Gaining access to our annual meetings is one of the biggest benefits of joining our local chapter. Below is a list of upcoming events:

2026-2027 GPC-PMTA General & Board Meetings

Wednesday, October 28, 10 AM-12:00 PM, “I Get by With a Little Help from My Friends”, at Bridgeville Panera, 1025 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017, an open discussion about piano teaching.

Wednesday, December 16, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Annual Potluck BrunchLocation to be determined.

Wednesday, April 28, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Book Club at Jeff Harris’ home, 5740 Wilkins Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15217. We will be discussing “Inspired Piano Teaching” by Marvin Blickenstaff

Past Meetings

2025-2026

• October 22 –Tips from the Piano Doctor: Luis Hernandez

• December 17 – Annual Potluck Brunch

• February 25 – “I Get by With a Little Help from My Friends”

• April 22 – Book Club: The Inner Game of Music (by Barry Green and Timothy Gallwey)

2024-2025

• “I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends”
• Catherine Rollin, “The Magic of Imagery.”
• “Trekking: The Art of Interdisciplinary Collaboration” presented by the Khasma Piano Duo: Ashlee Mack & Katherine Palumbo.
• Kevin Lee Sun presenting on “Teaching Neurodivergent Students.”
• Jackie Herbein will lead a book discussion on Breath by James Nestor.
• “Mapping the Arm Structure”, presented by Kay Hooper.
• Luis Hernandez presents piano technician insights.

2023-2024

• “I Get by With a Little Help from my Friends”

• Amy Simpson “Practice better, Perform better:  Preparing Music Performance According to Modern Neuro-Music Research”

• Dr. Glenn Utsch of Slippery Rock University will provide guidance on how to teach jazz concepts.
• A discussion about pianistic technique by Stan Tucker who studied with Menahem Pressler.
• Jackie Herbein will be sharing about breathing and the physical aspects of playing an instrument.

• Dr. Kevin Lee Sun, “From the Waist Down”

2022-2023

• Melody Bober: “Practice Tips for Musicians and Introducing Composition in the Studio”.
• Bonnie Kellert:  “10 Technical Issues Facing Pianists and Suggested Solutions”.
•  Liz Ames: “Coaching for the Collaborative Performer”.
• Stanley Tucker: “Journey to Broadway and a discussion on Arm Weight and Relaxation”.
• Group Discussion:  “Teaching Nuggets from our Members”.
• David Allen Wehr: “A Masterclass on Chopin Nocturnes”

2021-2022

• Wynn-Anne Rossi: “Spark of Creativity”
• Field Trip:  Bayernhof Museum
• Craig Zinger: “Craig Zinger’s Pedagogical Approach”
• Group Discussion: “Motivation: The Key to a Teacher’s Success”
• Frederic Chiu: “Mental Practicing: Learning Without Practicing” 

2020-2021 GPC-PMTA General and Board Meetings

• Group Discussion:”Teaching issues related to Covid-19″
• Shelle Soelberg  “Sound Beginnings and Let’s Play Music”
• Peter Mack (Zoom Webinar): “The Art of the Phrase” 
• Crystal Zimmerman: (Zoom Webinar) “Succeeding with Sonatinas” 
• Theresa Bogard (Zoom Webinar) “Memorization Techniques for Performers, Teachers and Students”  

2019-2020

• Ingrid Jacobson Clarfied: “The Road to Chopin: From Method Book to first Chopin Pieces
• James Inman, presenter: “from Boulanger to Beck, Teaching Pieces by 20th Century Women”
• Jeff Harris: “The Path to Artistry: How to get There from the Beginning”
• Webinar: Peter Mack, presenter “The Art of Phrasing”
• Yeeha Chiu, presenter: “Practical Solutions for Student Practice”

2018-2019

• Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric:  Using the Trivium Model for Musical Interpretation by Kevin Olson
• Performance Anxiety: Exploring the Physical Connection by Jackie Herbein
• Music Therapy 101  by Rebecca Lewis
• Book Discussion: The Success Factor in Piano Teaching by Elvina T. Pearce
• Chad Twedt: The Art of Rubato.
• Wendy Stevens (video): Marketing, Taxes, Business Entities, and Liability for the Piano Teacher.
• Timothy Schaffer: The Heart and Head Genius of Kabalevsky

2017-2018

• Testing, Teaching, Training (Marina Lupinacci)
• Technic Symposium (Group Discussion led by Jeff Harris)
• Strategies to help Students (and teachers) compose (Stephen Hartke, joint with PPTA)
• Coffehouse Chat
• Burgmuller Bash – 25 New Second Piano Arrangements presented and composed by Chad Twedt (performance by Chad Twedt and other teachers)
• April 2018: Teaching and Performing Schumann (Dr. Caroline Oltmanns, joint with PPTA)

2016-2017

• The Right Wrong Notes: Contemporary Piano Literature for Intermediate Students (Nanette Solomon)
• Contemporary Chording Techniques for Improvisation (Rick Gallagher)
• Coffeehouse Chat
• Don’t Just Practice, MetaPractice! (Chad Twedt)
• How Motion Affects Sound (Sheila Paige, joint with PPTA)

2015-2016

• Sight Reading (Tom Hill)
• Motivating Students (Linda Kobler)
• Creativity in Hard Times: The Federal Music Project of the 1930s (Leslie Amper, joint with PPTA)
• Teaching Group Lessons (Group Discussion led by Dee Ann Symington)
• Improvisation II (Group Discussion led by Jo Ann Wagstaff)

2014-2015

• Teaching Students How to Practice (Group Discussion)
• Pop Music (Scott Anderson)
• Stride Piano & The Chaplin Project (Tom Roberts)
• Coffeehouse Chat (Group Discussion)
• Suzuki Method (Kiki Barley)
• Technology (Group Discussion)

2013-2014

• Teaching Creativity (Group Discussion led by Chad Twedt)
• Uncovering the Secrets of Pedaling (Bonnie Kellert, joint with PPTA)
• The Truth About Small Hands (Deborah Rambo Sinn, joint with PPTA)
• YouTube/App/Website Sharing (Group Discussion led by Chad Twedt)

2012-2013

• The Art of Rubato (Chad Twedt)
• The Use of Improvisation in the Music Study (Isaac Steiner)
• Listening is just the beginning: a critic’s life (Andrew Druckenbrod, Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic, joint with PPTA)
• Book Discussion: Not Until You’ve Done Your Practice: The classic survival guide for kids who are learning a musical instrument, but hate practicing by Philip Johnston
• Some Women’s Work That’s Never Done: Intermediate and Early Advanced Piano Literature by Women Composers (Nanette Kaplan Solomon, professor, Slippery Rock University)

2011-2012

• Outside the Methods:  Quality Repertoire in the First Three Years (Group Discussion led by Elizabeth Burnett)
• The Art of Playing from a Lead Sheet or Fake Book & The Mystery of Chord Symbols (Bob Hilf)
• Music, the Brain, and the iGeneration: Teaching the Acoustic in a Digital Age (Andrea McAllister, joint with PPTA)
• Book Review: Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin (Group Discussion led by Jo Ann Wagstaff)

2010-2011

• Unique Sight Reading Strategies (Group Discussion led by Lee Kikuchi)
• A Joyful Noise: Come and Play with Us (Jo Ann Wagstaff improvisation session leader)
• Book Review: A Soprano on her Head by Eloise Ristad (Group Discussion led by Jackie Herbein)
• 10 Technical Issues Facing Pianists and Suggested Solutions (Bonnie Kellert, joint with PPTA)
• Music History for Kids (Group Discussion led by Deb Busche

2009-2010

• What in the World Are They Thinking?  A Discussion About Teaching Children to Read Music (Group Discussion led by Jo Ann Wagstaff)
• Performance Opportunities for Students (Group Discussion led by Deb Busche)
• Beethoven and the High School Pianist (Dr. Steven Smith, joint with PPTA)
• Haydn and Mendelssohn Teaching Pieces (Group Discussion led by Jeffry Harris)
• Book Review: William Westney’s The Perfect Wrong Note (Group Discussion led by Jackie Herbein)
• Notational Software and the Music Publishing Industry (Robert Schultz)
• Share Your Favorite Pedagogical teaching pieces (Group Discussion led by Ellen Johnson)
• Beyond the Bench: Non-teaching aspects of the job (Group Discussion led by Lee Kikuchi)

2008-2009

• Instructional Games for the Occasional Group Lesson – bring your favorite ideas to share (Group Discussion led by Ellen Johnson)
• The Lesson:  Overwhelming or Just Right?  A discussion on pacing and planning the music lesson (Group Discussion led by Sue Garnhart)
• Toys and Tools (Jacqueline Herbein, joint with PPTA)
• