Conference Schedule

Ferruccio Busoni’s Bach:  The birth of Modern Performance Practice
Comparison of editions, transcriptions and writings by the father of modern Bach performance practice.
Dr. Svetlana Belsky

Performing the Beethoven “accompanied sonatas” in a year: A pianist’s half marathon
In 2020, I performed the complete accompanied sonatas of Beethoven, 23 works in total with some of the top chamber musicians in the world on stages throughout the US and Europe. I will talk about and demonstrate how this experience transformed my collaborative and solo playing.
Sonja Bosca-Harasim, violin and Julia Siciliano, piano

The Creativity Continuum: Sequencing Improvisation
Using the framework from Music Moves for Piano by Marilyn Lowe, a sequence of exploration, creativity and improvisation activities will be modeled.  Students can progress successfully along the creativity continuum with this clear roadmap!
Sarah Boyd

“Opus 78”: Beethoven and the Blind King, Reimagined
This collaborative performance project includes three mediums concurrently: storytelling, painting, and piano performance. “Opus 78” explores the idea of sense-removal, and examines Beethoven’s greatness through a parallel character, the blind king. This piece looks at intersections between art forms, while it raises questions about the nature of perceiving.
Laura Burkett Gutierrez and Holly Matthews

Evolutionary Entrepreneurialism: Grow Your Studio One “Yes” At a Time
Cultivate a business mindset that will grow a thriving and sustainable studio. Learn how to tap into your community, diversify by saying “yes” to the unexpected, and foster effective cultural change with current clients.
Amy Chaplin

Loving Chopin Etudes with Small Hands
Students with small hands are prone to develop playing-related injuries. This session walks through select sections of Chopin Etudes op.10 and op.25 through the lens of the presenter who suffered a severe injury 20 years ago but has been injury-free since then.
Sookkyung Cho

By Her Hand
Women have always been prominent members of musical society, although their roles were often dictated by the preferences of men. Women often composed “salon music” or music intended for the home, and it is here that they have the most robust representation. Five centuries of music by prominent women composers and their contemporaries is presented.
Alta Dantzler and Mary Siciliano

Finding Your Inner Composer: Developing Musical Creativity with Composer Martha Hill Duncan.
This presentation discusses contemporary musical notation as a road map to expressive performance. It also explores composing – using creative solutions and approaches for beginners as well as for more seasoned creators. Helpful handouts available.
Martha Hill Duncan

The Pianist’s Guide to the Universe
Composer Martha Hill Duncan along with her husband, astrophysicist Dr. Martin Duncan, will present a whimsical marriage of astronomy and music, combining their talents to celebrate the beauty of the night sky and the magic of music. Musical selections will be highlighted with astronomical imagery and scientific commentary.
Dr. Martin & Martha Duncan 

Joining Forces in Voice and Chamber Music
This presentation will involve a collaborative demonstration of the preparation of a newly commissioned work for voice and piano and several pieces for clarinet, viola, & piano by Max Bruch. 
Dr. Christian Ellenwood, Jennifer Ribeiro, Dr. Ji Hyun Kim, and Dr. David Abbott

Marguerite Long: A Reassessment of Her Impact on the French School of Piano
A reappraisal of French pianist Marguerite Long using her two major treatises. “La petite Méthode de piano” and “Le Piano.” The presentation will include the impact of sexism as well as her rivalry with Cortot. A comparison of the pedagogical and performance styles of Long and Cortot will be included.
John Ellis

The Healthy Pianist: Strategies for Avoiding Injury and Building Strong Foundations
Studies indicate that between 70-90% of musicians experience an injury over the course of their careers.  This presentation will focus on the most common injuries afflicting pianists and provide teaching strategies for their prevention.
Michael Finlay

Foundations in Technique
What are the foundational skills necessary to prepare students for the technical demands of advanced repertoire? The presenter will provide teachers with exercises and strategies for guiding students through the beginning stages of technical development.
Julie Hague

Music As Medicine
Listen to this Sonata and call me in the morning if you’re not feeling any better!  This session will introduce attendees to utilization of Music Therapy and it’s importance in treating common ailments seen in the primary care setting. Participants will review evidence-based literature, understand the significance and power of utilizing music as medicine.  
Ryan Holley-Mallo, PhD, DNP, NP-C, FAANP

The Complete Solo Piano Works of Joan Tower: From Twelve-Tone Crowd to Risk-Taker
This lecture recital focuses on the solo piano works of Joan Tower (b. 1938). She continues to produce a colorful and high-energetic style in her compositions that will diversify recital programs for intermediate and advanced pianists.  
Kara Huber

