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Piano Academy |
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Welcome to the Jacobs School of Music
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Dr. Karen Taylor, Director
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Welcome to the website of the 2010 IU Jacobs School of Music Summer Piano Academy! We’re delighted that you’d like to learn more about our program. Do linger a while and check out our offerings on the menu at left, especially if you’re considering the Academy for your summer study experience. I think you’ll come away with a good picture of what we’re about.
This is the Piano Academy’s Silver Anniversary year, a major milestone for any program. As Founding Director, when I consider how far we’ve come from the Academy’s modest beginnings in 1986 as a little piano camp (23 students, 4 teachers), to its current stature as one of the premier pre-college piano institutes, I confess that I feel more than a little proud of what we’ve accomplished. In those early years, we worried that we would manage to prepare our students to the level expected by our distinguished master teachers. These days we have the opposite problem: the Academy draws so many fine young pianists from around the country and abroad to our beautiful Bloomington campus that we worry that we’ll have enough master class slots for all the talented performers who deserve one!
Why have we flourished while other programs have faltered or closed their doors for good?
First of all I think it’s because we have never swerved from our fundamental mission:
The unique character of the Piano Academy’s program stems first and foremost from our distinctive “collective” teaching system and the outstanding core faculty that make it work. How many summer programs do you know where there are no “second-class” students, no “junior” instructors to whom younger and less advanced participants are relegated? Where every student gets a lesson with nearly every member of the regular faculty? And what a fantastic faculty it is: modesty aside, you’d have to look long and hard to find a more knowledgeable, dedicated and inspiring group of teachers—and you just won’t find one that functions better as a team. True collective teaching requires a terrific investment of time and energy from each member of the teaching team in order to come to lessons well informed, ready to reinforce and complement the work of colleagues. It really helps if the teachers also like and admire each other as individuals and as musicians—which we most definitely do! It can take years to find the perfect mixture of personalities and pedagogical gifts, then hone the collaboration to a fine art. But when you manage to—as I believe we have at the Piano Academy—the results are truly magical. But don’t take my word for it. Judge for yourself: click on the “Testimonials” link at left, and read some of the appreciative messages from participants, parents and teachers. They represent only a fraction of the scores of unsolicited thank-you letters we have received over the years.
Our guest master teachers have played an equally crucial role in the Academy’s success. Each year, we feature some of the world’s most distinguished artist teachers in master classes, lecture-recitals and performances. In honor of our anniversary, we have put together a stellar roster of master teachers including loyal friends of the Academy: Read Gainsford, Menahem Pressler and Karen Shaw, returning guests Joseph Kalichstein and Nelita True, and our new friend from the Jacobs School of Music’s family of artist teachers, Andre Watts. Among the noted artist teachers who have shared their insights and expertise with us over the years are Edward Auer, Edmund Battersby, Jonathan Biss, Marvin Blickenstaff, Hans Boepple, Evelyne Brancart, Enrica Cavallo-Gulli, Constance Knox Carroll, Richard Cass, Frederic Chiu, Mia Chung, Arnaldo Cohen, Robert Durso, Sophia Gilmson, Jean-Louis Haguenauer, Eric Larsen, Marion Hall, Leonard Hokanson, Jeffrey Jacob, Rosita Kerr-Mang, Barbara Lister-Sink, Anthony de Mare, Virginia Marks, Natalie Matovinovic, Yong Hi Moon, Louis Nagel, Emile Naoumoff, Walter Robert, Ann Schein, Logan Skelton, James Tocco, Irina Voro, Ralph Votapek, Weekley and Arganbright, John Weems and Robert Weirich. We are deeply indebted to all, not only for giving so generously of themselves to our young performers, but also for helping lift the Piano Academy into the top echelon of summer institutes.
Dear prospective students: if you attend the Piano Academy, you will be immersed in music from morning to night. You will be challenged as you have rarely been challenged. You will work feverishly, and you’ll probably progress faster than you imagine is possible. Is it hard? You bet! But if your experience is typical, it may well be the most stimulating and memorable three weeks of your life.
PRIVATE LESSONS
Two individual lessons per week of 50 - 60 minutes each (solo and concerto literature) with core faculty.
GROUP CLASSES
Daily group classes feature a variety of programs: interactive sessions (student performances with discussion by classmates and teachers); guest lectures; faculty lecture-recitals and presentations on effective practicing, aspects of style and interpretation, technique, memorization, performance preparation and repertoire.
ENSEMBLE MUSIC
Study of piano duet or chamber works, weekly coaching, and opportunities to perform ensemble music in recital.
SUPERVISED PRACTICING
Regular morning and afternoon practice periods are scheduled in reserved rooms equipped with grand pianos. Experienced teachers and practice coaches are available to help students work productively and progress rapidly.
THEORY
Fundamentals, intermediate theory, or advanced analysis as determined by placement.
REPERTOIRE TO PREPARE
Students admitted to the Academy should bring at least three pieces for study: one thoroughly perfected, one in the refining stage, and one that is new or "rough."
The Feldenkrais Method™ teaches one how to relax and function more effectively. In Awareness Through Movement™ lessons, the Feldenkrais practitioner leads students through subtle movements that enhance self-awareness, flexibility, and coordination. All ATM™ classes will relate to piano playing and performance.
Note: Enrollment in Feldenkrais classes is optional. The charge for classes is $60 for the full three-week series (8 classes).
Please click on the "Faculty" page, located in the left menu, for Master Class faculty.
A hearing to select performers for the master classes will take place on the first Monday afternoon of the Academy. Any Piano Academy participant wishing to be considered for this honor must audition on the hearing date with a work from the standard repertoire (for example, one movement from a sonata or concerto, a prelude and fugue, a set of variations, a suite, an étude, or a character piece) that has been memorized and polished.
Performances: Many performance opportunities, including six concerts showcasing Piano Academy participants will be available.
Summer Festival 2010: Recitals by Piano Academy and Indiana University faculty, guest artists, students; university-level master classes, workshops and guest lectures;chamber music and orchestra concerts.
Cultural opportunities: Libraries, museums, theaters, book and music stores.
Planned social events: These usually include a picnic at a nearby state park and a cultural or educational outing, as well as group swims and dorm parties.
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