Over the weekend, I held my fifth annual masterclass exchange for my students.
What’s a masterclass exchange? Well, it’s when I ask a piano teacher friend/colleague to come in and work with a group of my students. In return, I offer to work with a group of his/her students. I hold this event every year as one of my students’ monthly “Piano Party” group classes. We use it as a way to rehearse for our upcoming studio recital.
This year, I asked my friend Ana Yoder Coulter of Toledo, Ohio if she was interested in doing a masterclass exchange with me, and she kindly agreed. And so, last Saturday I worked with a group of her students. On Sunday afternoon, she worked with a group of my students.
Each student performed their recital piece for Ana and received a piece of advice for how they could improve their performance.
It’s so good for them to experience playing for another teacher. And it’s good for me, as a teacher, to hear another teacher’s perspective!
I think it’s important to create multiple opportunities for practicing performing. Students are more likely to experience success performing when they have more opportunities to practice performing.
I find it so much fun to work with other teacher’s students, too, in a masterclass setting. I know how helpful it can be for a student and their teacher to get feedback from a third party. Sometimes, hearing something from a third party means more than from your usual teacher.
Thank you, Ana, for doing the masterclass exchange with me this year!
Are you inspired? Perhaps you’d like to approach a piano teacher friend/colleague near you and propose a masterclass exchange! I highly recommend it. It’s been a great way for my students and I to grow and have fun together. And I appreciate being able to partner with a colleague each year.
Check out last year’s masterclass exchange here!
