September 10th – Miller Piano Company Dr. Scott Donald: “Symbol to Sound and Beyond: Principles that Develop Complete Musicianship" Scott is the owner of Studio A, a private piano studio in Austin, TX.Previous positions include Administrative Director of The New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ, piano faculty at The University of Texas at San Antonio and The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. A native of South Carolina, he earned his BM in Piano Performance at Furman University.He completed his MM in Applied Piano and DMA in Music Education/Piano Pedagogy from UT-Austin.Scott made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2010.
October 1st – Online/Virtual Meeting Dr. Fred Karpoff: "Practice Pointers for Perplexing Passages" Prior to the meeting, teachers may submit passages that pose problems for either their students or themselves and Dr. Fred Karpoff will present ideas for solving repertoire conundrums.We will publish the repertoire via email, so that teachers may follow the score while Fred gives us strategies.
Dr. Karpoff is renowned for developing the 3-D Piano Method of piano playing and teaching the Entrada Piano Technique.He received his undergraduate education at Northwestern University and DMA from the Peabody Conservatory.Fred is Professor of Piano and Ensemble Arts and co-chair of the keyboard department at the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University, NY.
November 5th– Steinway Piano Gallery Chad Lawson: "Composing: the Independent Artist" Charlotte resident, Chad Lawson hit #1 on the Billboard Top Classical Albums with The Chopin Variations in 2014, inspired by the Chopin Etudes.His recording, “Stay”, debuted in 2020.Chad has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and NPR’s “All Things Considered”. You may have heard his music on Lore podcasts, Delta Airlines, or the Vampire Diaries.Come and learn how Chad is introducing new generations to classical music with contemporary techniques and an emotive signature sound.
December 3rd– Miller Piano Company Fanarelia Guerrero Lopez: “Luis Abraham Delgadillo: A Rediscovery of His Piano Music” Fanarelia Guerrero Lopez, UofSC Piano Pedagogy doctoral candidate, will present a lecture-recital with the piano music of Nicaraguan composer Luis Abraham Delgadillo. In this lecture-recital you will hear a selection of Delgadillo's 24 preludes, dedicated to Chopin, as well as a guided teaching demonstration. Delgadillo is considered one of the most important composers in Nicaragua and Latin America due to his valuable and varied contributions to music in general, and more specifically, piano music. Ms. Guerrero is committed to spreading Latin American music to new horizons. In 2021, she presented on this topic at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy 2021 and at the VI Symposium for Pianists in Costa Rica.
January 7th– Steinway Piano Gallery Mark Love: "Piano TLC" Want to maximize the performance potential of your piano? Be more informed on the features and benefits of good pianos? This presentation provides insight into the piano. Placement, environment, and the benefits of voicing and action regulation on you or your student’s piano. Fun, informative, and packed full of knowledge about the care and maintenance of the instrument you love.
February 4th– Updated 2/3 to Online/Virtual Meeting Dr. David Brooks: "Romantic Repertoire Master Class" Teachers may submit students’ pieces from the NCMTA/CPTF list and Dr. Brooks will select a variety of repertoire levels for the hour.David is gifted at presenting master classes, meeting each student where they are, inspiring them to rise to new heights, and opening new vistas for the observing teachers and students.
March 4th– Steinway Piano Gallery Greg Thompson: "Piano Recital" Program includes: Toccata by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson (1932-2004) My Dungeon Shook: Three American Preludes by Joel Thompson (b. 1988) Valse in A-flat (Op. 69, #1) and Barcarolle (Op. 60) by Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)
April 1st– Miller Piano Company Dr. Thomas Swenson: "And Now What? Facing the Past and Looking Forward" Reflecting on both the presenter’s past—as a piano student and a piano teacher—and the current culture, our teaching is shaped by our own experiences.Having taught piano for more than three decades, Dr. Thomas Swenson’s understanding of music and pedagogy continues to evolve.This presentation will include teaching tips, insights, and thought-provoking ideas.
May 6th – Steinway Piano Gallery Katherine Love: "Music and the Brain" Music permeates our everyday life. Whether we are listening intentionally to the soaring crescendos and heart-wrenching melodies in a Rachmaninoff piano concerto, attending a church service, watching a movie or TV sitcom, shopping in the mall, or sitting in a doctor’s office, music is a vital part of our existence. This workshop will explore how music impacts brain function and human behavior. Topics such as whether/how learning a musical instrument enhances cognition to music and the aging brain will be considered. In addition, how the nervous system reacts to music will be explored.