April 2024 MTNA e-Journal

Post-Pandemic Reflections on Collegiate Group Piano Teaching and Learning
By Ting Ting Goh, NCTM

Four years have passed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which no doubt created a shift in and impact on music teaching and learning. So far, most discussions about the pandemic’s effects are focused on traditional higher education instruction, but no specific examinations have been conducted regarding the collegiate group piano class. This study investigated the current challenges in collegiate group piano classes using two surveys: the first survey with collegiate group piano coordinators and the second with collegiate group piano instructors and students. Study results indicate that now may be the optimal time to reconsider what is most effective and engaging in the collegiate group piano curriculum. [View]

Emulating Bartók: The Pedagogy of Strict Imitation
By Michael Rector

Most research on historical performance practices has used texts to inform how performers read scores. More recently, scholars/performers have based their research on recordings from the early 20th century. For this study, I attempted to imitate precisely Bela Bartók’s performance of selections from For Children based on his 1945 recording. In addition to my own aural analysis I relied on Sonic Visualiser, a software program for analyzing audio files, to quantify Bartók’s rubato, dynamic levels, pedaling and desynchronization of attacks. Emulating Bartók led to insights into his style that have not previously been reported in the literature, particularly in Bartók’s use of asynchrony. Working from Bartók’s recordings created a philosophical insight: studying performance practice can be a way to open up interpretive possibilities. [View]

Poster Sessions

Solfège as a Musical Language: Teaching Pianists to Audiate Through Solmization
By Lindsay Bastian; Nora Mello, NCTM; Alfredo Ortiz; Karolina Rimskyte; Lydia Sander and Hanqiu Xu [View]

Picture Books for Inclusive Music Studios
By Sara Ernst [View]

Current Research

Teacher Perceptions of Beginner-Level Piano Technique and Injury Prevention
By Stephanie Archer, NCTM [View]

Jack Frederick Kilpatrick, Oklahoma’s Cherokee Composer: An Analysis of Six Intermediate Collections for Solo Piano
By Hayden Coie, NCTM [View]