Carlyn Morenus is Keyboard Area Coordinator at Illinois State University. Dr. Morenus joined the ISU faculty in 1999 as Assistant Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Group Piano. While completing doctoral studies at The University of Texas at Austin from 1996-1999, she was an Assistant of gorup piano. From 1990-1995 Dr. Morenus served on the Vincennes University (Indiana) faculty as Assistant Professor of Piano, where she taught studio and group piano, organ, keyboard chamber music, and other music courses. In addition to numerous recitals at the university and around the city of Vincennes, she presented annual duo-piano recitals at Vincennes University and elsewhere in Indiana with California-based duo partner Marc Steiner. In addition to university teaching, Dr. Morenus has run independent piano studios in Austin, Texas and in her native Long Beach, California. She maintains an active performing schedule as a solo pianist, collaborative pianist and chamber musician. Dr. Morenus has embraced technology in both her teaching and her research. Her group piano students complete MIDI recording projects each semester; pedagogy students not only complete MIDI projects and do web-based research, but create their own websites. Dr. Morenus' university website includes examples of student projects in addition to MIDI files for all university group piano classes, MP3 files of her own concert performances, and links to group piano tutorials. Her dissertation research utilized the recording capabilities of the Yamaha Disklavier, in combination with computer analysis, to study advanced pianists' pedaling practices. Carlyn Morenus holds a D.M.A. in Piano Pedagogy from The University of Texas where her principal teachers were Martha Hilley, Sophia Gilmson and Lita Guerra. Influential teachers in music education included Robert Duke, John Geringer and Judith Jellison. She holds an M.M. in Applied Piano from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with Howard Karp, and a B.M. in Piano Performance from the University of Southern California, studying with Robert Ward. Other influential teachers have included Dorothy Judy Klein, Malcolm Hamilton and Jean Barr. Along with her piano activities, Dr. Morenus has continued her life-long interests in organ and singing. She has sung with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Roger Wagner Chorale, and is currently a member of the New Texas Festival Conspirare Choir and the Victoria Bach Festival Choir. Tours have included appearances around the United States and Brazil. Dr. Morenus has held church organist positions in California, Wisconsin, Indiana and Texas, and is currently a free-lance organist.
Carlyn Morenus
Department of Music
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois 61790
309.438.3470
cmorenus@oratmail.cfa.ilstu.edu
The final session of Saturday's Piano Pedagogy day dealt with piano methods. Participants discussed a variety of issues related to piano methods, with the majority of discussion centering on presentation, categorization, means of evaluation, selection of those to cover in class, supplementary materials and post-method literature, and choosing a method for pedagogy students to use in their own teaching.
Presentation of Piano Methods
A wide variety of presentation ideas was shared in all discussion groups. Many use traditional teacher lectures in combination with individual or group student presentations. Some teachers choose to present their own favorite method, or one they have authored; others did not wish to influence their students' decisions about choosing a method. Methods most often covered in classes are Alfred, Faber & Faber Piano Adventures and Music Tree; Bastien, Music Pathways and John Thompson also received attention.
Teacher lectures are usually combined with another form of presentation. Many teachers present one example of each major type of reading approach, and have students review others. Several teachers mentioned working with students to help them develop interesting presentations. Some pedagogy teachers involve local piano teachers, either having students observe teachers in lessons or inviting the teachers to come to class and talk about the method they prefer. Other ideas include browsing the methods together and sharing observations; using the traditional card file; or assigning reading of reviews from older Piano QuarterlY magazines for the older methods, saving class time for contemporary methods.
Because pedagogy courses vary in duration from one school to another, from one to four semesters, some schools are able to spend more time on methods than others. A typical pedagogy course will spend four to six weeks evaluating methods; at least one university has a separate course dealing with methods and pedagogical literature. For a teacher with limited course time, The Well-Tempered Keyboard Teacher was mentioned as a methods reference. Many schools have students review only lesson books, while others include theory, repertoire, and/or activity books as well. At the far end of the spectrum, at least one school has students review every book of every method. Schools with more time available sometimes include adult methods in their study. Group piano methods are covered in a specific, usually graduate-level, group piano pedagogy course if they are covered at all.
Categorization and Evaluation of methods
Most pedagogy teachers categorize methods according to the approach to reading. When introducing representative methods, usually one example of each reading type is given. With the addition of so many technological options, and the availability of so many supplemental books, some are now categorizing according to types of material or peripherals that are offered. Some consideration is given to historical versus contemporary methods, stressing the importance of understanding the development of piano methods over the years.
Although the grouping of methods is consistent, the means of evaluating them is quite varied. Students need the skills to evaluate new methods in the future as well as in pedagogy class. Some teachers provide a list of questions for students to answer about each method, and have the students study them individually. Others challenge students to develop their own set of questions to answer as they review methods.
A popular choice is to direct the evaluation starting from the reading approach. Other teachers guide students to look at each method to see what the author has used as key elements, then evaluate from that perspective. Another way to approach evaluation is to look at major topic areas, such as theory, rhythm, or technique, and evaluate each method in these areas. Alternatively, the quality of the music can be the focus for evaluation.
A particularly hands-on approach is for students to develop their own method concept first, laying out pacing and content in various skill areas; then look at existing methods to search for a method that fits their criteria. With this approach, students' own methods concepts evolve considerably over the course of a semester.
In another strategy, pedagogy students examine a method, asking what a pupil will have learned in 3 months or 6 months. They consider the type of student for which the method would be appropriate. Students consider what a particular student will need, and which method will meet that need.
Multiple methods and supplemental materials
After many methods have been reviewed, students are generally encouraged to consider different methods to fit different pupils. Increasingly, students are encouraged to consider mixing different methods with a single student. Supplemental materials, such as sheet music and holiday or popular books, are also encouraged. Extra challenges are inherent in mixing methods. Level 3 in one series does not necessarily correspond with Level 3 in another, and even if the general level is the same, some concepts may not have been introduced in both methods.
As pupils advance, it becomes especially important to use supplementary repertoire. This helps prepare both teacher and pupil for the day when the method books will be finished. This is a challenging transition for many teachers, as they often feel uncertain about how to choose appropriate repertoire when it is no longer prescribed for them by the method book. Choosing appropriate materials is a challenge, and pedagogy students need guidance in this area. Most pedagogy classes have little time available to treat this subject.
Some pedagogy courses include card file assignments, having students go through a variety of materials to evaluate their level and content. Jane Magrath's book on intermediate repertoire has been found to be very helpful; Intermediate Piano Repertoire by Alexander and Albergo also received mention. At least one pedagogy teacher has students compose pieces to satisfy particular techniques and concepts, as an aid in recognizing content and level in existing repertoire.
Choosing a method for student teaching
Pedagogy courses are intended to give students new information about piano teaching. Thus, it is no surprise that most pedagogy teachers require students to teach from a method they haven't used before. Some teachers require all pedagogy students to teach out of the same method, but most encourage individual choices. In fact, some guide students to choose a different method for each pupil.
Covering piano methods in a pedagogy course has the potential for being either overly challenging or boring. From the discussions that took place, however, it is clear that there is an abundance of material and a wide variety of approaches that can be used. In the words of one group leader, Ivan Frazier, "the boring methods survey can be gone forever."
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