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The keyboard studies
program at Missouri Western State
University offers instruction to
students in piano and organ. Highly
qualified faculty provide students
with the individual attention necessary
for their development as pianists
and musicians.
Overview
The
keyboard program at MWSU is
unusual in the Midwest because
of its dual emphases on performance
and scholarship. Because of
the faculty's philosophy that
the training of excellent performers
and teachers must include an
in-depth understanding of literature
and pedagogy as well as advanced
technical skills, a four-year
cycle of topics in literature
and pedagogy is required of
the applied keyboard major.
The excellent practice facilities
include grand pianos, professional
upright pianos, and a Zuckermann
harpsichord. For performance,
three Steinway nine-foot concert
grand pianos are available.
Many of the keyboard alumni
of MWSU have distinguished
themselves as successful performers,
studio teachers, in graduate
music programs (including graduate
assistantship awards), and
in other careers for which
the keyboard degree proved
to be beneficial. In addition
to departmental scholarships,
students may apply for the
St. Joseph Area Music Teachers
Association (SJAMTA) cash scholarship
which is awarded annually to
an incoming freshman piano
major.
Piano Pedagogy
The
Piano Pedagogy program at MWSU
is built on the philosophy
of preparing students to be
successful studio teachers
for students of any age and
ability. By observing teachers
instructing students and actually
teaching in supervised situations,
students become aware of the
ingredients of a successful
piano instruction program.
Every Spring semester a pedagogy
seminar is offered to piano
majors emphasizing a different
aspect of successful piano
teaching. Methods for both
group and private instruction
are presented. Students are
encouraged to make use of the
pedagogy library which contains
many materials to assist in
piano instruction. The modern
electronic piano lab is another
resource available to students
who wish to pursue group or
classroom instruction. Piano
majors are invited to become
members of the St. Joseph Area
Music Teachers Association
(SJAMTA), a group of highly
dedicated teachers working
together to provide the best
possible instruction to children
in the St. Joseph area. The
organization, which is a member
of Music Teachers National
Association (MTNA), holds monthly
meetings at MWSU featuring
guest lecturers from the four-state
region. MWSU students often
attend the annual state convention
of the Missouri Music Teachers
Association (MMTA), featuring
performers, lecturers, and
clinicians of national prominence.
Keyboard Activities
The
keyboard majors at MWSU have
many opportunities to perform
for guest artists, area organizations,
student recitals, and the weekly
piano seminar as well as gaining
exposure in accompanying and
chamber music. A sixteen-piano
ensemble with up to thirty-two
performers annually presents
a "Monster Concert"; that
has become a popular crowd-pleaser.
Performing in this organization
gives students a group experience
that enables them to learn
to follow a conductor and introduces
them to a vast realm of piano
ensemble literature as well
as transcriptions of symphonic
and operatic works. Piano majors
may also compete each spring
for cash scholarships established
by the St. Joseph Area Music
Teachers Association (SJAMTA) to reward students for high
achievement in performance.
Keyboard Classes, Projects,
and Programs
Recording Project
Faculty: Dr. Matthew
Edwards (Director of Keyboard Studies, Piano
Literature), Dr. David Bennett (Piano,
Piano Pedagogy), William I.
McMurray (Organ, Music History), Jerry
L. Anderson (Piano).
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