The chronological degradation of piano method, since its transference from the European schools to the North American

schools in the early 20th century, has begun to prove that piano methodology has shifted from being rooted in musical artistry into musical commercialism. While catering to a growing population of instructors with less pedagogical experience, this progression from artistry to commercialism has introduced multiple deficiencies in piano methodology. Modern methodology has become oriented around the business of selling the musical series that are user friendly for both the student and instructor. For the student, it appears the onus for a complete musical education is placed on the teachers ability to sell or suggest the most adequate series. The deficiencies that exist within the beginner volumes lead to an inadequate musical foundation. Modern methodology thus falls short in establishing the necessary essential musical elements in order for the student to become a successful musician. These deficiencies have also contributed to the growing number of students whom develop musical anxieties, anxieties that are borne through the lack of reinforcement presented in their introductory volumes of study. Are these series a necessary guide for beginners if the student is developing these anxieties through deficient resources?

Historically, Carl Czerny, in his young pianist volume, introduces the piano keyboard, grand staff and rhythms within the first two pages of the book. From that point on, it appears that the crucial introduction of the musical elements, are left up to the instructors imagination and pedagogical skill. The student is driven to dive into the music immediately without having key musical information drawn out through varying chapters over multiple books. Czernys approach is that of a method that engages the student into

the music through shorter pieces that Czerny himself composed. It appears that piano methodology during that age was based on the instructing experience, performing experience and compositional experience that the individual instructor possessed. Through differentiating pedagogical approaches, the success of the student was the natural extension of the information ingested and put to practice. The idioms borne of sound instruction were that of sound improvisational skills, transposing at sight and of course the in depth knowledge of then, current and past piano repertoire. With performance practices monumentally improving rapidly over the 19th century, so too did the repertoire become more challenging for the performer to execute in performance. Naturally, some of the most prolific performers/composers instructed newer generations of musicians whom themselves became even more prolific than their predecessors. This rapid evolution of the ingenuity behind the piano repertoire being composed and performed in Europe, coincided with the birth of pedagogical thought or schools of thought whether rooted in the nationalistic sense, or individual sense. For example Heinrich Neuhaus was an outstanding pianist and pedagogue, a creator of a piano 'school' which was a great achievement in a development of the art of piano playing.

Neuhaus' life-long teaching attitude was strongly influenced by the first impressions of his childhood. He was born in 1888 in a small, provincial city in Elizavetgrad, Ukraine. His father Gustav was of German origin, and his mother Olga was of Polish origin were music teachers as well. They opened the first music school in their town, and were teaching literally all day long. According to Heinrich Neuhaus, his father was very musical but with limited pianistic skills. In his teaching Gustav, he emphasized the socalled technical or physical side of piano playing beyond all reasonable limits. For years,

everyday, for many hours, Heinrich heard his parents teaching in this way, completely based on the physical elements of playing, and he absolutely hated it. Therefore, the key concept of his own teaching was to appeal to the intellect of the student. He perhaps avoided physical aspects somehow more than he later thought would be reasonable. Another evolving pedagogical approach in Europe, was that of Zoltan Kodaly. Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) was a Hungarian composer, educator, and ethnomusicologist. His philosophy of music education led to a highly sequential system of teaching music. The system was developed by those influenced by Kodalys vision of music education. What is known now as Kodaly Method was developed in Hungary in the mid 20th century. Kodaly, his colleagues, and his students contributed to its development. It evolved in the Hungarian schools under his inspiration and guidance. The goals, the philosophy, and the principles were Kodalys, but the pedagogical approach was not. None of the practices associated with Kodaly originated with him. Solfa was invented in Italy and tonic solfa came from England; rhythm syllables were the invention of Cheve in France, and many of the solfa techniques employed were taken from the work of Dalcroze; handsinging was adapted from John Curwens approach in England and the teaching process was basically Pestalozzian.

The uniqueness of the Kodaly Method came in the way in which these previously separate techniques were combined into one unified approach, which itself supported a viable and evolving philosophy of

music education.

