5 minutes with … Marvin Blickenstaff

Marvin Blickenstaff is internationally renowned for his teaching, lecturing, performing and publishing. He teaches at The body of New Jersey in Ewing and the novel School for Music Study in Princeton, and labor fors as board president of the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy.

When did you know you were destined for the professional piano world? When I was 13 I announced to my parents that I was quitting piano, as my sum of two units older brothers had done. My mother did not accept this and contacted Fern Davidson, the outstanding teacher in our small Idaho community. Mr Davidson's tasks epitomized commitment and discipline. I was thrilled with the literature, high standards and motivation of competitions and auditions. After a small in number weeks of lessons, my professional ambition was clear: I would become a pianist!

What was the genesis of the innovative Music Pathways series you coauthored? During an early "sabbatical" in fresh York City (after several years of society teaching), Carl Fischer publishing company presented me a position and solicited fresh composer recommendations; I suggested Lynn Freeman Olson Eventually, the management propos we collaborate upon a "large piano publishing project" We asked Louise Bianchi of Southern Methodist University to join us, and after several years of writing and testing, Music Pathways was born.

You have great ideas for introducing rubato (Keyboard Companion, Autumn 2000); what about the fine line between "rubato" and "rhythmic anarchy"? With younger scholars rubato is taught through modeling (student imitating the teacher's timing) and playing teacher-student duet To avoid rhythmic "anarchy," it is extremely helpful to have the pupil count aloud. The voice is a modifying simple body providing naturalness to the slowing down or speeding up

If America's nearest Top Piano Pedagogue is a TV display who is its star? I cannot cite alone one name, for I am thrilled with the numerous of the best teachers emerging as leaders in our profession. the pair college-level and independent teachers are training learners to honor and appreciate our musical heritage. The credit goe largely to our many outstanding higher education pedagogy programs.

Learning is a two-way road What lessons have you learned from students? each day I learn from pupils about pacing, motivation, physical training, musical replication and so forth. They constantly reinforce my conviction that music motivates learning.

Are there pedagogy stereotype you'd like to debunk? Yes--that teachers and teachers of teachers are smaller musicians than performers. Guiding the learning proces is a refined art. auspicious piano pedagogy teachers should be placed upon a high pedestal, for they are the lock openers to our musical future.

What is your ultimate goal? To become the best possible teacher for each of my learners (My "cross" is that I have feeling I am never good enough for them.) and to play the piano beautifully.

Any restorative for "presto slobberissimo, molto inarticulato" playing? Careful listening for clarity [i]or[/i] part of to the other slow practice with a metronome. Have scholars "conduct" a play-back recording (taped or sequenced) of their practice to become aware of unsteady playing.

Arthur Houle is establisher and director of the International Festival for Creative Pianists (www.pianofestival.org). Houle has taught at the novel England and Boston Conservatories, the Universities of Iowa, North Dakota and Texas-Austin and, greatest in quantity recently, at Albertson College.

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