Today was a very special day for me.
I had the pleasure of participating as a presenter in the PIANO SAFARI showcase. In this session, “Piano Safari: The Journey Begins,” Amy Glennon, Chee-Hwa Tan, and I presented our new books.
Amy Glennon introduced her two books: “Friends at Last” and “Here Comes Treble.” These are two fantastic books that combine an illustrated story with music composed for four hands—written for teacher and student to play together. The pieces are rich in sonorities and full of imagination.
During the presentation, Katherine Fisher and the composer performed several of the pieces live. These books are absolutely worth checking out!
Then it was my turn to present. I performed several of my own pieces and shared different ideas for exploring them in creative ways. I used the pieces as a springboard for improvisation and composition, showing how they can inspire students to create their own music.
I also demonstrated how elements from different pieces can be combined to create entirely new ones with students—a playful and imaginative approach to musical creativity.
The session was wrapped up by Chee-Hwa Tan, who presented some of her books.
For those who may not be familiar with her work, she has written some truly beautiful collections, such as “Through the Windowpane” and “A Child’s Garden of Verses”.
In the session “Ready? Set… PLAY! 20 Game and Activity Ideas in 25 Minutes!”, Jennifer Foxx spoke about the importance of play in the classroom.
Play is essential in education: it supports progress, develops the mind, teaches collaboration, and helps students learn how to win and lose. In short, play is serious business.
Jennifer shared a variety of fun and practical games we can use with our students in lessons.
After that, I attended “Musiking” with the Mind and Body: How Rhythm Audiation and Movement Work Together to Develop Piano Technique.
In this session, Scarlette Kerr led participants through a variety of movement exercises, rhythmic pattern repetition, and improvisation—all as preparation for learning a piece.
She explained that when the whole body is involved in the process of learning a new skill, the brain develops a stronger and more stable connection to the material, because movement gives deeper meaning to the content.
The next session I attended was led by Jason Sifford and titled “Kabalevsky and the Three Whales: Why the Arts Matter and What You Can Do to Help.”
In this talk, Sifford explored the many ways in which music can be an essential force in the lives of young people, and the vital role teachers play in nurturing that potential.
Tomorrow is the last day of the conference, with sessions taking place only in the morning. I’m sure it will be just as interesting as everything so far.
I’m really happy to be here. More to come!
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