Workshop Presenters
Stephanie Archer – "Injury Prevention: Strategies for Every Stage of Piano Study"
Physical barriers are a common occurrence among pianists of all ages and levels. With the increasing knowledge and experiences of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, it is of the utmost importance for pedagogues to develop strategies for dealing with such issues. In this presentation, proactive strategies will be discussed for teachers to use in preventing physical issues in students. The importance of teaching arm weight and proper hand positions will be examined as well as fun ways to incorporate these into beginning lessons. In addition to proactive strategies, reactive strategies will be discussed as well. Recommendations for helping students who have suffered from injuries will be addressed in order to aid them in recovery. Attendees will learn about warm-up, practicing, performing, and cool-down strategies that they can use with their own students. At the conclusion of this presentation, pianists will be equipped with tools to prevent and overcome playing-related injuries.
Stephanie Archer is currently a student at Florida State University where she is pursuing a PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in piano pedagogy. She previously attended the University of Mobile for her undergraduate degree and Louisiana State University where she earned a Master of Music in piano pedagogy. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, Stephanie has served in many leadership roles for local and state chapters of Music Teachers National Association. Her major professors are Diana Dumlavwalla and Heidi Louise Williams.
Stephanie has maintained a large studio of pre-college and adult students for many years. She has also taught undergraduate class piano at Louisiana State University and Miles College where she chaired the class piano program and currently teaches these courses at Florida State University. A frequent adjudicator, collaborator, and clinician, she enjoys sharing new ideas and teaching strategies in pedagogy. Her research interests include injury prevention, musician wellness, and developmentally-appropriate educational practices for the elementary level student.
Physical barriers are a common occurrence among pianists of all ages and levels. With the increasing knowledge and experiences of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries, it is of the utmost importance for pedagogues to develop strategies for dealing with such issues. In this presentation, proactive strategies will be discussed for teachers to use in preventing physical issues in students. The importance of teaching arm weight and proper hand positions will be examined as well as fun ways to incorporate these into beginning lessons. In addition to proactive strategies, reactive strategies will be discussed as well. Recommendations for helping students who have suffered from injuries will be addressed in order to aid them in recovery. Attendees will learn about warm-up, practicing, performing, and cool-down strategies that they can use with their own students. At the conclusion of this presentation, pianists will be equipped with tools to prevent and overcome playing-related injuries.
Stephanie Archer is currently a student at Florida State University where she is pursuing a PhD in Music Education with an emphasis in piano pedagogy. She previously attended the University of Mobile for her undergraduate degree and Louisiana State University where she earned a Master of Music in piano pedagogy. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, Stephanie has served in many leadership roles for local and state chapters of Music Teachers National Association. Her major professors are Diana Dumlavwalla and Heidi Louise Williams.
Stephanie has maintained a large studio of pre-college and adult students for many years. She has also taught undergraduate class piano at Louisiana State University and Miles College where she chaired the class piano program and currently teaches these courses at Florida State University. A frequent adjudicator, collaborator, and clinician, she enjoys sharing new ideas and teaching strategies in pedagogy. Her research interests include injury prevention, musician wellness, and developmentally-appropriate educational practices for the elementary level student.
Diana Dumlavwalla – "A Kaleidoscope of Colours: The Globalization of Canadian Music as Led by Female Composers"
As the fourth largest city in North America and the most populated metropolis in Canada, Toronto has garnered a reputation for being one of the most culturally diverse centres in the world. Thousands of people from across the globe immigrate to Canada every year and decide to make Toronto their home. This results in a social tapestry that weaves a multitude of languages, customs and beliefs creating a heritage that is distinctly Canadian. The traditions of each person’s ethnicity inevitably influence their work and daily life in their new country. This lecture recital will focus on the solo piano works of Alice Ho, Kotoka Suzuki and Afarin Mansouri. These individuals are Toronto-based composers who have made their own mark on the Western art music scene. The presentation will highlight how these composers fuse musical inspiration from their cultural backgrounds with the compositional techniques and instruments of Western society.
Canadian pianist, Diana Dumlavwalla is Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Florida State University. Previously, Diana taught at Western University where she developed the faculty’s inaugural doctoral piano pedagogy course. She also serves as a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners and adjudicates at local, regional and state/provincial competitions.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Diana has performed in North America, Europe and Australia. She has presented lecture recitals and papers at numerous conferences and her research has been featured in journals such as American Music Teacher and the International Journal of Music Education. Diana was awarded the 2018 and 2021 MTNA E-Journal Article of the Year. She currently serves as President for the Florida State Music Teachers Association
Dr. Dumlavwalla holds a D.M.A. degree from the University of Toronto, M.Mus. from the Royal College of Music in London and B.Mus. from Wilfrid Laurier University.
