontributions of

thorough lesson planning, and natural sequencing

that builds upon existing knowledge.

Musical concepts are thoroughly prepared in ad-

vance, so the concepts are owned and understood

by the student before their first appearance in a piece.

Introducing musical concepts is done first through the

ear, then through experience with body movements.

After these steps, the symbol is presented, and the

last thing to appear is the name of the concept. This

differs from a more traditional approach of present-

ing the name of a concept first and then moving to

explanations and student experiences.

Marvin Blickenstaff noted, No one left the New School

pedagogy program without having been indelibly


20/85

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21/85

influenced by Louises teaching pro-

cedures and philosophy.7Amy Glen-

non, a New School faculty member,

recalled, Over the years, I have often

asked Louise to hear one of my stu-

dents and offer advice on how to im-

prove a performance. She unfailingly

knows the one thing that will bringthe performance to the next level. She

listens keenly, indeed. She never, ever,

talks down to the student, but always

with respect.8

When asked about her hopes and

wishes for the future of the piano ped-

agogy profession, Goss stated: My

hope for the future is that a much larger

group of people will come to see what

piano pedagogy in its fullness means;

how exciting it is, how important it is,

and that lots of people will get on thebandwagon and make it become what

it can become.9Goss later stated, [I

hope] everybody would begin to grasp

this notion that its the child first, music

second, and only third is the piano.10

1 Candace Braun, Profiles in Education, Town Topics

(June 15, 2005). Retrieved from towntopics.com.2Marvin Blickenstaff, personal interview, 5 December

2011.3Louise Goss, personal interview, 20 June 2011.4Craig Sale, A Lifetime of Teaching: An Interview

with Louise Goss, Clavier Companion2 (6)

(November-December 2009), p. 16.

5Goss interview, 20 June 2011.6Ibid.7Blickenstaff interview, 5 December 2011.8Amy Glennon, personal interview, 23 January 2012.9Louise Goss, personal interview, 13 June 2011.10Ibid.

Editors note: This article is based on

Judith Jains doctoral dissertation: Louise

Goss: The Professional Contributions of

an Eminent American Piano Pedagogue.

University of Cincinnati, 2012, 3539913.

After completing her

doctoral degree in Piano

Performance with a

cognate in Pedagogy

from the University

of Cincinnati College-

Conservatory of Music,

Judith Jainjoined the New School for

Music Study, first as a fellow, then as

faculty She is active as a performer

and presenter, and currently teaches

at New Tampa Piano Lessons, LLC.


18

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23/85

In beautyis thesalvation

of theworld.

Louise Goss:

In Memoriam


20


24/85

In April, the world of piano pedagogy lost alegend. In the following pages, friends and

colleagues of Louise Goss pay tribute withremembrances and recollections.


21

In the old days, all senior piano

majors at Oberlin were required

to take piano pedagogy.I will never

forget the excitement our professor ex-

uded when she presented to us the brand

new teaching series by Frances Clark and

Louise Goss. She was convinced that this

publication represented the best of piano

educational materials.In the years that followed I taught pi-

ano pedagogy at each of my college

positions. The Frances Clark method re-

mained the gold standard. In the 1960s

I was teaching at the University of North

Carolina/Chapel Hill, and my demonstra-

tion class was learning Time to Begin. In

a burst of nave enthusiasm, I took three

carloads of us on a road trip to Princeton,

NJ, to meet with Frances and Louise. The

experience was unforgettable.

Frances and Louise were on the forefront of video technology, and duringour visit they showed us videos of beginning groups and repertoire classes.

Those young students were playing the same pieces as our students in Chapel

Hill, but not in the same way. I shall never forget the excitement Louise imbued

in a simple piece, nor will I forget the musical intensity with which her students

played. It was a graphic demonstration that musical conviction must be pres-

ent at every moment of the lesson and with every piece.

Years later I was serving as Associate Editor of the Rhythm Column for Key-

board Companion.For one issue I asked several teachers to respond to the

question How do you repair a rhythmic error in a students playing? Louise

was asked to respond to the question. She wrote back that her students do

not have rhythmic errors, for they are well prepared with correct rhythm be-

fore the piece is assigned. Thus I learned yet another basic pedagogical truism

from Louise.

