2022 Session Descriptions
If you’re curious, all material is different from Piano Connect 2021.
Friday January 28, 2022
How to Play by Ear Bradley Sowash
Have you ever marveled at musicians who play melodies on their instruments after one hearing? Perhaps you considered it a gift only available to those with absolute pitch. Not true! This hands-on session explores specific steps any musician can use to replicate melodies and even chords by ear without written music.
Improvising with Patterns and Rote Pieces Paula Dreyer
Patterns can be extremely calming and soothing. Patterns are all around us- from the rise and fall of the sun, to the intricate design of a pine cone. In this interactive session, you will learn how to approach rote pieces and why they are beneficial. We will spend most of the session exploring beautiful improvisations based off of some of Paula’s popular pattern-filled rote pieces called Little Gems for Piano. This multi-level session will leave you feeling inspired, creative, and capable.
The Forrest Kinney Collection: Putting his Strategies to Work for You! Andrea Rackl
Think the idea of teaching with more creativity is great, but it’s hard to know how to implement the tools that are out there? Come check out this practical guide to applying the fantastic ideas of the late, great pedagogue Forrest Kinney. We’ll talk a little about what books he has available to help you and then spend some time learning how to really use his strategies in a lesson. This presentation is given by Andrea Rackl, Forrest Kinney’s duet partner, who has been teaching the Four Arts of Music for the past 30 years.
Yoga Class for Musicians Lesley McAllister
Join us in a special yoga class created specifically for musicians! Author of Yoga in the Music Studio and expert on mind-body techniques Lesley S. McAllister provides a unique opportunity for all to improve their musical craft, enhance concentration, listen more attentively, relax, and play their best – whether before a performance or just during lessons – all through the practice of yoga. Many musicians know that yoga postures and breathing practices can help musicians achieve peak performance, prevent injury, and relieve pain, yet surprisingly few are themselves familiar with these techniques or know how to introduce them to others. Yoga helps contribute to lifelong health and wellness.
Teaching Composing When You’re Not a Composer Samantha Coates
In this interactive session, internationally renowned Australian pedagogue Samantha Coates will get you fired up about effective tools to get you composing, even if you’ve never tried it before! Samantha will demonstrate how she uses her Rote Repertoire series to inspire creative compositions from her students, and show how easy it is for anyone to create at the piano.
Concert- Grant Kondo performs a Four Arts Concert of improvisations, arrangements, compositions, and classical music.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
How to Add Color to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” Leila Viss
After presenting in last year’s Piano Connect, Leila Viss was inspired to pass along to my students what she learned about arranging Somewhere Over the Rainbow and so she developed a six-week unit. After learning the tune by ear, she showed them a palette of options to color their own arrangement. This session will walk you through the exact steps she took and aims to inspire you to learn how to arrange any tune, step by step!
My Piano Arrangements are Better Than Yours (And Here are the Secrets!) Jeremy Siskind
Ever notice that two pianists can play the same song and one sounds way better than the other? Pianist-composer Jeremy Siskind will share how to create easy-to-play piano arrangements that sound great. Using the standard tune “God Bless the Child,” Jeremy will demonstrate arranging techniques that you can use for songs you love, students’ compositions, or just when playing “Happy Birthday” at a friend’s party.
Let it Flow- Finding Creative Freedom at the Piano Paula Dreyer
Using some of the most effective explorations from her Piano Flow- Create and Elevate course, Paula Dreyer will guide you in an interactive, hands on exploration at the piano. Learn how to bring out the magical sonorites of the piano in a clear and strategic way.
Masterclass Paula Dreyer
What a treat to hear feedback directly from the composer! Join us as composer, pianist, and educator Paula Dreyer works with two different children on pieces from her album Central Star.
Success at the Piano- Creativity is Key Irina Gorin
With an established reputation as one of the most prominent piano teachers in the world, Irina shares her insights that cultivate success at the piano. Through carefully curated activities involving music listening, improvisation, composition, ear-training, story telling, and imagery, pianists will learn how to develop their innate, natural abilities at the piano. Discover what unlocks the key to expressive playing, a solid technique, and a beautiful, sensitive tone.
Concert- Yamaha Artist Jeremy Siskind plays jazz standards and originals.
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Outsmart Time: Productivity for Busy People- Sarah Whitney
Have you ever felt like you left an educational experience with lots of ideas, but no plan of how to make any lasting changes? You will not want to miss this highly valuable session so that you leave the retreat with a plan of action!
Success Coach for Musicians Sarah Whitney will help you walk away with a plan to implement the creative strategies you learned during Piano Connect by debunking the most common productivity mistakes you might be making (without realizing it!). You’ll walk away with science-backed productivity tools that you can easily implement so you can create more time out of thin air, stop drowning in overwhelm and stay focused on creating!
Concert – Paula Dreyer performs her Piano Flow Live set, including original compositions, improvisations and more!
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Here is a look at the fascinating sessions from 2021.
