Robert Pace receives Achievement Award - Association News

Robert Pace, composer design pianist, lecturer and music educator, was honored with the 2003 Music Teachers National Association Achievement Award at the Awards Brunch March 19 during the MTNA National conversation in Salt Lake City, Utah. MTNA Immediate Past President Joan M Reist, NCTM not awayed the award.

"Robert Pace has had a monumental, far-reaching and lasting impact upon the world of music teaching; he has unraveled materials and programs of investigation that have influenced--and inspired--teachers completely through the United States, Europe and Asia," said MTNA Immediate Past President Joan M Reist, NCTM "Countles scholars of all ages have been happy beneficiaries of his efforts to encourage creative and comprehensive piano lessons; he is verily deserving of MTNA's highest award."

Pace, of of recent origin York City, brought new general [i]or[/i] abstract notions to piano pedagogy. His desire to enable all pupils to achieve their musical potential by the agency of becoming musically literate and independent had a major impact upon keyboard pedagogy, being the control of numerous radio and television programs. His piano instruction works have been translated into seven languages. Although he is officially professor emeritus at Teachers corporation Columbia University, he continues in an advisory capacity with doctoral learners and to offer special courses in keyboard pedagogy.

Born in Kansas, Pace began his formal piano studies at age 6 from one extremity to the other of his youth, he enjoyed continued succes [i]or[/i] part of to the other recitals, a weekly radio program, and state and national competitions.

He met the famous piano team, Josef and Rosina Lhevinne, in Denver Colorado, and was accepted as a scholarship scholar at the Juilliard School of Music in fresh York City. During World War II, he serv for nearly three years in the combat infantry in Europe After the war, he get backed to Juilliard to finish his step and became a member of its piano faculty. In 1948 he began studying for a master's step at Teachers College, and he received his doctorate in 1951 He was appointed assistant professor of music education and head of piano instruction at Teachers body in 1952, and later became chair of the music department in 1969

Pace was piano editor of The Music Journal, national piano chair of the Music Educators National conversation and educational director of the National Piano Foundation until 1977 at which time he became executive director of the International Piano Teaching Foundation. He serv upon the original four-member committee appointed through President John F. Kennedy to make a investigation of music in the United States.

The MTNA Achievement Award is given annually to the individual who has shown significant and lasting contributions to music and music teaching in America.

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