For the last sixteen years, I have served on the faculty at The New School

for Music Study, and this allowed me to become close friends with Louise as

I continued to learn from her. Her pedagogical legacy lives on in the teaching

of every New School faculty member.

Marvin Blickenstaff

Director, Program for Excellence in Piano Study

The New School for Music Study

Louise Goss

teaching a

group class at

the New School

for Music Study

in Princeton, NJ.


25/85

LOUISE GOSS: IN MEMORIAM

There are two memories I would like to share. I met

Louise in 1989 when I came to audition for the New

School for Music Studys teaching certificate pro-

gram,and Louise was kind enough to meet me at the train

station. I knew that this was no ordinary piano teacher when

she arrived in a convertibleand the top was down. Through-out my fourteen years at the New School, Louise lived up to

this early impression.

Years after that first meeting, a call came to the New School

saying that Louises house was on fire. I arrived and joined

Louise standing across the street. When the fire was out, a

fireman had taken a seat in a small, upholstered chair that was

moved from her house to the yard. The sight of a fully outfitted

fireman sitting in a dainty white chair was not lost on Louise.

She looked at me and said, thats my mothers slipper chair,

flashing a wry smile. This was the strength and good humor

that I saw many times both in and out of the studio. It always

made an impression and always took me by surprise. Ted Cooper

Piano Faculty, The Levine School of Music


22

Many years ago when I was teach-

ing at the University of Illinois, I was

asked by Marienne Uszler to critique

The Music Tree for the Piano Quar-

terly magazine. As I remember, there

were six methods being reviewed and I feltfortunate to be the person to evaluate this

groundbreaking set of books. The pedagog-

ical thought that went into these carefully

sequenced books was brilliant, especially

the approach to music reading. After the

article appeared, Frances Clark and Louise

Goss wanted to meet me, and a lunch was

arranged at the next MTNA meeting. Thats

when I first met Louise. I was struck by her in-

telligence, graciousness, and passionate love

of teaching.

At the 2003 MTNA convention, I was hon-ored to receive the Frances Clark Keyboard

Pedagogy Award. Then the real thrill came

when this great lady, Louise Goss, spoke about

me and presented me with the NCKP Lifetime

Achievement Award at the 2009 meeting in

Lombard, IL. There was a humorous moment

in the award ceremony when I reached for the

plaque and she said not yet, Jim! The piano

pedagogy world has lost a giant.

James Lyke

Professor Emeritus,

Georgia State University

My life is forever changed because of Louise Goss.

During my time at the New School for Music Study, I was able

to learn much from her. Her compassion for beautiful music

making was infectious. At the annual student recitals you

could see it in her face as it lit up with that wonderful smile.

Because of Louise and Frances Clark, the simple statement

and philosophy of there is music in every child exists. I ap-

proach every student and every lesson with that

as a singular focus. It is possible to play beauti-

fully from the very first lesson.

The work of her life revolved around the edu-

cation of young musicians and teacher training.

My experience of working closely with her has

taught me much about music education. Her

greatest contribution to my life is the idea that

beautiful music making is not possible without

beautiful teaching. Beautiful teaching is diffi-

cult but incredibly rewarding work. It follows

me every day as I look into the excited faces of

my young students. It is what I strive to impart

to college students under my tutelage. In my

humble opinion, that is the greatest legacy of

Louise Goss, and I am so glad to have had her

in my life.

Scott Donald

Administrative Director,

The New School for Music Study,1999-2010


26/85


23

I first met Louise back in the 1940s at a

Guy Maier workshop in Bristol, Virginia,

when she was serving as Frances Clarks

assistant. I admired her greatly from afar, un-

aware that this was a prelude to a professional as-

sociation and friendship that would last a lifetime.I got to know Louise in the late 1950s when I

joined Francess newly formed piano faculty at

Westminster Choir College in Princeton, and I

continued to serve with her on the faculty of The

New School for Music Study when it was found-

ed in 1960. I feel particularly privileged to have

observed firsthand the development of theFran-

ces Clark Library for Piano Students, which never

would have been possible without Louises ex-

pertise, dedication, and never-ending patience.

