Tens of thousands of music students enroll in group piano classes each year in colleges and conservatories in the United States. Degree programs related to Music Industry are attracting increasingly diverse student populations and in turn are requiring curricular and instructional modifications that better accommodate the needs of these students. The basis of this dissertation is the development of a series of contemporary class piano workbooks that focus on contemporary popular music and jazz in ways that optimize student learning, combining wide-ranging repertoire with assignments that encourage independent application of knowledge and skills. The workbooks illuminate how the piano is used in professional performance and recording; develop skills that can translate directly into professional music settings; and afford students opportunities to understand, learn, and play music that friends, family, and students themselves know and enjoy. / text

The purpose of this study was to gather information about professional musicians’ development and use of functional piano skills in their careers. An online questionnaire was distributed to (N = 393) faculty members, professional performers, and private music instructors from different regions and institutions. The survey gathered information about their careers, piano training, use of functional piano skills, and proposals for the piano training of undergraduate music majors in their field. In total, 109 musicians completed the study: faculty members (n = 43), performers (n = 38), and teachers (n = 28). The results of this study showed that faculty members, performers and teachers generally performed similar musical activities, had comparable piano training, used similar piano skills, and agreed with each other about their suggestions for undergraduate piano training. There were, however, subtle differences among the three groups in the frequency with which they used functional piano skills. Professional musicians regularly transposed melodies, sight-read accompaniments, and played scales. They never improvised accompaniments, practiced and memorized piano solos, devised modulations, composed, and accompanied groups. In addition to the three skills that all professional musicians used, faculty members also played by ear, played chord progressions, and accompanied soloists regularly, performers regularly transposed accompaniments, harmonized melodies, and accompanied soloists, and teachers read open scores and transposed accompaniments frequently. Generally, professional musicians thought that piano skills were important to their careers, and many would have liked additional training on accompanying. Although most piano skills were learned outside of collegiate piano classes, participants in this study, regardless of the frequency with which they used these skills, thought that music majors should receive piano training on five skills: playing chord progressions, playing scales, sight-reading, harmonizing melodies, and reading open scores. Many participants indicated that practicing and memorizing piano solos were skills that should receive little training in collegiate piano classes. It is suggested that creating a group piano curriculum that effectively develops the functional piano skills valued and used by professional musicians becomes a priority for group piano teachers and researchers working on the preparation of professional musicians. / text

A presente tese teve como motivação inicial a confecção de um método de ensino de piano em grupo para utilização nos cursos de piano complementar das universidades brasileiras. Neste trabalho, relatam-se as etapas e processos reflexivos percorridos por este autor durante esta empreitada. Primeiramente, foi feita uma pesquisa histórica a respeito do surgimento do piano em grupo na Europa e nos Estados Unidos, chegando-se até às tecnologias utilizadas atualmente, assim como uma análise do cenário relativo ao ensino do piano em grupo e da disciplina de piano complementar nas universidades brasileiras. No segundo capítulo, apresenta-se uma análise crítica e comparativa dos mais importantes métodos de ensino em grupo existentes atualmente. O capítulo final descreve a organização do método considerada ideal para uma proposta de método de ensino de piano em grupo nas universidades brasileiras e apresenta parte dos exercícios confeccionados para o desenvolver cada uma das habilidades funcionais que são trabalhadas nos diversos capítulos do método elaborado ao longo desta pesquisa, assim como o porquê das escolhas envolvidas em sua confecção. / This thesis had as its impetus the development of a group piano method designed for college level piano classes in the universities of Brazil. The purpose of this work is to reflect upon the process used in this endeavor. The first chapter presents a historical background from the beginnings of group piano instruction in Europe and the United States until its culmination in the technological era. It also examines group piano teaching in the secondary piano courses among Brazilian universities. The second chapter is a comparative analysis of the most important group piano methods currently in use. The final chapter describes the format and function considered ideal as a basis for the method of group piano teaching in Brazilian universities. Furthermore, it presents a sample of the exercises composed to develop each of the piano skills that are presented throughout the chapters of the method produced alongside with this research, as well as the rationale involved in its creation.

