Scott Price is Assistant Professor of Piano, Piano Pedagogy, and Coordinator of Group Piano at the University of South Carolina. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Bowling Green State University, he has studied with Jane Magrath, Thomas Hecht and Virginia Marks. He has performed at the national conventions of the Music Teachers National Conference, Music Teachers National Association, the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, and has given performances and seminars at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas TX, the University of Oklahoma Seminar for Piano Teachers, the North Dakota State Music Teachers Convention, the South Carolina State Music Teachers Convention, and the Bowling Green State University Summer Music Institute. He has served as repetiteur with Lyric Opera Cleveland, and as music director for Lyric Opera Cleveland's Educational Outreach program. He has been a faculty member of the Cleveland Music School Settlement and the Bowling Green State University Creative Arts program. Dr. Price is Co-Editor of Piano Pedagogy Forum.
Scott Price
School of Music
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
sprice@mozart.sc.edu
803.777.1870
What a virtuosic web we weave...and I do mean virtuosic. The successful group piano instructor often has to produce a course production of Broadway proportions. Our classroom agenda is intimidating. We are compelled to teach several related skill areas to a group of students who, usually, are in their seats to fulfill a requirement. Not only do we have to impart to them keyboard skills, we have to do so by getting everyone to think in the same way, at the same time, and in the same place on the keyboard! If that isn't enough, we now utilize an electronic keyboard communication system that is able to create individual learning environments within the group setting. Complicated as the teaching situation may be, students usually come out of their respective classes with some level of understanding of the instrument its use in the application of ideas encountered in their other music course work.
What is the agenda of the College Group Piano Instructor? The group piano curriculum may be sorted into four general and related skill areas: Technique, Reading, Harmony, and Creative Activities/Applications. In the group piano setting, course texts are carefully chosen or created to fit the curriculum and lesson plans are carefully devised to teach, apply, and reinforce concepts learned in class. Technique is necessary to allow the students to actualize given tasks and cope with performance on the instrument. Vertical and horizontal reading skills allow students to visualize harmonic and melodic patterns within the music thus improving their reading and memory skills on their chosen instruments. Harmony exercises support the students' music theory course work by giving them practical applications of concepts experienced in their music theory classes. Creative activities/applications test levels of comprehension, provide creative outlets, and create venues for improvisation. All of these skills are integral to a student's musical education and professional survival; but how do students reconcile these skills with their personal and educational agendas?
The student's personal musical agenda is most often quite different from that of the applied teacher or classroom instructor. Every group piano instructor knows the look of detachment that covers the faces of students who are present to meet the requirements of their degree program and to meet the requirements of a class attendance policy. Most Freshmen and Sophomores are still "learning the ropes" of the music school and are mainly concerned with making progress in their respective areas of applied study. Juniors and Seniors are concerned with degree recitals, graduate study auditions, or preparing for the student teaching experience and finding a job, or successfully completing the piano proficiency requirement. Group piano study is generally not too high on the list of priorities. This is surprising to us as instructors who know how crucial the acquisition of keyboard skill is to the successful education and job prospects of the non-keyboard music student.
The average undergraduate student in music does not yet possess the body of knowledge or the experience to visualize the "master plan" at work in their chosen course of study. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the classroom instructor to explain and convince the student of the role that the given subject will play in their education. I will admit that I have been guilty of assuming that every student in my group piano class instinctively knew why he was there and why it was important for him to do well in the class. After several years of profound consternation over my students' lack of enthusiasm over their study of the piano, I have had to face the realization that the students' lack of enthusiasm was probably due to my lack of enthusiasm in their personal interests-namely, their chosen area of music study and the knowledge necessary to grow and succeed in that chosen area.
Two years ago, upon assuming duties which included coordinating and teaching some sections of group piano at the University of South Carolina, I decided to change the whole focus of my approach to keyboard skills education. Knowing that the majority of students in my class were music education majors contemplating careers in the public schools, I decided to teach the courses according to their agenda. We now begin each semester with a discussion about what the students desire in a career and how the group piano class can assist them in the attaining their personal goals. I point out the fact that everything we do throughout the semester will not only help them with their work in music theory classes, it will also provide them with basic skills to help foster success in music activities among their public school students. This simple initial discussion has changed the attitudes of the students in my classes. Many of them now realize that they are in the class sequence to fulfill a personal aspiration and not just to meet a degree requirement. Once an initial agreement has been reached regarding the purpose of the class, the instructor's agenda can then become the students' agenda. As I have rethought the methods by which I teach keyboard skills, I have developed a general list of group piano "attitudes" that I keep on my desk when creating lesson plans. As these "attitudes" have reshaped my procedures in the classroom, I have had students tell me that they really felt positively challenged by the class; that they really understood their primary and secondary chords, secondary dominants and augmented sixth chords; that they found many of the activities enjoyable and useful; and that they actually learned to play the piano at a level of skill that was useful to them. It is also nice to have students raising hands to answer questions because because they want to make progress with a skill that is important to them in their search for a career.