At the New School, Louises inspired and vir-

tually flawless teaching was a perfect model forall who witnessed it. She and Frances observed

the staffs teaching on a regular basisour teach-

ing was not so flawless and usually involved more

perspiration than inspiration. Louises detailed

critiques were once again a perfect model, al-

ways positive, but certainly hitting the nail right

on the head without ruffling feathers or bruising

fragile egos.

Louise was a gentle, loving, and compassion-

ate individual. During all of the years I knew her,

I dont recall ever hearing her say an unkind word

to or about anyone, nor did I observe

even an indication

of a temperwell,

except for once.

During a summer

transcontinental

workshop tour,

Frances and Lou-

ise flew to each

destination, while

four of us fledgling staff members

were charged with driving Francess

yellow Mercury. A leg of that trip

from California to Chicago was par-

ticularly challenging, since we had to

drive almost nonstop for several days

to arrive on time. Upon our arrival,

Louise came running out to greet us,

but when she saw the cars interior

she was aghast! The dirty laundry,

stacks of music, and brown paper

bags with food remnants were too much for her, and

she immediately started grabbing things and with dis-

gust, pitching them into the nearest garbage can!

Following Richard Chronisters untimely passing in

1999, the Frances Clark Center decided to purchase

Keyboard Companionand Louise asked me if I wouldbe willing to take over its editorship. Whee! At the

time, I didnt even own a computer, but who could

say no to Louise? So, counting on her faith in my

ability to do the job, plus her ongoing encouragement

and assistance, I agreed, and somehow this made the

job doable. And that was our Louise!always able to

make everything seem doable.

Louises role in the establishment of the standards

which have become a benchmark for evaluating ex-

cellence in pedagogy, materials, and music-making

at the piano during the past sixty years is a remark-

able achievement and a grand legacy. But what isequally remarkable and grand is that for well over a

half century, through thick and thin, Louise was al-

ways there, encouraging, assisting, and being a men-

tor and friend to those who knew and worked with

her. Today I am sure that the addition of her loving

and beautiful spirit is now enhancing the glorious

environment of her new and forever home. Louise, I

salute, honor, and love you.

Elvina Truman Pearce

Founding Member,

The Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy

From left, Richard

Chronister, Louise

Goss, Elvina

Truman Pearce,

and Sam Holland at

a planning meeting

for the Frances

Clark Center, 1998.


27/85

she always seemed to have consid-

ered not just the issue at hand, but

the people involved and how any

thoughts or actions would benefit

them. In my opinion, she was a true

leader in that respect.Calling Louise, even when her

health was declining, always meant

that I would find a warm and caring

voice on the other end of the line.

Although she had never seen my

students with special needs play

or had never been to any of my

workshops, she seemed to know

all about my work, my beliefs, and

what I hoped to achieve for my

students. That was Louisealways

interested in people and how shecould support them. During one of

our last chats, she talk-

ed at length about how

she had attended a New

School for Music Study

recital and how pleased

she was with the musi-

cianship of the students

and in the quality of

work being done by the

teachers. She said that

she felt it was among the

best New School recitals

she had witnessed. High

praise, indeed, from a

lady who exemplified a

lofty standard of quality.

I think this was who

Louise truly was. A per-

son who was always in-

terested in and invested

in people and their lives

and development, and in

the role music could play in aiding

and sustaining that development.

She was a musician, pianist, and ed-

ucator, but she was also a great hu-

manitarian and a wonderful friend

who will be deeply missed.

Scott Price

President, The Frances Clark Center

for Keyboard Pedagogy



24

Louise Goss was a legend. That is a fact, and her

professional and publication record bears that out.

Louise and Frances Clark were an unstoppable force that

played a large part in shaping twentieth-century American pi-

ano teaching.

My first teaching experience as an undergraduate pedagogystudent was assisting in a Time to Beginclass. Although I nev-

er studied with Louise or taught at the New School for Music

Study, I have always retained my respect for that early teaching

experience and what I learned from Louises work. The Music

Tree is still one of the core methods studied in our pedago-

gy classes at the University of South Carolina. But Louise Goss

was so much more than just a set of books and a school. She

was a unique and wonderful lady who had a knack for reaching

out and including people in this wonderful thing we call music.

She always seemed to have an unwavering belief in people and

what they could do at the piano, and how music could help

them grow and improve their quality of life, regardless of theirlevel of study.