A presente tese teve como motivação inicial a confecção de um método de ensino de piano em grupo para utilização nos cursos de piano complementar das universidades brasileiras. Neste trabalho, relatam-se as etapas e processos reflexivos percorridos por este autor durante esta empreitada. Primeiramente, foi feita uma pesquisa histórica a respeito do surgimento do piano em grupo na Europa e nos Estados Unidos, chegando-se até às tecnologias utilizadas atualmente, assim como uma análise do cenário relativo ao ensino do piano em grupo e da disciplina de piano complementar nas universidades brasileiras. No segundo capítulo, apresenta-se uma análise crítica e comparativa dos mais importantes métodos de ensino em grupo existentes atualmente. O capítulo final descreve a organização do método considerada ideal para uma proposta de método de ensino de piano em grupo nas universidades brasileiras e apresenta parte dos exercícios confeccionados para o desenvolver cada uma das habilidades funcionais que são trabalhadas nos diversos capítulos do método elaborado ao longo desta pesquisa, assim como o porquê das escolhas envolvidas em sua confecção. / This thesis had as its impetus the development of a group piano method designed for college level piano classes in the universities of Brazil. The purpose of this work is to reflect upon the process used in this endeavor. The first chapter presents a historical background from the beginnings of group piano instruction in Europe and the United States until its culmination in the technological era. It also examines group piano teaching in the secondary piano courses among Brazilian universities. The second chapter is a comparative analysis of the most important group piano methods currently in use. The final chapter describes the format and function considered ideal as a basis for the method of group piano teaching in Brazilian universities. Furthermore, it presents a sample of the exercises composed to develop each of the piano skills that are presented throughout the chapters of the method produced alongside with this research, as well as the rationale involved in its creation.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:22:50Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:44:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-29T17:44:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-27 / The digital piano is an instrument that has been increasingly used in the musicalization process, instrument practice, and performance. As every instrument has a peculiar technique, the digital piano also offers possibilities in musical interpretation. In the context of teaching piano in group, we investigated the possibilities that the digital clavinova piano CVP 401, instrument used in the piano laboratory at UFG, offers to the musical interpretation. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study the possibilities that the digital piano offers for musical interpretation in this context. For this purpose, three musical pieces of three different music styles were taught: classic, romantic, and Brazilian dance (samba), for piano students in groups, presenting technical tools for distinction in articulation and phrasing for each style in order to evaluate the end result sound. The results are discussed based on the concept of interpretation and musical style of Thurston Dart (2000), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1998 ), Muniz Sodré (1998) and Carlos Sandroni (2008) technical knowledge of the mechanism of the digital piano used, assessment of four renowned pianists, and the researcher’s experience and knowledge in using the acustic piano and the digital piano. As a result of this work, the digital clavinova CVP 401 offers a potential for different interpretation styles, but with limitations regarding the level of repertoire and the reverberation of harmonics. / O piano digital é um instrumento que vem sendo cada vez mais utilizado no processo de musicalização, prática do instrumento, e performance. Como todo instrumento possui uma técnica peculiar, o piano digital também oferece possibilidades na interpretação musical. Dentro do contexto do ensino de piano em grupo, investigamos as possibilidades que o piano digital clavinova CVP 401, instrumento utilizado no laboratório de piano em grupo da UFG, oferece para a interpretação musical. Para isso ensinamos três peças de três estilos musicais, clássico, romântico e dança brasileira (samba), para alunos de piano em grupo, apresentando ferramentas técnicas para distinção de articulação e fraseado referentes a cada estilo com o intuito de avaliarmos os resultados sonoros. Discutimos tais resultados tendo como fundamentação o conceito de interpretação e estilo musical conforme Thurston Dart (2000), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1998), Muniz Sodré (1998) e Carlos Sandroni (2008), o conhecimento técnico sobre o mecanismo do piano digital utilizado, a avaliação de quatro pianistas renomados e as experiências e conhecimentos da utilização do piano acústico e piano digital desta pesquisadora. Como resultado desse trabalho, o piano digital clavinova CVP 401 oferece uma potencialidade para interpretação de estilos diferenciados, mas com limitações no que concerne ao nível do repertório e a reverberação de harmônicos.

At most universities internationally, secondary piano instruction is compulsory for all music students regardless of their field of specialisation. Vocal art students studying at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) are also expected to complete three years of basic piano tuition. Since the researcher teaches secondary piano at the Department of Performing Arts: Vocal Art (TUT), the aim of this study was to determine the objectives of the tuition, and appropriate methods through which they can be best achieved. The research is based on an investigation of relevant literature on secondary piano instruction for music majors at universities in South Africa and abroad. Since the researcher was primarily trained to teach basic piano to very young beginners, it was thought necessary to firstly investigate the field of adult education and basic piano instruction for adults and college-age students. The results of the literature search confirmed that basic piano tuition for children differs greatly from that for older beginners. It became clear that the success of basic piano instruction for adults greatly depends on the teacher’s understanding of these fundamental differences as well as knowledge of appropriate approaches and methods with which to accommodate adults’ unique characteristics. Subsequently, the purpose of teaching piano playing skills to non-piano music majors was investigated. Results indicated that there is a broad spectrum of skills which can aid the musician in his future career. These include technique, sight-reading, accompanying, harmonisation, transposing, repertory study, vocal score-reading and reduction, instrumental score reduction, improvisation, playing by ear, playing of folk songs, developing musicianship skills, critical listening, performance skills, chord playing, ensemble playing, realisation of figured bass, modulation, memorisation, music analysis, playing two or more parts from multiple staves, playing warm-up exercises, singing a vocal part while playing other parts, and jazz piano playing. The most important piano playing skills for non-piano music majors to acquire were identified as technique, sight-reading, accompanying, repertory study and improvisation. Controversies exist about the importance of each of these skills, but most teachers agree that they should all be present in the secondary piano curriculum. The most common method used to teach these skills to instrumentalists and singers was identified as group tuition. This method of teaching is not used merely because it is more economical but also for various musical and sociological reasons. Musical advantages include the acquisition of a broad spectrum of skills such as critical faculties, listening skills, ensemble activities, self-assessment skills, improved practice habits and progress, rhythmic stability, improved intonation, memory training and notational reading. Social advantages include interaction, peer-learning, motivation, encouragement, discovery-learning, enjoyment, involvement and the development of individuality and self-esteem. At the end of each chapter, specific guidelines for teaching basic piano to vocal art students at TUT are given. The study culminates in conclusions and recommendations drawn from the results of the literature investigation Copyright / Dissertation (Music)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Music / unrestricted