Scott Donald is Administrative Director and Senior Faculty at the New School for Music Study in Princeton, NJ, and serves on the faculty of the College of New Jersey. A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Dr. Donald received his Bachelor of Music degree from Furman University. He was awarded degrees of Master of Music in applied piano, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education/Piano Pedagogy from The University of Texas at Austin, where he worked under the guidance of Dr. Robert Duke and piano pedagogy with Amanda Vick Lethco and Martha Hilley.
Scott Donald
Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy
PO Box 651
Kingston, NJ 08528
609.921.2900
scottmus@aol.com
When I was asked to write a tribute to the pedagogical brilliance of Marvin Blickenstaff, I immediately responded with an enthusiastic "YES". After accepting this offer, the immensity of it became apparent. I have the distinct privilege of working with Marvin at the New School for Music Study. Our teaching environment is very collaborative. That means that I get to see his teaching and benefit from his guidance every week. The best insight I can provide into Marvin's contribution to the field of piano pedagogy is one of his work in the trenches.
The question that many of us ask on a daily basis is what makes for effective teaching. How can we as teachers provide the most efficient models for success with each of our students as well as make a meaningful musical experience in every lesson. It is easy to find articles that describe what general characteristics are present in expert teaching. In my opinion, Marvin Blickenstaff exhibits these characteristics in his day-to-day teaching.
A very important aspect present in expert teaching is breadth of knowledge. Marvin's mind is an amazing storehouse of information on repertoire, stylistic interpretation, historical anecdotes and personal stories that he adds to the mix. His ability to share with his students this information in an informal way is remarkable. It is never presented in a lecture fashion but rather as an aside comment that advances the musical goal during the lesson. He focuses on the musical intent and utilizes his command of information to enhance the presentation of material.
Another characteristic of expert teaching is Marvin's ability to organize and present sequential tasks to ensure that the student attains success during the lesson and to provide structure for when the student is practicing at home. At the New School we have a program that allows students to participate in a more structured and advanced curriculum. It is in this program that each teacher is able to observe Marvin teaching our students. I am able to witness his seamless interaction with these students and how he structures each task to ensure that success is attained during the lesson. This also gives the teacher an opportunity to see the process that Marvin uses to set the student up for success when he leaves the lesson.
Finally and probably the most endearing quality that Marvin possesses is his constant questioning and assessment of his own teaching. As much recognition and praise as he has received over his lifetime, he still questions, "Did I do the best job I could do" with each of his students. We have had conversations about student problems and he is always consulting with other colleagues about solutions to problems he is encountering. How many "artist teachers" do you know that ask for suggestions regarding their own teaching? To top it all off, Marvin still works with all types of students. This includes what all of us would consider average students. He gladly and enthusiastically accepts these students into his studio at the New School. I find this incredibly refreshing and humble. In my opinion, that is the true mark of expert teaching that Marvin exhibits.
It is hard to find a musician in the pedagogy community that fully embodies the qualities of expert teaching as Marvin does. I feel fortunate to be able to benefit from his work and teaching. We all are indebted to him for his continuing work in providing a model to us all as we strive to become expert teachers.
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