Dance Trends, Piano Building, and Four-Hand Performance: Takeaways from Summer Research in Vienna & Three Applications for Teaching the Waltz to Pianists
This two-part session on the waltz will begin with a general overview of summer research conducted in Vienna, including thoughts on dance trends (the fall of the minuet and the rise of the waltz) and their correlation with technology and piano building in Europe in the period 1700-1900, as well as similarities between the somatic experiences of dancing with a partner and playing four-hand piano music. The second session will focus on three applications for teaching waltzes, including how to improve the performance of difficult left hand patterns using awareness of hypermeter and conducting, how melodic patterns are often derived from the dance itself, and how the dance’s centrifugal motion can affect synchrony of right and left hands. Students from Hope College (Mallory Neebes, Jonathan Chia, and Kellen Woolhiser) will demonstrate aspects of each application at the piano. 
David Keep

Teaching the Way We Learn: Applications of Edwin E. Gordon’s Music Learning Theory (MLT)
Learn how Gordon’s groundbreaking Music Learning Theory can help teachers tap into the way our minds naturally learn music. Gain fun, fresh activities and practical strategies for enabling your students to aurally comprehend (“audiate”) the music they are learning.
Joy Morin and Amy Chaplin

Music & Storytelling: Developing Imagination through the Use of AI
Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) suggest an inevitable shift toward an interdisciplinary approach in art education. This presentation explores the integration of music, storytelling, and AI tools to enhance children’s imagination in group teaching.
Le Binh Anh Nguyen

The Victory Vertical Project
The Victory Vertical Project uses descriptive vignettes accompanied by piano music in many styles to bring to life a remarkable account of courage, solidarity, and the power of music. Garik Pedersen, a Steinway Artist, provides fascinating, beautiful, and moving glimpses into the war that, more than any other, united us as a people with a common purpose.
Garik Pedersen

Barrier Breaking Chamber Music Experiences for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their Neurotypical Peers
Working with neurodivergent students has obvious benefits for those students, but neurotypical peers and teachers can benefit greatly from interacting with individuals on the Autism Spectrum as well.  The term “neurodiverse” was introduced by sociologist Judy Singer in the 1990’s as an alternative to deficit-based language such as “disorder.”  Singer pointed out notable strength of many individuals with autism including the ability to focus, recognize patterns, and remember factual information.  A “neurodivergent” person refers to a person whose brain processes information in a way that is not typical amongst the overall population.
Derek Kealii Polischuk

Worship Service Improvisation for Classical Pianists
This session will demonstrate improvisation tools and resources for the classical pianist playing for worship services functioning as an accompanist with other instrumentalists, a sole accompanist, a piano soloist, and worship band keyboardist.
Lori Rhoden, DMA, NCTM

Women of the Nocturne
With musical qualities of sentimentality and detailed ornamentation, the nocturne genre was largely considered feminine during Chopin’s time. This lecture recital features nocturnes by Chopin, Chaminade, Beach, and Schumann, while unpacking the gender stereotypes that faced female composers of the 19th century.
Allison Shinnick Keep

Preparing Successful Performance
Keith will share insights and experiences for creating well-prepared, confident performances at the piano, including the initial steps of learning a new piece, practical methods for memorization, and strategies for gaining security under pressure.
Keith Snell

It’s All in the Elbows! 
Both as piano instructor for over 30 years and an adjudicator for examinations and competitions, Amy Stephens has evaluated a large population of K-12 piano students and noticed many students would improve their technique quickly with a better understanding of the genesis of motion in the upper arms, elbows and wrists.  
Amy Stephens

Fairy Tales for Four Hands
Fairy tales: A great way to introduce your student to the magical world of duet playing. We will explore the fairy tale worlds of Ravel, Grieg and Dvorak, who depict familiar fairy tales in various different styles. Connecting music with stories in a direct way to help shape a students’ interpretational skills.
The Westhuizen Duo:  Pierre and Sophié van der Westhuizen

Professor’s Corner: Teaching Masterclasses
Teaching masterclasses, a significant advancement in piano pedagogy, is a skill required for job interviews and higher education recruitment. Join us for the tips and approaches collected from our interviews with renowned professors and artists.
Jasmine Lucia Wong, Khanh Nhi Luong, and Le Binh Anh Nguyen

Masterclass w/Gala Concert Artist-Educators

Publisher’s Showcases:

The Imaginative Women Composers of Red Leaf Pianoworks!
Kjos featuring Keith Porter Snell’s New Adult Method Series
Catherine Rollin Music