Piano Pedagogy Conference

2024 IPPA Piano Pedagogy Conference

University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

July 6th - 9th, 2024

Innovation, creativity and internationalization are the themes of the 2024 IPPA Piano Pedagogy Conference. Exchange ideas with other teachers, scholars, pre-college students and higher education faculty in hands-on sessions sharing insight and growth. It aims to present practical and down-to-earth guidance for your daily teaching and practicing. We recognize excellent teachers and appreciate their great teaching efforts. We want to hear your insights and wisdom on piano teaching.

The 1st edition of the IPPA Piano Pedagogy Conference will be hosted by IPPA (International Piano Professionals Association). Under the leadership of world-class piano pedagogue Dr. Scott McBride Smith, it is dedicated to advancing the piano profession through piano competitions, pedagogy symposiums, workshops, concerts, teacher training, piano masterclasses and the fostering of international piano exchange programs at the University of Kansas School of Musicwhich is known for its strong piano pedagogy program. 

Conference Tentative Schedule

What is included in each program?

Access to all masterclasses, workshops, pedagogy lectures, symposiums, and discussion panels is available. You are cordially invited to apply to give a presentation, join the panel as a guest speaker, perform in the Teachers Showcase Recital, as well as share your teaching wisdom with this community. Selected proposals will receive a $100 honorary discount.

 

This program is open for piano students under 18 years old, looking for performance, masterclasses and creative activities in this conference.  Attendees will receive: 

  • Participate in one open masterclass
  • Performance class (gain stage experience and confidence) 
  • Improvisation Workshop – enhance creativity
  • Feature in the Student Honor Recital in Swarthout Recital Hall
  • Extra private lessons available to apply after the competition   
    There are limited spots in this program; reservations are made on a first-come-first-served basis.  

Access to all masterclasses, workshops, pedagogy lectures, symposiums, and discussion panels is available. You are cordially invited to apply to give a presentation, join the panel as a guest speaker, perform in the Student Honor Recital.  

This workshop is designed for pianists seeking strategies for planning their future piano careers. The aim of this workshop is to assist you in shaping the development of your professional profile. Activities include:
1 One on One instruction on writing a professional cover letter and CV
2 Writing Teaching Philosophy
3 Participating in a simulated interview with faculty and receiving one-on-one feedback
4 Engaging in one on one career development discussions with faculty
5 OPT and O-1 Visa applying planning and strategies for international students

All attendees can apply additional private lessons with conference faculty. Please reach out our staff for your request.

Detailed information about this conference

• Dr. Scott McBride Smith(University of Kansas) : Workshop: Baroque Interpretations. Masterclass: Baroque Suite and Dances
• Dr. Michael Esch (University of Toronto) Workshop: To rotate or not to rotate, THAT is the question!?” – the essence of the Taubman Technique
• Dr. Nicholas Susi (University of South Carolina) Masterclass Topic: French Composer Repertoire; Workshop; Unsticking Our Beliefs about Fingering
• Dr. Jack Winerock:(University of Kansas) Masterclass: Chopin sound and approach to sound make the piece more effective.
• Dr. Hye-Jung Hong: (Missouri State University): Masterclass: Explore and Examining Diverse Practice approaches for Chopin Etudes
• Dr. Wei-Han Su (Missouri State University): Masterclass: Piano music of Debussy: aspects of sound, color, and pedaling.
• Brenda Wristen:(University of Nebraska-Lincoln) Workshop: Biomechanically Informed technique for Small-Handed (and Other!) Pianists
• Svitlana Fiorito: Discussion Panel: Student home practice efficiency; Masterclass: Art of phrasing in Bach and Mozart
• Felix Tao Chang: (Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts) Masterclass: Touch (legato) in Romantic Repertoire
• Dr. Alejandro Avila (Barton Community College) Masterclass Topic: Latin American Repertoire; Workshop: Career building and life after graduation
• Dr. Alan Woo ( University of Georgia) Workshop: Strategies for Transfer Students: Common Topics in Reading and Technique
• Dr. Rosy Ge (Illumine Star Academy) Masterclass Topic: Standing out from the crowd:teaching intermediate classical repertoire
• Dr. Ivy Lu Wang (University of Kansas)Workshop: Demystifying Pedaling Instruction in Mozart‘s Piano repertoire

In addition to attending events, conference-goers can participate as a Pedagogy Presenter as well.  Presenters will be promoted world wide (posters, social media, etc.). 

