Highlights from my 2026 Retreat at Piano Manor

Last week, I hosted my 2026 Retreat at Piano Manor — a three-day event for growth-minded piano teachers. I feel so grateful to have been able to organize, host, and lead this event for teachers! Here are some highlights from our time together, June 8-10, 2026.

This year makes the 6th time I’ve hosted my retreat. We convened at the same venue I used two years ago for the 2024 retreat: a historic home in Manchester, Michigan not far from where I live.

As teachers arrived, they were greeted and shown their rooms. This historic house offers many large, themed rooms with spacious bathrooms on the second and third floors.

Then, teachers enjoyed a light lunch prepared by my friend Amy Chaplin (of PianoPantry.com) in the gorgeous dining room.

We then began our schedule of sessions in the gathering room.

Our theme this year was “By Our Own Ears: Hearing What We Teach.” For this theme, I drew heavily upon my certification trainings through the Gordon Institute for Music Learning, my independent study of Gordon’s books over the years, and my personal experience learning to teach in accordance with principles from Gordon’s Music Learning Theory (MLT).

Throughout our three days together, we enjoyed the rare opportunity to work on our own ears/audiation as musicians and teachers during four “Musicianship Moments.” I used those sessions to immerse teachers in listening and moving to a variety of tonalities and meters as we learned to “tune in” to the meter, resting tone, and tonality and absorb rhythm and tonal solfege.

Most of our sessions together were discussion-based, guided by questions I prepared and printed in our retreat program booklet. But I did include one formal presentation (see my workshop topics here) on the life and career of Edwin E. Gordon — who I like to refer to as “the father of Music Learning Theory.” This session was well-received, with many teachers finding it inspiring to hear Gordon’s own voice in the audio and video clips I compiled.

Throughout our time together, we explored basic tenets of MLT and examined how we understand music in rhythm and tonal dimensions. We also discussed practical implications for our teaching, as trail-blazed by several practitioners (such as Marilyn Lowe and Mary Ellen Pinzino) walking in the footsteps of Gordon.

For dinner, we drive to Buddy’s Pizza to enjoy Detroit-style pizza.

Back at the house, we took advantage of the beautiful pool-side patio to enjoy conversation as well as a few improvised music games that made us all laugh (thanks for that, Angie!).

On Day 2, there was one point where we broke out into small groups to work with “MLT conversation cards.” This was a way to review and put tenets of MLT in our own words. It was also an effective way to meet and chat with the other attendees.

This clever group found their way to the cozy cupola on the top of the historic house…effectively the fourth floor of the house with a great view!

During our extended lunch break, a group of us decided to experience taking one of Gordon’s music aptitude tests. It’s fascinating experiencing Gordon’s test design.

For dinner, we walked to a nearby restaurant for tacos and rice bowls.

After dinner, we had a teaching demo with a group of my piano students and then enjoyed casual conversation into the evening.

Day 3 was when we focused the most on teaching techniques and practical application to our piano lessons as teachers.

Here is a group shot taken the last day.

After a light lunch together, we packed up and said our goodbyes. Here is a photo of me with two Michigan teacher friends who have attended every retreat or nearly every retreat!

It was a joy to meet and interact with each person of this group of dedicated musicians and piano teachers. I feel so fortunate to be part of a profession I love so dearly and can enjoy alongside such like-minded colleagues.

There’s no way I could hold this event without the amazing catering by my pal, Amy — I have to give her another shout-out! Thank you for keeping us well-fed and our stomachs and taste buds happy!!

I received so much positive feedback about this year’s retreat — it made my heart sing. Quite a few of attendees said: “You’re so organized!!” Ha, what can I say: I like organizing events and teaching teachers. Others were just so delighted to be exposed to Gordon’s work and new possible directions for MLT today, or to enjoy the luxurious opportunity for stretching and connecting with our own musical minds and musicianship skills.

Thanks for reading my 2026 retreat highlights! If attending a future retreat interests you at all, I invite you to join my separate retreat email list. As a member of that list, you’ll be first to hear the details about my next retreat, slated for 2028. You can also find more details and photos anytime for my retreats at pianoteacherretreat.com.

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PS: Amy recorded a special episode of her Piano Pantry podcast while at the retreat. Take a listen here to hear me and a handful of the attendees talking about the retreat!

Related:

• Recap: My 2024 Retreat at Piano Manor
• Recap: My 2023 Piano Teacher Retreat
• 2019 Piano Teacher Retreat Highlights
• 2018 Piano Teacher Retreat: Developing Piano Technique in Beginners
• 2017 Retreat | Piano Method Mining: Uncovering Nuggets of Wisdom From Method Books.