Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers

Presentation: What Makes American Music "American"? [RESCHEDULED]
2026-01-28 10:00 - 11:30 UTC | Faber Piano Institute
RESCHEDULED from 1/22/26
Member Program: Lecture Recital
Presenter: Christopher HardingChair of Piano and Professor of MusicUniversity of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre & Dance
RSVP here
Contact: Ceren Su Sahin (cerensu@umich.edu)

Presentation: Pride in Practice [RESCHEDULED]
2026-02-19 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Online
Pride in Practice: Fostering LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the Music Studio
RESCHEDULED FROM 11/20/25
Presenter: Barbie Wong
Embracing diversity within music education not only enriches the learning journey but also fosters a culture of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect among students. Because music has a profound ability to transform lives, we will explore how to create a music studio environment that honors and validates the LGBTQ+ identities of every student. Led by Barbie Wong, a dedicated LGBTQ+ advocate and parent to a transgender child, this session has a treasure trove of best practices tailored specifically for music teachers. Dive deep into actionable strategies aimed at cultivating gender-inclusive studio spaces where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.
You will learn the intricate realm of language sensitivity, including the art of pronoun usage, and discover effective methods for integrating compositions by LGBTQ+ musicians into your teaching repertoire. In addition to addressing the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusivity, we will highlight the practical benefits for teachers and students alike. Improved student engagement, enhanced learning outcomes, and the promotion of empathy and understanding will be discussed as key outcomes of embracing diversity within the music studio. Armed with tangible examples and practical insights, you’ll not only be empowered to foster an inclusive music studio but also to uplift and affirm every student’s unique identity.
This presentation will be online.
RSVP hereJoin with Google Meet: meet.google.com/opc-ihrw-zqw
Barbie Wong, a passionate music educator and speaker, has worked with thousands of parents and teachers worldwide to ignite children’s love for music. She has music degrees from Stanford University and Smith College.
Contact: Ceren Su Sahin (cerensu@umich.edu)

Dalcroze Workshop with Clinton Pratt
2026-03-19 17:00 - 19:00 UTC | Faber Piano Institute
For piano students & teachers, ages 8 to 108

EVENT FEATURES

Dalcroze workshop: Music Moves Us… Literally!

Group activities for piano students & teachers
Based on Dalcroze Eurhythmics, “an experiential way of knowing music through the body”

Interactive Teaching Demonstration

Featuring 3-5 student performers with audience interactions
“In progress” work is welcome! Piece does NOT need to be “performance ready” or memorized
Active participation from student observers & teachers is expected

About Clinton Pratt

Piano teacher & owner of Piano Sensei, a multi-teacher studio in Cincinnati, OH
Certified teacher, American Eurhythmics Society
Member, College of Examiner of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM)
2023 & 2016 Teacher of the Year, Ohio Music Teachers Association, Southwest District
Frequently featured presenter at local & national events, including the Piano Conference (NCKP) & the MTNA National Conference

PARTICIPANTS INFO

Teacher attendees RSVP here
Students sign up here
Beginner through advanced levels welcome (minimum 6 months of formal study)
3-5 students may perform solo pieces for the interactive teaching demo
Max 18-20 participants total
Attendance for the whole 2-hour session is required for all
Parents/guardians are welcome to stay and observe

SUGGESTED DONATION

$10 per participant (student or teacher)
$20 for non-MTNA member teachers & students of non-members

Download Flyer here

Presentation: Clinton Pratt "Practice Makes Perfect?"
2026-03-20 10:00 - 11:00 UTC | Faber Piano Institute
Ann Arbor Area Piano Teachers Guild is pleased to present Clinton Pratt from Cincinnati, Ohio.
RSVP here
Join with Google Meet: meet.google.com/ggs-yihj-hrb

Teachers know that practicing is important. That’s how we improve! However, we often neglect to ensure our students are actually practicing effectively and efficiently. We might tell them what to do and write it down, but are they actually doing it at home?
Even though teachers may know some good practice techniques, they don’t always convey it in the right way to students, making sure they actually understand what to do.
I believe the main priority of lessons is to teach students how to practice. If they don’t know how to practice, what’s the point? They will continue to come week after week with not much progress, or worse: they are playing it wrong!

This session will show teachers exactly how to ensure students are practicing efficiently and effectively on their own. In addition, we will discuss what efficient and effective practice is. I will demonstrate step-by-step, several practice techniques, showing exactly how to help students develop excellent practice habits.

Examples include “1 plus 1”, “3 in a row”, practicing in bursts, how to decide on sections to practice, finding hand positions and fingering groupings, and more. I will show how to practice tricky rhythms, steady pulse, balance, voicing, phrasing, and difficult technical issues.

Video clips from actual lessons will help give real world examples of these techniques in action, and volunteers from the audience will come to the piano for live demonstrations!

Contact: Ceren Su Sahin (cerensu@umich.edu)

Student Recitals: Asian Composers
2026-04-19 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Detroit) | Faber Piano Institute
BASIC INFO

Sun Apr 19, 2026
Recital start times at 2pm & 3:30pm
Faber Institute (3042 Creek Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108)
$20 per student / performance
($40 for students of non-AAAPTG member)
Registration deadline on Mon, Apr 6, 2026 at 11:59pm
Donation raffle available in lobby

PERFORMERS’ EXPECTATIONS

Repertoire choice should feature music by Asian composers
Memorization is highly recommended
Open to all levels & genres
Solos & ensembles are welcome
Students should be performance-ready
(i.e. the music should “flow” reasonably well from start to end)
Each may perform up to 2 pieces within these time limits:
3 min (beginners), 5 min (intermediate), or 7 min (advanced)
Two pianos are available for use
Arrive 15 minutes early for sound check

Questions?
Contact Recital Directors Lea Su at szzfairy@gmail.com
& Noi Otomasu at noiotomasu@gmail.com