When I joined the Board of the Fran-

ces Clark Center, I enjoyed so much seeing

Louise at the annual meetings. She always

entered with a warm greeting for every-

one and sat quietly and listened to the pro-

ceedings. Always the paragon of politeness

and respect for others, she would add her

thoughts, and they would always help set the stage for the next

step in the Centers progress. Her words rang with wisdom, and

From left, Richard

Chronister, Frances

Clark, Louise

Goss, and David

Kraehnbuhl at the

New School for

Music Study.


28/85


25

In April, shortly after learning that

our mentor and friend, Louise Goss,

had passed away, my colleagues and I

watched a video of a pedagogy class

she taught in 1995.The video captured a vi-

brant, incredibly focused, intelligent, and honest

teacher whose somewhat intimidating presence

was softened by dry humor and an indefinable

accessibility.

The pedagogy class was structured complete-

ly around teachers performing the repertoire

that their students were to perform at the up-

coming recital. Masters degree candidates pre-

paring for full recitals of Bach, Beethoven, and

Brahms were coached on pieces such as The

Prowling Pussy Cat, by William Gillock. Louise

coached these performances with such intensi-

ty and purpose, not giving up until the perfor-

mance was transformed. Louise showed us that

we must hold ourselves to the highest standards,

knowing the pieces we are

teaching better than we

know our own literature.

I believe that Louise held

herself to a high standard,

giving herself completely to her work. I write

this on the eve of the New School student re-

cital series. Louise attended each of the six re-

citals held over two days until last year, when

she was only well enough to attend two. Even

though I am well into adulthood, I admit to hop-

ing that she was pleased with how my students

performed, and beaming when she affirmed

my teaching. This somewhat juvenile response

probably stems from my view of Louise as a

motherly figure. I know that Louise mothered so

many with love, affirmation, and kindness.

Amy Glennon

Educational Director,

The New School for Music Study

Louise Goss works

with a class of students

at the New School

for Music Study in

Princeton, NJ.


29/85



26

I first met Louise in 1980 at the National Conference

on Piano Pedagogy when she gave a brief presenta-

tion on the teacher training program offered at the

New School.My decision to enter that program changed my

life forever and began a relationship that spanned decades in a

variety of ways. She was at times my teacher, my collaborator,

and my mentor. At all times she was my touchstone with every-

thing involving music education at the piano.There are so many memories about Louise, so many ways in

which she impacted my life and teaching, yet I keep thinking

about her amazing craftsmanship with language and communi-

cation. No one knew and loved words and language more than

Louise. I remember visiting her house and seeing a dictionary

on a pedestal in her living room. It held a position of honor in

that space and was clearly not just a display but also a source to

which she would gladly return time and again.

When I was a pedagogy student, the impor-

tance of carefully selected words was consis-

tently demonstrated in weekly conferences

and demonstration lessons. To this day I still

use Louises words when teaching the terms

forte and piano or when introducing stu-

dents to one of their favorite Time to Begin

pieces, The Schumanns.

When I heard of Louises

passing, I had just started

three new students in Time

to Begin. While teaching this

I first met Louise Goss twenty years

ago, and I was scared! I was auditioning

for the Masters degree in Piano Pedagogy that

was jointly offered by the New School and West-

minster Choir College, and I was charged with

teaching a young student in front of a panel ofteachers that included Louise.

At the time I did not know Louise at all; I only

knew of her work through The Music Tree and

the Frances Clark Library. As frightened as I was,

when I now reflect back on that time I realize that

I shouldnt have been scaredI should have been

completely terrified! I was teaching in the pres-

ence of greatness, and I am so thankful to have

been associated with Louise and her greatness

over the last two decades.

Though I never did study with her formally, I

feel like I have learned so much from Louise.Like many of her students, I learned that ones

standards can never be high enough, and that there will never

be a substitute for quality. Merely observing Louise live her life

was a lesson in grace, elegance, and dignity. Working with her

on pedagogical endeavors was an invaluable study in prepa-

ration, sequencing, and the highest degree of thoughtfulness

one could find in a teacher. Being in Louises presence alwayschallenged me to sit up a little straighter, speak more clearly,

and, most importantly, to think about what I was about to say,

because with Louise, every word had meaning.

