The 2021 Online Global Piano Summit was inaugurated last year and is returning by popular demand. The founding members, American concert pianist and Professor of Piano at Peabody Institute Dr. Steven Spooner and Chinese concert pianist Dr. Mei Li, are also co-founders of the International Institute for Piano Artistry, which hosts events such as the Chicago International Music Competition and Festival, as well as the Global Piano Summit. The Summit was initially introduced as a series of online presentations for students and teachers to enjoy during the prolonged lockdown period.
The Online Global Piano Summit is an innovative event for a new era of music making and teaching.
This year’s event looks to be another bumper affair with an imaginative selection of presenters, many of whom are world-renowned musicians and pedagogues. Taking place from December 6th-9th, all lectures are online, and there’s a special focus on early learning: Teaching Beginning Fundamentals For Success.
You can enjoy a mixture of seminars, lectures, presentations, and master classes at this event. It’s worth noting that the daily schedule is run on US Central time, and therefore if you live elsewhere in the world, you will need to programme your day accordingly if you wish to attend ‘live’. However, all presentations and classes are recorded, and so you will be able to watch them at a time of your choice.
December 6th kicks off with a two-hour presentation given by Dr. Randall Faber (10.00am-12.00pm). Many will know Dr. Faber through his extremely successful piano method, Piano Adventures, which was written with his wife, Nancy. This lecture is entitled Developing Fundamental Pathways. The second event runs much later in the day (9.00pm -11.00pm) and is a Q&A session with outstanding American/Chinese concert pianist and winner of the 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition, Eric Lu.
December 7th features a two-hour presentation (10.00am – 12.00pm) with Irish pianist and pedagogue Dr. Peter Mack, who is Professor of Piano Performance at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, US. His whimsically entitled presentation Lower the Rear End of the Elephant Slowly onto the Keys is sure to inspire all who attend. Running much later in the day (9.00pm -11.00pm) there will also be an interactive master class given by Dr. Mack.
I’m excited and honoured to be presenting alongside this illustrious line-up of pianists and piano pedagogues. My presentation, which takes place on December 8th, will concentrate on piano exams, and will offer information about all major (mostly) British-based exam boards, with ideas and suggestions for preparing students for various grades and diplomas. It will take place from 10.00am – 12.00pm and will include a Q&A session. Running much later in the day (9.00pm -11.00pm) will be a seminar with distinguished Russian/American pedagogue Irina Gorin. Ms. Gorin will talk about what teachers often miss when working with beginners: Technique and Creative Activities.
The final day, December 9th, hosts a Q&A session (10.00am) with celebrated Israeli piano professor Yoheved Kaplinsky, who heads the Pre-College piano department at the Juilliard School in New York. Ms. Kaplinksy has taught a plethora of young pianists during her nearly forty year teaching career.
I do hope you will be able to join us for this special Summit. At just $160.00 for the entire event, can you afford to miss it?
Publications
Melanie Spanswick has written and published a wide range of courses, anthologies, examination syllabuses, and text books, including Play it again: PIANO (published by Schott Music). This best-selling graded, progressive piano course contains a large selection of repertoire featuring a huge array of styles and genres, with copious practice tips and suggestions for every piece.
For more information, please visit the publications page, here.
Melanie Spanswick 