The following list of "attitudes" are ideas that I use to direct my thinking when doing lesson planning for my classes. In a college/university setting where our time and interests are divided among multiple activities, I find that I need continued reminders to take the extra step in meeting my students' needs in the classroom.
Group Piano "Attitudes"
This class is for the students. We have to meet them half-way and sometimes more.
These students are adults who are proficient on other instruments and develop feelings of inadequacy and a large degree of shame when they struggle to bring another instrument up to a level of skill that is self-satisfying. Relate all concepts and skills to the things they already know and understand. Let them know that it is ok if it just takes a little more time.
The point: all activities must go beyond the keyboard/classroom into the world of the student. Let them know that you will not sacrifice quality. Everything they accomplish should have a direct and real application in their career discipline.
Technical Skills
Technique drills always work more successfully if there is a direct application to the harmonization or repertoire piece that follows in the lesson sequence. These students are adults who don't want to waste time on something that won't be used.
The students already read music. Rote learning of a small number of horizontal note patterns in a repertoire piece creates a sense of success and validation in the students' work allowing them to move into the realm of vertical harmonic reading with more ease.
Scale and arpeggio study is more successful if the students realize that they can actually "see" the key signature in the black and white key combinations on the keyboard. (i.e. C-Major is all white, B-Major is all black except for the white key directly to the right of each group of black keys.)
Reading Skills
Organization skills are important here. The students (most of them) possess some level of reading skills. They are beginners at piano playing skills-not at musical skills. Validate the person and allow time for second tries as they struggle to voice their ideas in sound at the keyboard.
Start with horizontal pattern reading. They already know this. Show them that they can actually "see" the pattern on the keyboard in black and white key combinations. All they then have to do is put some fingers down on top of those combinations.
As pattern or horizontal reading grows, really discuss how to move back and forth between horizontal pattern reading and vertical harmonic reading. Perhaps work with an exercise a bit longer so they have time to experience the changes in conceptual thinking. This is one area where they may not be quite adept. Discuss the long range plan where the students try for a little more success each time. Small failures are just that-over, done with, gone.
Creative Activities
This is where the students can shine and practice skills they will truly use in their careers. Draw upon their entire education in classroom activities.
Harmonizations-go a step further and have the students work in pairs as one turns the harmonic progression into a two-hand accompaniment and the other performs the melody. If the students know that they will perform for the class, they are capable of creating wonderfully varied accompaniment styles and musically interesting, well-rehearsed ensemble collaborations. The point made to the students is that they will have to do this type of thing in their jobs and the activity is a study in how to reduce difficult piano accompaniments and how to create ensembles for beginning instrumentalists or vocalists. This is real life.
Accompaniments-have the students bring in their own instruments to play melodies as other students serve as accompanists. This is real life.
Ensembles-go a step further and show the students how they can create an ensemble and score it for elementary instrumental or choral ensembles. Make it part of a class project where the other students have to execute the ensemble. Perhaps a student could serve as conductor. This is real life.
Improvisation-after students have learned a harmonization or ensemble, have them throw out the written parts and work together in groups to create an improvised ensemble by following the chord progression and procedures of the old piece. They have to make the decisions, practice and rehearse for class performance. This is real life. Wonderfully varied musical creations can result with the knowledge that the students really accomplished something and used their classroom knowledge successfully-(of course, this takes careful preparation and choosing of ensemble members.)
Improvisation-wonderful validation exercise as students don't have to worry about reading notes and can explore their tactile abilities. They can discover and make use of stylistic talents that may not have been apparent to them. They may also realize the importance of knowing more things outside of the small body of knowledge that they will use in their teaching career. This is real life.
Many of these so-called "attitudes" may seem like common sense, amateurism, or needless commentary. However, after many years of post-secondary study, it is easy for the instructor to forget the ordeal of the first few years of college and the struggle to learn and reconcile so many seemingly disparate subjects. A simple discussion putting the class objective into reasonable perspective can do wonders for the progress of the students. It has proved to me that the class is not about how successful I can be at dispensing knowledge. The class is really about the students and how successful they can be at keyboard skill because they feel it is important.
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