During the 20th century, piano methodology began to grow and become more standardized as more of the general public became interested in studying the instrument in North America. North Americas industrialization bore an extensive middle class to which the luxury of music lessons became more affordable, essentially allowing the study of music to become more accessible. Earlier 20th century North American methodology, that I have observed, begins with the John Thompson series for young pianists. Although it parallels a lot of the same introductory information as Czerny Young Pianist, Thompsons methodology starts to implement user-friendly characteristics for both the pianist and instructor. For example, Thompsons series is teeming with visual artistry that reinforces and parallels the music that is being studied. I believe Thompsons goal in having visual artistry is to induce the student into painting mental musical pictures. To imagine the scene to which the music enhances, however, not in an overbearing sense as in some of the modern books. Thompsons method begins to standardize the basics of methodology for teacher and student alike while maintaining key components for proficient study. Although removed from the European methodology of teacher individualism, Thompsons series still maintains itself as a high quality resource by including historical and technical components, most importantly, within that particular volume.

Modern method books have evolved into a more simplistic approach to keyboard studies. Whether this is due to shortening attention spans or simply more of an emphasis on

having fun with music within the lesson or practice environment, the approach to piano music itself has suffered. While there is a growing interest in piano studies, the constant that I have observed in the varying teaching positions that I have held is the number of unqualified teachers that teach piano music to young children to compensate for this growing trend. On multiple occasions, Ive met teachers whom have just completed their grade viii RCM examination and are thus looking for teaching positions within the studio environment. Once they begin instructing, the incentive to pursue higher musical accreditation generally disappears. Modern methods are aimed at those teachers looking to break into the teaching scene. Method books provide a week-by-week plan where the teacher need not apply too much effort in preparation for the volume of students they instruct. An intense teaching schedule does not permit the instructor much preparation time or practice time for self-improvement purposes. Although multiple opportunities for expanded instruction is given to the instructor within each volume, the instructor fails to meet this challenge of applying their own individual knowledge to enhance each chapter of musical study. This allows commercialism to take hold of the place where music artistry once lay dominant. Method volumes have been reduced and key components of study have been either moved to other volumes for purchase or remain non-existent altogether. Far too often have I heard that the Bastien series is good or that the teacher prefers the Alfred series but never is there an explanation as to why? One explanation could be that the teacher has studied that particular volume in his/her pursuit of musical knowledge from a young age. Another could be rooted in the visual artistry that might appeal to the student. Nevertheless, the commercialism that has taken hold of methodology has proven, through intermediate

students, that modern method books are not providing the student with enough of the necessary tools to advance as a complete musician to the next level. Modern beginner books lack the ability to reinforce and solidify key information that it introduces to the student. As a result, there appears to be a number of students developing atypical deficiencies in crucial areas of their study. For Example: 1) Approaching music with larger key signatures. 2) Exact keyboard note placement of notes written on the staff. Several of the major method books introduce the layout of the keyboard through the identification of two and three black key groupings. The student thus practices playing each grouping ascending and descending on the keyboard. The subsequent progression of music is based on the black keys in varying positions on the keyboard with few alterations of finger positions. The staves are then introduced separately and then the grand staff with middle c being the focal point for the student. The c five-finger position becomes a comfort position for the student as are the subsequent chapters that introduce other positions, which are also white key positions with few accidentals within that specific position. The template for these books advocate a prolonged period to which the student is to spend learning the necessary repertoire with these positions as the root. After level four or five, the student naturally segues into another source, predominantly the lists suggest by the Royal Conservatory of Music or Conservatory Canada. I began my study by asking my new students to choose a new piece of music from within the books that they possessed. 30 out of 31 chose pieces that had one or two sharps/flats within the key signature and less blackness on the page referring to note density and