Friday, January 15, 2021
Leila Viss– The Beauty of Boundaries – Breaking Down Barriers to Creativity
A blank canvas intimidates. That’s why Bob Ross, the Happy Painter, was so popular. With his mesmerizing brush strokes and gentle instructions, millions befriended a canvas with courage. It’s why we enjoy coloring books. The spaces between the lines invite participation and yet leave it to us to choose our favorite Crayola crayon.
Eighty-eight keys intimidate, too. That’s why clear boundaries with composing set the stage for success for any level of pianist and—just like the coloring book—still allow for creative decision making along the way.
Art professor Walter Nottingham states that when given no boundaries, 90% of the time is spent on what to do and 10% of the time doing it. When given clear boundaries,10% of the time is spent on determining what to do and 90% of the time doing it.
In this interactive session, learn how the brain is wired for imagination, discover how to select boundaries and then how to explore and spend “90% of your time” creating an original masterpiece. In addition, gain tips on how to generate professional-looking publications with the aid of tools like Noteflight, Canva, YouTube, and QR codes
Paula Dreyer- Improvising off of Rote Pieces
Pianists love exploring the magical sounds of the piano. With their colorful sonorities, impressive repeated patterns, and vast registers, rote pieces give the new student a chance to truly express music from the very beginning.
Pianists of all levels will enjoy learning how to improvise based off of rote pieces. Teachers will learn how to teach by demonstration, gain new tools for creativity in the lesson, and will discover new resources to round out and compliment standard beginning repertoire.
Pianists of all levels will get helpful tips about technique and creativity. Even if you don’t teach, this session will inspire you with lots of new improv ideas.
Masterclass- Dennis Alexander and Paula Dreyer
In this unique opportunity, composers Dennis Alexander and Paula Dreyer will work with students (or teachers) on pieces written by the composers themselves! Selections may include anything in their collection such as Repertoire by Rote, Nocturnes, Little Gems for Piano, Central Star, and more.
Samantha Coates- Interactive Session on Motivating Reluctant Students: Composing, Sight-Reading and Awesome Lesson Warm-ups
In this interactive session, grab your piano, notebook, and a pencil! Internationally renowned Australian pedagogue Samantha Coates will get you fired up about effective tools to get you composing, sight-reading, and warming up with your students in super fun and innovative new ways.
Concert- Paula Dreyer
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Jeremy Siskind- 5 Things Every Piano Teacher Needs to Know About Jazz (But Is Afraid to Ask)
Almost every “traditional” piano teacher will be asked to teach jazz at some point in their career, yet few receive any real jazz training. Noted pedagogue and real-life jazz pianist Jeremy Siskind offers his 5 “Need to Know” Jazz Essentials to give you creative confidence in any teaching scenario and help you enliven all of your teaching.
From the details of swing feel, to decoding the nuances of chord symbols, learn how you can guide your students towards expressive improvisation. Bring concerns, leave with confidence!
Paula Dreyer- Piano Flow- Create and Elevate
Get ready for a bit of much needed self care! Grab some tea or coffee, wear comfortable clothes, and be prepared to relax and let go.
Paula will offer some introductory improvisational exercises that you can use alone or with your students, even while teaching online! We will also explore some creative exercises for reaching for your dreams and brainstorming about improving your teaching experience.
This nurturing session will end in a meditation while Paula serenades you with her improvisational “Musical Meditations”. Prepare to get inspired and soak in some creative, flowing energy!
Forrest Kinney Tribute
Friends and loved ones tell uplifting stories and play music inspired by our friend Forrest Kinney.
Jeremy Siskind- From Scales to Melodies – Improvise or Compose Meaningful Melodies from Any Chord Progression
Melodies – even the greatest melodies – are essentially made up of scales. Yet, even though we know our scales forwards and backwards, most classical pianists don’t feel confident composing or improvising melodies.
Pianist-composer Jeremy Siskind will share studio-ready exercises to transform our approach to scales from being viewed as boring exercises to be learned by rote to becoming the raw materials that spark creative melody making.
Tim Topham– 4 Chord Pop Composing: as easy as 1, 2, 3… 4 chords!
How do we engage today’s students in a creative musical experience that will improve their reading, increase their curiosity and set them up for a life of music-making? With much of the focus of music lessons today being on reading, performance and examinations, students are missing out on some of the key skills required of a well-rounded musician: being able to create music, play by ear, read lead sheets and improvise.
Today’s session is all about how teachers can use the “four chord” basis of pop music as a highly-motivational starting point for pop-style composition with their students. Tim will demonstrate a simple framework that engages students and that any teacher can use.
Concert- Jeremy Siskind
Sunday, January 17, 2021
Browse the exhibit hall. Pop into the Piano Connect Facebook group to connect with exhibitors and learn more about their products.
Sarah Whitney– Productivity and Taking Action
Leave the retreat with a plan of action! Musician’s coach Sarah Whitney will help you design action steps and a plan to implement the creative strategies you learned during Piano Connect. Sarah is a specialist in the field of productivity (can’t we all use some help in that department!?). She has helped musicians:
- create the career they want
- rekindle the joy in being a musician
- achieve ambitious personal, artistic, & financial goals
You won’t want to miss this engaging and useful session about using your time efficiently while achieving your goals.