Deadline for application to be a Pedagogy Presenter is June 10th, 2024.  Please include:
The title of the proposed paper; 200-300word abstract;100-word biography; institutional affiliation or independent scholar status; and your contact information. 

Presentation lengths:
45-minute presentations are open for young professionals, individual piano teachers with 10 years of experience, as well as college and university piano faculty to apply. 25-minute presentations are open for collegiate piano students to apply. There will be 5 minutes allocated for Q&A at the end for each session. The conference will provide necessary facilities such as projectors or pianos to accommodate the presentations.
All presenters are required to register for the conference. Selected proposals will receive a $100 honorary discount.

 

If you are interested in sharing your insights among the following topics, choose one and identify it in your registration form.

Panel Session 1: How does AI influence teaching, and how can piano teachers adapt to the evolving learning styles of students in today’s fast-changing world? Host: TBA
• Panel Session 2: Strategies for students’ practice at home. Host: Svitlana Fiorito
• Panel Session 3: Silent Film Festivals and Other Performance Opportunities Beyond the Typical Studio Recital. Host: Linda Mannering 

 

Subject to change

July 6th ,2024
9:00am-6:00pm    2024 IPPA Conero International Piano Competition Final Round (Open to public)
                                Conference Registration for early arrivals 
7:30pm-9:00pm    IPPA Honor Recital & Winners’ Teacher Forum

July 7th, 2024
9:00am -12:00pm  2024 IPPA Conero International Piano Competition Final Round (Open to public)
                                  Conference Registration
3:00pm                    Opening of the Conference
3:30pm – 5:00pm   Symposium: What do Judges hear? Featuring all final round judges (Swarthout Recital Hall)  – Open to all audience
5:00pm-6:15pm    Workshop by Dr. Michael Esch: “To rotate or not to rotate, THAT is the question!?” – the essence of the Taubman Technique  (Swarthout Recital Hall) 

 

7:30pm                   Winner Concert and Award Ceremony for Young Artist Category

July 8th, 2024

9:00am – 9:50am Masterclass by Dr. Jack Winerock: The Chopin Sound: Approaches to Pieces More Effective
                               Location: Swarthout Recital Hall
                               Masterclass by Dr. Alejandro Avila: Latin Piano Repertoire
                               Location: Room 328
                               Presentation by Dr. Marcelo Lian: The Craftsmanship of Vincenzo Scaramuzza
                               Location: Room 238     

10:00am – 10:50am  Workshop by Dr. Scott McBride Smith: Baroque Interpretation
                                    Location: Swarthout Recital Hall
                                    Collegiate Presentation:Linnea Babcock: Exploring Wonderland – The Fanciful Works of Berenice Benson Bentley (10:00am-10:25am) Siyang Yu: How Pianists Adapt Different Acoustics From Practice Rooms to Concert Hall (10:30am-10:55am)       Location: Room 238 
                                 Performance Class for Junior Piano Program by Dr. Nicholas Susi
                                 Location: Room 328

11:00am -11:50am   Masterclass by Dr. Wei-Han Su: Piano Music of Debussy: Aspects of Sound, Color, & Pedaling
                                    Location: (Location not specified, please add)
                                    Panel Discussion by Svitlana: Strategies for Practicing at Home
                                    Location: Room 328

12:00pm-2:00pm  Lunch Break 

2:00pm- 2:50pm Masterclass by Dr. Hye-Jung Hong: Explore & Examining Diverse Practice Approaches for Chopin Etudes
                              Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                              Presentation by Dr. Jessica Koebbe: Breath, Body, and Brain: Using the 3 B’s to Address Performance Anxiety
                              Location: Room 238
                               Collegiate Presentation: Jordan Karrigan: “Unchoking” Under Pressure: Alleviating Music Performance Anxiety with Sport Psychology (2:00pm -2:25pm) Nawaporn Ruangthap: Collegiate Pianists: Engaging Audiences Through Interactive Concerts (2:30pm-2:55pm)  Location: Room 402

3:00pm – 3:50pm Workshop by Dr. Nicholas Susi: Unsticking Our Beliefs about Fingering
                               Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                               Presentation by Kyu Butler: Arirang – Representing Korean Folk Song
                               Location: Room 238
                               Presentation by Paul Adams: How You Can Use New Technology for Great Online Piano Lessons
                               Location: Room 402

4:00pm – 4:50pm  Workshop by Dr. Brenda Wristen: Biomechanically Informed Technique for Small-Handed(and Other!) Pianists
                                  Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                                 Panel Presentation by Linda Mannering: Other Performance Opportunities Beyond the Typical Studio Recital
                                 Location: Room 328

