MENZA Conference Online: Piano Pedagogy in High School

The focus of this workshop is teaching NCEA Piano Performance and teaching students who have little or no prior piano learning.

Facilitated by Stephanie and Susan (Sue), this workshop is for itinerant piano teachers, most particularly those from lower decile schools where students with this background are particularly prevalent. We will examine best practice and achievable outcomes for students coming into NCEA performance standards often without even the requisite 2-3 years of ITM piano education. We will look specifically at student-focussed repertoire that assists accelerated rather than sequential learning in piano (Anime and Game music, youtube offerings – creating your own channel, Fur Elise and “other top of the pops’). Then we will investigate successful methods to assist improved technique in older beginners, non-music-readers and those with no keyboards at home, or when on ZOOM… modelling, using chord recognition and hand shapes. The aim of the workshop is also to build a support group for participants and a common repertoire database.

Sue and Stephanie both have many years of working in schools and particularly with Pasifika and Māori students. Keyboard & Piano are among the most presented of the instrumental standards and yet there are few exemplars (3) given by NZQA currently so we have been in touch with the moderator, Delysse, for advice which we would like to share.

This workshop is free to attend and you don’t need to be a MENZA member. Please register here to receive the ZOOM link for the session.