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.