As you might imagine, her columns for Clavier Companion

rarely needed any editing. If I did happen to move a comma

or change a word, she always responded with humility and

appreciation. Louise demonstrated the perfect blend of excel-

lence and compassion. The lessons I was fortunate enough to

learn from Louise will always be a part of me, as they will al-

ways be part of the lives of the countless students, teachers,

and people Louise touched during her time in this world.

Pete JutrasEditor-in-Chief, Clavier Companion

familiar book, I was overwhelmed with an aware-

ness of Louises presence, not only in my presenta-

tion of the material, but also in the material itself. It

became clear to me that the unique, groundbreak-

ing pedagogy in the materials came from Frances

Clark, but the tone of wonder and discovery and

the love of music and children expressed through

the materials was delivered by Louise.When I was a pedagogy student, we asked

Louise what she would do when Frances was no

longer among us. She replied that she would be

off to the Bahamas, never to work again. We all

know how untrue that statement was. After Fran-

cess death, Louise continued to devote her life

not just to the pedagogy of Frances Clark, but

also to the promotion of music

as the most powerful force in a

childs life. In closing her inter-

view with me for Clavier Com-

panion (November/December

2009), Louise captured it all

with the finest of words: In

beauty is the salvation of the

world.

Craig Sale

Board Member,

The Frances Clark Center for

Keyboard Pedagogy

Craig Sale and

Louise Goss at the

MTNA National

Conference

in Atlanta, 2009.


30/85


27

If youre lucky, you may encounter a teach-

er who transforms your life. Louise Goss

was one of those teachers for me.In thinking

about these remarks it struck me that it was almost fifty

years ago that I first met her. During those many years,

Louise became like family to us. Throughout our houseyou find pictures of her, Louise with my parents, and

Louise with my children. The most powerful teaching

doesnt go on in a classroom, it goes on in life.

In the wake of the human dynamo that was Frances

Clark, it was easy to miss all that Louise did. I can say

without doubt (and Im sure that Frances would agree)

that Frances Clark could not have become what she

was without Louise. The fact was, Louise created the

foundation, the order, the structure,

the plan. Without Louise, grand visionwould never have become reality. Fran-

ces would have been a comet blazing across the sky

and disappearing, instead of a star in a constellation

that continues to shine and guide our path.

When I left Austin to study at The New School, I was a

hot-shot performance major who wouldnt have consid-

ered teaching beginners at all. Are you kidding? You cant

be serious. Beginners! Who would ever want to teach be-

ginners? With the guidance of Frances and Louise, how-

ever, I started down that path. In those beginner lessons, I

encountered focused, loving attention to detail, but even

more, I encountered the high adventure of teaching for

the first timeand that teaching the beginning was actu-

ally the best of alland the most important of all. To this

day, I enjoy teaching seven-year-old beginners more than

anyoneeven advanced, graduate students.

A lot of people dont know that, among the pedagogy

students at the New School in the 70s, instead of Miss

Clark and Miss Goss, we often referred to them as Miss

Cluck and Miss Goose. I learned a lot from Miss Cluck.

But I learned just as much from Miss Goose. From the

example she set, I observed how one might conduct a life

illuminated by grace, by a gentle, but relentless pursuit of

excellence, a life in which being the center of attention is not

the most important thing, a life that places service above rec-

ognition, and a life in which small decisions add up to quality

and meaning.You couldnt really know Louise unless you spent some

time with her in Vermont during the summer. There shed

greet you in jeans and a cotton shirt. Shed take you down

the lane to the local farmers for fresh blueberries, into the

tiny town of Glover for early breakfast at the Busy Bee. But,

if you were luckyreally luckyLouise would take you sail-

ing. After music, sailing was one of her lifes great joys

filled with harmony, metaphor, and lessons for life and spir-

it. She was a great sailorable to skillfully and confidently

maneuver her small craft, reading and even seeming to

anticipate the winds and currents, just as she was able to

navigate through her full and generous life. Louise not onlytaught me how to teach, she taught me how to sail.

One of her Vermont friends, Robert Greenwald, sent us a

poem a couple of weeks ago. It is a perfect description of

her, and I cant think of a better tribute.p

Sam Holland, co-author, The Music Tree

Executive Director, The Frances Clark Center

for Keyboard Pedagogy

Editors note:For more remarks on Louise Goss, pleasesee Sam Hollands Questions & Answers column in theJuly/August 2014 issue of Clavier Companion.

PoetryCornerRichard Zimdars, Editor

SecondWind(in memory of Louise Goss)

Was it something like music, Louise that soft, supple breeze that swelledyour sail, carried you to the far shore?They say faith, too, is like that:a subtle wind stirring within that billows

the sail, and pulls us into purpose and distances.But then, youve always known that.

When I heard the news, I pictured youin my minds eye:one hand on the tiller, the otheron the mainsail, eyes on the horizon;as certain in your leavingas in your living.

Robert Greenwald Munroe Falls, OH

Frances Clark

and LouiseGoss, c. 1950.


31/85

Teaching tipsfrom Louise Gossby Sam Holland

Louise Goss

with an

adult piano

class in the

1960s.


32/85

Louise Goss was a superb clinician and speaker.

She had great clarity in her thinking about musical learning

and an extraordinary vocabulary, but the quality that stood out

above all else was her immense practicality. Most of these quotes

are excerpts from transcripts of her public lectures delivered to

groups of piano teachers.


29

At the New School we be-lieve our students can besuccessful in any assign-

mentwhen they areready for thatassignmentthat they can greet new

sounds, new skills, new concepts, new

music eagerly when they are ready

for them. When we present the new

to students who are not ready for it,

the result is frustration, for us and for

the students.

Readiness consists of a balance be-

tween security with what our students

already know, and the challenge and

adventure of the new that lies justbeyond that readiness. What they

already know is their security. What

they dont yet know is their challenge

and adventure. Our success as teach-

ers and their success as students lies

in our ability to strike an ideal balance

between readiness and challenge.

Ioften wish I couldsee my studentsevery day, the waypublic school teachers

do. But, this is a practical

world, so we have to find

ways to follow through at

home, to be with them in

every practice period, even

without being there per-

sonally. Photo

byCarlaDay


33/85

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Rhythm is not recognizing notes,call-ing them by their correct names, knowing how long

each note lasts, or holding each note its full value, im-

portant as that is. Rhythm is life, breath, motion, swing,

and flow. Rhythm is not just knowing, recognizing, and

understanding time relationships. It is nothing until it

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30

Practice is the purposefulrepetition of accuracy,withthe goal of arriving at a full musical in-

terpretation as rapidly and securely as

possible.

When asked how long students shouldpractice,Louise always replied, Practice is not a mat-ter of time spent, but a matter of mind spent.*

*This quote is also frequently ascribed to Frances Clark. It is not possible to de-

termine whether she was quoting Louise or Louise was quoting Frances.

At the New School, each Springwe asked our graduate studentsto review their teachingduring thepast year and to make a list of everything

they would do differently next year based

on what they have learned. Here are some of

their comments.

I will begin the year expecting a lot more from each

of my students.

I will try to listen to my students playing with the

same ears I use to listen to everyone elses students.

I will talk far less during my lessons this year.

Recording myself and listening to the lessons made

me realize how much I talked.

I will not assume that a student has mastered a particular rhythm pattern just

because she can play it correctly in the piece of music she is working on.

I will spend more time on tone productionon playing with full, rich tone and

developing the ear to distinguish between harsh and rich tone.

I will have a more definite idea of each piece I am teaching. I will not only study

and analyze it more carefully, but I will be willing to sing it, conduct it, verbalize

everything about itrhythm, phrasing, dynamics, tempo, touch, and tone.

I will begin to judge my success as a teacher by what my students can do on

their own without any help from me.

What do we mean by becoming a

true music maker? Certainly one of themain elements in music making at the piano is phys-ical freedomthe kind of freedom that makes it pos-

sible for students to move over the entire keyboard

easily, naturally, with confidence, and security.


34/85

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Learning&TeachingLesson plans

CLAVIERCOMPANION

32

September/October 2014

Planning for short and longterm successby Arlene Steffen

I dont plan lessons. You can never tell what the

student has done during the week and I end up

having to change everything.

Planning lessons means I cant be in the mo-

ment with the student.

A lesson plan is too inflexible.

I just dont have the time to plan.

These arguments were all present in a recent

discussion among piano teachers. The discussion re-

vealed a lack of awareness about how to plan lessons

and how lesson plans can function flexibly. I find that

a good plan prepares the student to be successful in

both the short and long term and serves as a touch-

point throughout the lesson. Without a plan, progress

can be slow and short-sighted.

