[Continued from Day 2.]
8:00am Exhibitor Showcase – Learn Piano As Naturally As A Child Learns To Speak: Introducing A Kodály-based Piano Method That Trains Both Ear and Eye, by Hoffman Academy
Joseph Hoffman, operator of the Hoffman Academy in Oregon, presented an informative session about his Kodály-based piano method. With most mainstream piano methods being heavily focused on the skill of reading music notation, I was fascinated to learn about an example of a method that is focused on first listening and imitating before reading and writing. Mr. Hoffman, sometimes called the “Mr. Rogers of piano”, also has a variety of great lesson videos for students available on YouTube as well as on his membership site.
11:00 The Entrepreneurial Spirit Of Walt Disney And Independent Music Teachers, by Karen Thinkstun
Karen Thinkstun presented an engaging session about the entrepreneurship of Walt Disney (a fitting topic due to the conference’s Orlando location this year) and the stories of six musician-teachers using their entrepreneurial spirits to forge a career in music. I was honored to be featured as one of the examples, with special focus on my summer Piano Teachers Retreat.
After lunch, I attended the Annual Business Meeting of MTNA, led by our current president, Scott McBride Smith.
2:15 Local Associations Forum Meeting
Next, I attended the Local Associations Forum Meeting. MTNA holds a variety of these forum sessions throughout the conference, which allow opportunity for the membership to discuss and pass along concerns to MTNA leadership. These meetings are always interesting and worthwhile to attend, and I was especially interested in this one as I currently serve in the position of Vice President for Local Associations for my state-level chapter, the Ohio Music Teachers Association.
3:30pm Do The Studio Crawl!, by Jennifer Cohen, Helen Grosshans, Levonne Mrozinski, and Beverly Taylor
This dynamic session was presented by four teachers in Illinois who meet regularly in each other’s studios to collaborate and share teaching ideas. They shared not only about some of their recent favorite studio projects and initiatives, but also about how others could start their own “studio crawl” with fellow teachers.
After dinner, I was so excited to attend the evening Piano Recital given by Jeremy Denk. I’ve wanted to hear him in concert for a long time.
Jeremy Denk’s playing is incredible. Among the selections, he performed Prokofiev’s Fugitives Visions and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op. 109. It was a fantastic recital.
Stay tuned for Day 4!
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