5:00pm-7:30pm          Dinner Break
7:30pm-9:00pm
    Winner Concert and Award Ceremony for Professional Artist Category
                                 Collaborate with St. Petersburg String Quartet, Swarthout Recital Hall

July 9th, 2024

9:00am – 9:50am  Masterclass by Dr. Scott Smith: Baroque Suites & Dances
                                Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                                Presentation by Dr. Belinda Chen: Reconsidering Piano Pedagogy from an Evolutionary Anthropological Perspective
                                Location: Room 238
                               Workshop by Ivy Lu Wang: Demystifying Pedaling Instructions in Mozart’s Piano Repertoire
                               Location: Room 402

 

10:00am – 10:50am Masterclass by Dr. Rosy Ge: Standing Out from the Crowd: Intermediate Classical Repertoire
                                   Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                                   Workshop by Dr. Alan Woo: Strategies for Transfer Students: Topics in Reading & Technique
                                   Location: Room 328
                                   Collegiate Presentation: Danlei Yang: From East to West: Exploration of Chinese and Western Musical Traditions in Selected Piano Solo Works by Chen Yi (11:00am-11:25am) Yaqi Wang: How online piano tutorials become a game-changer in our piano education: A survey analysis (11:30am-11:55am) Location: Room 238 
11:00am -11:50am Masterclass by Svitlana Fiorito: Art of Phrasing in Bach & Mozart
                                   Location: Swarthout Recital Hall (SRH)
                                   Panel Discussion: How does AI influence teaching, and how can piano teachers adapt to the evolving learning styles of students in today’s fast-changing world? Location: Room 238
                                   Presentation by Dr. Christina Liu:Level Up! Using Gamification to Enhance Lessons
                                   Location: Room 402

12:00pm-2:00pm  Lunch Break 

2:00pm-2:50pm Masterclass by Dr. Felix Tao Chang: The Legato Touch in Romantic Repertoire
                              Location: Swarthout Recital Hall
                              Masterclass by Dr. Nicholas Susi: French Composer Repertoire
                              Location: Room 328
                              Presentation by Dr. Helber Fernandes Ribeiro: Diversifying Piano Pedagogy: A Comparative Study of Brazilian Piano Works and Established Piano Methods
                              Location: Room 238

3:00pm -3:50pm Workshop -by Dr. Alejandro Avila: Career Building & Life After Graduation
                                Location: Swarthout Recital Hall
                                Presentation – Dr. Priyeshni Perera :A Pedagogical Tool to Develop Musical Expression through the Application of Juslin’s GERMS Model to 20th Century Intermediate/Early Advanced level Piano Music
                                 Location: Room 238

4:15pm-5:30pm    Teachers’ Showcase Recital and Closing Remarks (Swarthout Recital Hall )

6:30pm                   Closing notes and Final banquet (Optional) 

 

 




Program Early Bird (Before May 31st) After May 31st
Junior Piano Program $265 $295
Pedagogy Scholar/Teacher $295 $325
Collegiate Student $135 $165
Daily Rate (optional) $115 _____
Career Development Workshop(optional) $195 _____
Final Dinner Banquet(optional) $50  _____
Parents/Accompany(optional) $80  _____
KU On-Campus Residence Hall (includes breakfast) (optional) $76/night (Private room) ; $68/night(shared room)  _____
  • This conference requires participants under the age of 18 to be accompanied by one of their parents or a guardian. The accompanying person needs to apply for the Parents/Accompany Program in order to access all the concerts and related activities at the conference.
  • Refund Policy: Before June 10th, 50% of program fees and 50% of KU housing fees are refundable. After June 10th, 2024, both program fees and KU housing fees will not be refundable.

Accommodation

KU Campus Residence Hall Housing 

KU Campus Residence Hall Housing Option:
Group Conference Rate for private room including breakfast: $78.00/person/night 
                                                 shared room including breakfast: $68.00/person/night

On-Campus reservation link:RESERVE NOW

Deadline for applying university housing is June 15th, 2024 
It is 8-10 mins walk from Murphy hall, KU School of Music. 

IPPA Pedagogy Event Highlights

Conference Committee:  

Conference Planning: Dr. Scott McBride Smith; Dr. Ivy Lu Wang; Dr. Nicholas Susi; Danlei Yang

Advisory Committee: Linda Mannering; Dr. Rosy Ge; Dr. Alejandro Avila

Conference Coordinator Assistant: Aleia Gonzalez