A plan for music-making

A lesson plan begins with a basic pedagogi-

cal philosophy. For me, music-making is the top

O

Lesson

plans:

A

teaching

essential?ne of my worst nightmares isarriving at the school where Iteach to realize I have left thatdays lesson plans at home.On

the rare occasions when this has happened, I have

managed to conduct a reasonably structured lesson

by following the students last assignment in their

notebook. Generally, I remember most of the things

I had planned but, in the end, I still prefer my safety

netthe lesson plan.

I often ask myself why I still need to plan each les-

son of the week. Certainly, I know the materials well

enough and have used my bag of pedagogical tricks

often enough that I should not need to spend hours of

each day preparing for lessons. However, I also know

that these materials and teaching techniques are best

used when I have taken the time in advance to consid-

er each individual student and his or her progress.

Many teachers feel that their hands are tied by alesson plan, that they cannot be spontaneous or meet

individual needs. I believe that lesson planning is the

best way to meet these needs. Each morning I reflect

upon the previous days lessons and devise plans for

the next week. Each plan takes the individual student

into account, and I have time to weigh options and

consider alternativesnone of which I would have the

time to do in the lesson itself. By planning each lesson

in advance I can objectively look at the structure of the

coming lesson, making sure that there is variety and

that priorities are clear. In this way, I can be sure that

the materials I am using are presented in an organized

and student-centered manner.

My plans are not set in stone. They are my sug-

gested road map through the lessons events and

goals. Most certainly, there are times when my lesson

plan is changed during the actual lessontimes when

the student is not ready for portions of what I have

planned; times when the student exceeds my expec-

tations. Whatever the scenario, I find that I can make

informed decisions in these circumstancesbecause I

have made a plan.I can alter my course to meet the

situation presented by the student at the lesson,and

I can feel confident that such decisions have been

made with a view of the whole student rather than

simply reacting to the moments of a lesson.I realize that I may not be in the majority, but for me

lesson planning remains essential. I asked two successful

teachers, Stephen Hughes and Arlene Steffen, both of

whom also value lesson planning, to share their thoughts

on this topic. Their responses and helpful examples illus-

trate how they use lesson plans and give special empha-

sis to the importance of long-range planning.

Road maps and detoursby Craig Sale


36/85

CLAVIERCOMPANION

33


priority. That means engaging students with ex-pressive sound at every lesson. There must al-

ways be at least one moment where students

immerse themselves in the wonder and excite-

ment of music. That is, after all, why they start

lessons. They dont sign up to learn about tre-

ble clefs and quarter notes. They want to play.

My primary job is to make sure they experience

enough of that at the lesson that they cant wait

to get to the piano at home.

Once they are hooked on the sound, they need

the tools to produce it. Ideally, lessons should in-

clude technique work, reading and rhythm,

theory and ear training, repertoire, and im-

provisation. Through a process of preparation

(hearing and feeling), presentation (seeing

and naming), and reinforcement, we cover

all elements. An example of how long-range

planning might work can be found in the ta-

ble of contents of most method books. In Ex-

ample 1, the table of contents from The Music

Tree, Part 2A(Alfred Publ. Co.) shows the new

concepts and skills encountered in this level.

I note the order of skills and concepts inthe table of contents and see which things

the student might find difficult. Next, I study

the repertoire to see how these things are put

into practice. The purpose of the book is to

present material; the teacher must prepare

the students before the presentation, giving

them frames of reference for the ear and the

hand before they have to process concepts

visually and intellectually.

Next, I choose supplementary materials

I think they will enjoy, will be relatively easy

for them to learn, and will reinforce concepts

and skills to ensure mastery. These should

be placed in order as truly supplementary

pieces, reinforcing concepts already learned,

not introducing new ideas. This gives stu-

dents adequate practice to solidify learning.

Using a variety of supplementary materials

gives the student multiple experiences in skill

development and sound. Once the major plan

is in place, you have only to make notes eachweek of activities you want to include.