As the fourth largest city in North America and the most populated metropolis in Canada, Toronto has garnered a reputation for being one of the most culturally diverse centres in the world. Thousands of people from across the globe immigrate to Canada every year and decide to make Toronto their home. This results in a social tapestry that weaves a multitude of languages, customs and beliefs creating a heritage that is distinctly Canadian. The traditions of each person’s ethnicity inevitably influence their work and daily life in their new country. This lecture recital will focus on the solo piano works of Alice Ho, Kotoka Suzuki and Afarin Mansouri. These individuals are Toronto-based composers who have made their own mark on the Western art music scene. The presentation will highlight how these composers fuse musical inspiration from their cultural backgrounds with the compositional techniques and instruments of Western society.
Canadian pianist, Diana Dumlavwalla is Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Florida State University. Previously, Diana taught at Western University where she developed the faculty’s inaugural doctoral piano pedagogy course. She also serves as a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners and adjudicates at local, regional and state/provincial competitions.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Diana has performed in North America, Europe and Australia. She has presented lecture recitals and papers at numerous conferences and her research has been featured in journals such as American Music Teacher and the International Journal of Music Education. Diana was awarded the 2018 and 2021 MTNA E-Journal Article of the Year. She currently serves as President for the Florida State Music Teachers Association
Dr. Dumlavwalla holds a D.M.A. degree from the University of Toronto, M.Mus. from the Royal College of Music in London and B.Mus. from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Yangmingting Fang - "Engaging Students with Autism in Music Lessons"
This presentation serves as a guide for inexperienced music teachers who desire to elevate the quality of life for students with autism. It synthesizes information from neurologist and biologist to bring an increased awareness to the cause of the disorder, as well as psychologists’ recommendations for communication strategies and physical activity. This research also discusses practical instructions from experienced music teachers who have established reputations in this field. Suggestions from theses teachers include strategies for lesson planning, classroom setup, and recommended music activities for students with special needs. In addition to providing the strategies from specialists and music teachers, this presentation also emphasizes the importance of parental involvement, offering advice for what parents can do to make the learning process more successful. By exploring the recommendations of specialists and master teachers, this presentation will equip teachers to successfully engage students with autism.
Yangmingting Fang recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance with a secondary concentration in Piano Pedagogy at The University of Alabama. She enjoys being a performer, a teacher, as well as a collaborative pianist. During her time at UA, Fang studied under Dr. Kevin Chance and served as a collaborative pianist and assistant music director with the UA Opera Theatre. In 2019, she received the Clara Wells Fellowship from American Matthay Association. She was also named winner for the 2022 Alabama MTA Piano Auditions. As Fang developed her interest in piano pedagogy, she began to share her research interest in national and regional conferences, including the MTNA National Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Symposium, the CMS Southern Conference, the Alabama MTNA Conference, the Texas MTA Convention and the MTNA Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum. Fang is currently a Piano Instructor and Collaborative Artist in Residence at Orpheus Academy of Music in Austin, TX.
This presentation serves as a guide for inexperienced music teachers who desire to elevate the quality of life for students with autism. It synthesizes information from neurologist and biologist to bring an increased awareness to the cause of the disorder, as well as psychologists’ recommendations for communication strategies and physical activity. This research also discusses practical instructions from experienced music teachers who have established reputations in this field. Suggestions from theses teachers include strategies for lesson planning, classroom setup, and recommended music activities for students with special needs. In addition to providing the strategies from specialists and music teachers, this presentation also emphasizes the importance of parental involvement, offering advice for what parents can do to make the learning process more successful. By exploring the recommendations of specialists and master teachers, this presentation will equip teachers to successfully engage students with autism.
Yangmingting Fang recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance with a secondary concentration in Piano Pedagogy at The University of Alabama. She enjoys being a performer, a teacher, as well as a collaborative pianist. During her time at UA, Fang studied under Dr. Kevin Chance and served as a collaborative pianist and assistant music director with the UA Opera Theatre. In 2019, she received the Clara Wells Fellowship from American Matthay Association. She was also named winner for the 2022 Alabama MTA Piano Auditions. As Fang developed her interest in piano pedagogy, she began to share her research interest in national and regional conferences, including the MTNA National Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Symposium, the CMS Southern Conference, the Alabama MTNA Conference, the Texas MTA Convention and the MTNA Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum. Fang is currently a Piano Instructor and Collaborative Artist in Residence at Orpheus Academy of Music in Austin, TX.