note speed. All of the students were inclined to pick repertoire that seemed easier which was solely based on the key signature and note density. To continue my study of this intimidation factor, I thus presented repertoire with larger key signatures and substantially more occurring accidentals within the music. The general response consisted of this is too difficult or this is too hard for me. Giving these suggested pieces some time of study within the lesson relaxed their intimidation of the music thus over half continued to study the music in their practice at home. With the clients that I have gained, that are complete beginners, I have introduced a system that initiates the reading of notation through Dflat major, Gflat major, then progressing into E major and B major. My reasoning for this type of introduction is twofold. First, the natural extension of the fingers is utilized as opposed to having to curve the fingers immediately. For D-flat and G-flat major, the passing of the thumb in both hands is synchronized and due to the natural position of the hand, the cross-over or crossunder of the thumb results in a more even sound as opposed to the unnatural position of the hand in c-position that can produce a highly uneven sound. I believe it is important to feel comfortable with the keyboard and the even tone the student can produce. I have transposed the chapters from the beginner series into the afore mentioned keys, using accidentals instead of key signatures for each score. Naturally the system of flats and sharps is introduced with the notes of the entire scale including solid and broken triads. These students have attempted this approach have found greater success in reading ability and in approaching music at the intermediate level that possess larger key signatures which would normally appear to be visually intimidating. If greater detail is initially introduced, then perhaps greater attention can be given to it from the outset. The

intimidation of these key musical areas ceases to exist for these students thus the prejudice of certain music based on its appearance disappears which allowing the student to approach the music confidently. This method gradually tapers into the introductory keys suggested in the opening chapters of modern method books.

A common question that I am faced with pertains to note placement. I am asked, is this the right note? or is this it? when it pertains to placing notes from the score onto the keyboard. One of the solutions that I encourage in the lesson is to identify the note in question and then to identify any other notes that are on the same line or space throughout the music. Another method that I have used is to have the student write out that specific note within its clef several times and then to write out the notes that surround that particular note whether above or below the given note. If the problem of note reading happens to be at a greater level, I would thus recommend more supplementary note reading/identifying exercises. Normally note reading deficiencies can be cured with written exercises and/or practical exercises at the piano keyboard. These components of study would be useful if they were integrated in the general lesson books that are available at music studios as opposed to the supplementary editions that can be purchased aside from the general lesson book. Within the lesson books researched, the emphasis is oriented on the proposed position changes and the new five notes that are to be studied as opposed to adding the new position to the position already gained in the previous chapters. Unless the previous chapters position is reinforced, the notes that exist in that position can be lost. Commonly, the student engages in a guessing game pertaining to the octave of a specific

note or series of notes. The notion of reading the notes vertically and transposing what read to a horizontally based keyboard has stirred confusion amongst a few students. As the notes move up on the staff doesnt necessarily translate into the notes moving to the right on the keyboard. A clearer understanding of note movement on the staff versus the keyboard is needed. Speaking of pitch or tone to a six year old child can advocate further confusion and discouragement. A method that I have used is to invert the staff so that it sits vertically. See example 1.

Ex.1

Notes moving to the left are also moving down

Notes moving to the right are also moving up

This has assisted the student, whom is not familiar with terms such as tone and pitch, to

visualize the direction to which the notes are moving. Typically, any misunderstandings subside. The space and line method of naming notes through acronyms can be applied subsequently in supporting the learning stages of music reading.

Essentially, the methodology of piano music is losing ground when a student is in his or her musical infancy. European thought and its approach towards the primary principles transferred to the North American practice of piano instruction. Over the 20th century, it has become saturated with a less dynamic approach for the beginner. This is coupled with the growing rate of instructors who are unaware of successful historical methods that might spark some ingenuity in their own methodology. The result is to have some instructors guessing or not noticing the elements that are barely exposed within the lesson book, while other teachers are improvising on their methods while locked into the series chapter schedule. Even fewer instructors find the courage to break free of the lesson book ideology and instruct piano as an individual with individual ideas. As an accompanist for various vocal studios, I have not witnessed any voice instructor using a specific book for the beginner singer. Anthologies are used as the musical resource, which is coupled with the instructors individual approach to the mechanics and techniques of sound production through the voice. Vocal pedagogys growth paralleled that of the piano throughout the European continent. Its method transferred successfully in North America yet the introduction to both these instruments has increasingly become monumentally different. Beginner vocalists have their anxieties rooted in the performance of the music while the beginner pianist has anxieties about the music itself.

I believe this result of the lack of a more advanced beginner piano system that does introduce the crucial musical elements while at the same time reinforcing them so that there exists no uncertainty about the music. This system could also provide an incentive for teachers that do not possess a degree in music or RCM credentials to explore pedagogy and develop their own philosophy and methodology.