The assignment sheet

Writing the assignment ahead of time is cru-

cial. You can handwrite it and make a copy (car-

bon or photocopy), or type it and share it using

e-mail or Dropbox. If you have an iPad, you can

use Moosic Studio to create assignments. Initial-

ly, it may take time to set up each students as-

signment, but once set up, it moves quite quick-

ly and you will have a dated assignment record.

Example 1: Table of Contents from The Music Tree, Part 2A,

by Frances Clark, Louise Goss, and Sam Holland.

2000, 1993, 1973 (renewed) Summy-Birchard Music, Division of Summy-Birchard Inc.

Exclusive print rights administered by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved

Printed in U.S.A. Used with permission.


37/85

CLAVIERCOMPANION

34

Learning&TeachingLesson plans

During the lesson, the student gives you her printed

copy to make notes on, and based on what you ac-

complish during the lesson, you can alter the assign-

ment and print or email it to the student or the parent.

A pre-made assignment helps you focus on what

you need to accomplish and gives you more time inthe lesson to interact with the student because you

are not writing down the entire assignment. Just a

quick note is enough to remind you of any changes

you need to make. It also serves as a lesson outline.

Consider eight-year-old Anna, a student of mine in

The Music Tree, Part 2A. Anna reads well and has a solid

sense of rhythm. With some rhythm games covered a

few weeks in advance, eighth notes will be easy. She

does well with theory concepts, so the pentascales or

tonic/dominant work and new dynamic requirements

are easy. New landmarks will expand her reading skill.

Her greatest difficulty is coordination, so Anna will

need extra preparation for hands together playing. Les-

sons and assignments should include rote exercises us-

ing excerpts from upcoming pieces two to three weeks

ahead of assigning the piece. Example 2 shows an as-

signment for Anna created with Moosic Studio.

Based on the assignment above, what might a les-

son plan look like for Anna?

Technique/Ear Training/TheoryWarm-ups

Rote ex. from Cherokee Brave (MT2A, p. 45, m.5 +

downbeat of m.6) to be assigned in three weeks.

Review assigned pentascales HT. Address technique/

coordination as necessary. Playbacks with eighth notes

in one of the pentascales.

Identify I and V in the pentascale. Play Mary Had

a Little Lamb, have Anna play I and V by ear. Trade.

Have Anna play both voices. Look at Activities Unit 5

for I and V assignment.

Repertoire/ExpressionHear Annas favorite piece from her assignment.

MAKE MUSIC!

Reading/Improvisation/RhythmIntro Faraway Chimes (MT2A p. 39):

Have Anna improvise sounds that fit the title.

Play new piece for Anna.

Detective search for 5ths and 4ths.

Practice finding the starting position and crossovers.

Tap and count one practice section.Anna introduces herself to another new piece

(MT2A p. 38, Lumberjack). Same procedure.

ReadingOff the bench staff review for landmarks/intervals.

ExpressionPlay a review piece (MT p. 37, Raindrops, or Tor-

toise). Add duet.

Plan practice for continuing pieces this week (MT p.

40, Sweet Betsy, or Meanwhile, Back at the Castle

p. 3, Duke).

Must you write out this kind of plan every week?

If you are inexperienced at working with a lesson

plan, yes. The process trains you, and the more you do

it, the easier and more flexible you are to work the plan

in the moment. After thirty-plus years of teaching, the

thinking it represents does happen every week for me

via the pre-written assignment. A sticky note on the


Example 2: Annas assignment sheet.


38/85

CLAVIERCOMPANION

35


front of the student file with pertinent reminders for

activities serves as a good jog for the memory.

Having the assignment pre-written, whether through

Moosic Studio or another program, means alterations

are simple and quick. You can make changes then or

later and email them. Even if the student has forgottento bring her assignment, you have it right there!

What happens when students dont practice well or

have problems with something you didnt anticipate?

Of course, you deal with it immediately. However, with

a plan this happens less frequently. They have left the

lesson with a thorough understanding of the assign-

ments and are empowered to practice with confidence.

A lesson plan isnt something written in stone; it is

a sign of forethought and a guide for efficient use of

time in the lesson. It allows you to be thorough in guid-

ing the student successfully and frees you to be spon-

taneous with music-making because you spend less

time correcting. Benjamin Franklins adage remains

true: If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.

Keeping your goals withinsightby Stephen Hughes

Its Monday morning: A new day, new we

Clavier Companion sept 2014

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