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YOUR INSTRUCTOR MARVIN BLICKENSTAFF
For decades Marvin Blickenstaff devoted his life to helping pianists grow—teaching in his Philadelphia studio, at The New School for Music Study in Princeton, and through national workshops and publications. His leadership with the Frances Clark Center and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, along with honors such as MTNA’s Achievement Award, NCKP’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and Fellowship of the Royal Conservatory of Music, reflect a career centered on elevating meaningful, musical learning.
Marvin always focused on empathetic, student-centered strategies to make practicing purposeful, repertoire inspiring, and lessons deeply human. His work is grounded in practical tools, clear communication, and a nurturing studio culture, all aimed at helping teachers keep students engaged and loving music for the long haul.
What's Included in These Courses?
These 3 video sessions you may access on-demand at this website, complete with downloadable PDF handouts.
Warm-Ups? Who, Me? Technical Routines for All Ages
Physiologists would take exception to what many of our students consider a warm-up (one fast scale and we’re ready to go!) Athletes, dancers, and orchestral musicians have extensive warm-up routines. Piano students can learn much from these professionals about the concept of warming up, and apply those concepts to their own practice, regardless of level of development.
Performance Practice Made Easy: Rules of Thumb for the Student
It is a big job to bring our students to an accurate performance of notes and rhythms. Yet composers indicate details of sound through slurs and phrase markings, and a wide variety of articulations. In this workshop, Blickenstaff provides students with Rules of Thumb that govern the interpretation of the sound.
The End is in the Beginning: Coaching a Piece to Performance
The piano teacher plays a vital role in guiding the development of a piece to performance. How do we introduce new materials to incite curiosity and a desire to learn? What are the pertinent practice steps? And what are the clues to an effective piano performance? Some of these answers are indicated in the score and others must come from the teacher's wealth of experience and personal musicianship. Marvin Blickenstaff will sharpen our skills and help us lead our students to effective performances. Memory techniques are also discussed.
Access this course anytime, anywhere, across all devices right here on this website.
PRAISE for MARVIN BLICKENSTAFF
I cannot sing enough praises about this man as the most inspiring piano pedagogue. Many years ago, I lived near Goshen College in Indiana where Marvin taught for years. I attended one of his summer workshops, and my piano teaching was changed from that moment on. Since then, I try to hear him at every opportunity. I attended the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy conference in Chicago a few years ago for that very reason.
So inspiring! In any given master class, Marvin will inevitably tell the student what he "admires" about their playing. Such a remarkable thing to say. And notice (as I've heard him say is intentional), he never says, "You played this and that great, BUT.... " He never says "but"; he doesn't approach it that way. He adds. He expands. He teaches in the most positive, encouraging, beautiful way. He tells a story, shares the history, paints a picture, evokes a feeling... so that by the time the student plays the piece again, it is utterly transformed. And so are we, the listeners.
Marvin Blickenstaff is Magical.
Marvin demonstrates beautifully the Frances Clark tradition of teaching every student with love, respect, and an intentional way of tuning into each student individually, meeting them where they are and teaching them from their center, not his. I find it remarkable that he is still living among us, and that we have the opportunity to hear him and learn from him, and to follow one of the greatest forms of teaching and learning: to imitate him.
Marvin Blickenstaff is a gift. I hope you'll join me in participating in this course so that you too may be inspired.
Amy Barker, Piano Teacher
College Station, Texas
Your BONUS for joining today....
An extra video of Marvin Blickenstaff offering even more nuggets of wisdom! You'll find it right inside the course.
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"Thank you Elizabeth, thank you Marvin - watching these sessions right now and finding so many teaching tips. A true gold mine of piano pedagogy wisdom. Such well spent money and time. The info is multi-level and plentiful - am going to have to write notes upon notes!"
- Sarah Arnold, Brussels, Belgium
"Marvin's wealth of wisdom and knowledge is remarkable, but I equally enjoyed his humility, kindness and joyful spirit. Thank you Elizabeth for another great set of sessions. I'm especially excited that I will be able to watch the videos again and again. You're a huge blessing to the piano community."
- Ginny Godsey, San Antonio, Texas