Oxford says this about the book:

Teaching Piano in Groups provides a one-stop compendium of information related to all aspects of group piano teaching. Motivated by an ever-growing interest in this instructional method and its widespread mandatory inclusion in piano pedagogy curricula, Christopher Fisher highlights the proven viability and success of group piano teaching, and arms front-line group piano instructors with the necessary tools for practical implementation of a system of instruction in their own teaching.

Contained within are: a comprehensive history of group piano teaching; accessible overviews of the most important theories and philosophies of group psychology and instruction; suggested group piano curricular competencies; practical implementation strategies; and thorough recommendations for curricular materials, instructional technologies, and equipment. Teaching Piano in Groups also addresses specific considerations for pre-college teaching scenarios, the public school group piano classroom, and college-level group piano programs for both music major and non-music majors.

Teaching Piano in Groups is accompanied by an extensive companion website, featuring a multi-format listing of resources as well as interviews with several group piano pedagogues.

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• Hal Leonard Student Piano Library Method Materials
• Adult Piano Method
• Composer Showcase Series
Featuring the music of Phillip Keveren, Carol Klose, Jennifer Linn, Mona Rejino, Christos Tsitsaros, and others
• Willis Music Publications
Featuring the music of John Thompson, William Gillock, Glenda Austin, Eric Baumgartner and others
• Teaching Materials
• Supplementary Music and Much More!

Visit the Spring Savings Catalog page for lists of available titles.  If you are on their mailing list, you should be receiving their catalogue in the mail soon.  Order online or call the Hal Leonard Teacher VIP line at 1-800-322-1127.

To receive advance notice of these offers from Hal Leonard, join the HL Yahoo group or call 1-800-322-1127 to be added to their mailing list.

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Lesson #1 Passion (page 51)
Lesson #2 Knowing (page 78)
Lesson #3 Change (page 50)
Lesson #4 Connected  (Page 12)
Lesson #5 Productivity (Page 68)
Lesson #6 Strengths (Page 22)
Lesson #7 Attention (Page 48)

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One of Carol’s most recent publications is Garden Treasures.  What I appreciate most about the music in this book is the fresh and unpredictable sound of each of these pieces.  There is quite a bit of intermediate music on the market these days and unfortunately, many of the pieces sound formulaic in the way that they approach harmony, melody, and form.  However, Carol’s pieces are exquisitely unique, warm, and approachable for all intermediate students.  Several of the pieces in this collection are also effective preparation for the music of French composers.

In the Mainstage Newsletter, Carol also talks about her new duet, At the Flea Circus.   You can listen to and view this fun Level 3 duet with the Hal Leonard Closer Look feature.

In my studio, the two most popular pieces of Carol’s are Winter Wind and Banjo Picker.  The Winter Wind (Piano Solos Book 3) is so dramatic, most of my pre-teen and teenage students love it.  The Banjo Picker (Piano Solos Book 3) is as you might expect…just plain fun!  Though it might appear difficult at first, students find it very simple after they learn the easy primary chord patterns that appear throughout the piece.  It’s a great audience pleaser and sounds more difficult than it is.  The orchestration for both of these pieces is excellent and will give added inspiration to the student.

Visit this page to see all of Carol Klose’s music showcased.   If you did not receive this email and would like to, please join the HL Yahoo discussion forum or contact Hal Leonard to be included (1.800.322.1127).

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My favorite inspirational newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, has a piece entitled Magazines Team Up to Tout the Power of Print that has some interesting perspectives on this point.  Of course, a magazine’s competition is online newssources so the issue is slightly different.  But certainly these things are related.  Just last year the magazine industry was still very concerned that their medium was disappearing due to the popularity of obtaining news from the internet. 

But, new figures have come out to show that magazine readership has actually increased by 4.3% in the last 5 years and magazines are launching a multi-million dollar ad campaign about the “power of print.” 

One of the five ads that will be run in magazines is displayed on the WSJ online article with a picture of Michael Phelps.  I think the last paragraph should be interesting to composers and publishers alike:

What it proves once again is that a new medium doesn’t necessarily displace an existing one.  Just as movies didn’t kill radio. Just as TVs didn’t kill movies. An established medium can continue to flourish so long as it offers a unique experience…Which is why people aren’t giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing. 

So the question then is, what “unique experience” does a publisher or printed medium offer a musician or teacher?  There are obvious answers to this, but I think the forward thinking composer and publisher should ask how else they can offer a “unique experience” to their customer.  Surely there are many more creative ways to do this not yet explored in the industry.

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WSJ: How else do you get your people to be creative?

Mr. Buckley: Everybody wants to find out how to can creativity. You can’t. Creativity comes from freedom, not control. We let all the people in the R&D community spend 15% of their time researching whatever they like.

Now, I have heard of several companies allowing their employees to spend a small percentage of their time researching their own interests with remarkable results (Google for one).  It only makes sense that people are most excited about projects that interest them and in which they have vested interests.

How does that relate to the world of music teaching?

Well, I wonder what would happen if we as teachers allowed our students to spend a certain percentage of their practice time and their music selection on music that they love and pick themselves?  Several years ago, I had a 9th grader who was talented but was just about to quit piano his mother told me.  We worked out a deal where he could chose up yo 50% of his pieces for that year and I would choose the remaining 50%.  He could spend half of his time on music he loved as long as he spent half of his time on the music I assigned.  This was the only way we got through that year, but I’m so excited to say that he is now a senior and has developed into quite the musician!  He continues to study music that he loves, but it is often music that I have picked now that his tastes have developed.  We spent a good deal of time in his 9th and 1oth grade years on Broadway music, church music, holiday music, etc., but it was well worth it as his love of music just grew by leaps and bounds.

I wonder how this could relate and encourage more innovation in the composing/publishing world as well?

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In my reading of Aaron Copland’s Music and Imagination, part of the Charles Eliot Norton lecture series from Harvard, I found an interesting passage about Frederick Chopin.  It seems Chopin’s friends tried over and over again to get him to broaden his portfolio by writing for other instruments and groupings.  From a letter to one of his friends, we can hear his thoughts on the matter:

I know my limitations, and I know I would make a fool of myself if I tried to climb too high without having the ability to do it.  They plague me to death, urging me to write symphonies and operas, and they want me to be everything in one, a Polish Rossinni and a Mozart and a Beethoven.  But, I just laugh under my breath and think to myself that one must start from small things.  Im only a pianist, and if I’m worth anything this is good too…I think it’s better to do only a little but to do that as well as possible, rather than try to do all things and do them poorly. 

Should you need a bit more encouragement in this area, here is the little adage from the What Matter Now series that made me think of that great Chopin quote.

Lesson #1 Passion (page 51)
Lesson #2 Knowing (page 78)
Lesson #3 Change (page 50)
Lesson #4 Connected  (Page 12)
Lesson #5 Productivity (Page 68)
Lesson #6 Strengths (Page 22)

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You can buy this piece of sheet music from any of the online music dealers, your local music store, or directly from Hal Leonard.  See a “Closer Look” at the music and hear an audio sample on the Hal Leonard site.

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