MusiKinesis

Monica Dale is an inspiring and fun US music educator in the music-and-movement tradition. I have enjoyed several of her workshops.

The Life Institute at Ryerson University

Back in 2005 I taught my first music listening course at the LIFE Institute (Lifelong Learning Program). It was very well received and sent me off in a stimulating new direction, crafting music appreciation workshops based on the progressive learning principles of the adult education movement. I have since taught several different listening courses for LIFE (“Learning is Forever”).

Music Teachers National Association (USA)

I have been a member of this large American organization of independent music teachers for many years, written for its journal, and lectured at its conferences.

Canadian Federation of Music Teachers

Smaller and less corporate than its US counterpart. I have given workshops to local teacher branches in Ontario, and lectured at the national conference.

Music Critics Association of North America

I have been a member of this organization of classical music journalists for many years. (No surprise, it’s smaller now than when I joined, given the decline of newspapers and fine arts coverage.) I received fellowships to attend two helpful training seminars in my early years as a critic.

Clavier Companion Magazine

I started writing for the well-known American piano magazine Clavier back in the 1990s, and eventually became a contributing editor and regular essayist. It was a lovely writing berth, and I worked with a terrific editor. More recently the magazine was sold and merged with another US publication, and now I contribute occasionally to this successor piano teaching journal.

The WholeNote Magazine

Toronto’s comprehensive guide to classical music concert life in this metropolis of five million. Also contains music articles and reviews – sometimes by me.

Piano World

Some 100,000 (!) online members of this group of discussion sites devoted to all things piano-related. Confession: I’m on here for hours each week, either reading or posting.

Dalcroze Canada

The late pianist/dancer/teacher Donald Himes first got me involved with the eurhythmics approach to music learning through physical movement and improvisation, here in Toronto. My remembrance of him was featured in this newsletter.

Dalcroze Society of America

Monica Dale, Anne Farber and others in the American Dalcroze music-and-movement community have guided me at various workshops.

American Orff-Schulwerk Association

Quite similar in spirit to the Dalcroze music education concept, Carl Orff’s music pedagogy is better known and perhaps easier to understand.

Midsummer Adult Piano Retreat in the Berkshires

Teaching comrades Alison Barr, Debi Fishbein Adams and I began this distinctive little venture in 2006. It continues to flourish.

Carl Orff Canada

Carl Orff’s holistic music education pedagogy first reached N. America not via the US but right here in Toronto, Ontario in the 1950s.

 Musical Fossils – Freeing the Adult Music Student

American piano teaching sage Matthew Harre of Washington, DC keeps this splendid site alive and humming with ideas about adult music-making.  More people should know about it.

Seiler Pianos

This small firm based in Kitzingen, Germany is not famous, but builds high-end pianos. I own a 6’9″ grand as my principal playing and teaching instrument: it is presently souped up with Bösendorfer hammers. The piano was hand-picked for me at the German factory by Don Stephenson, noted Canadian piano technician/builder/educator.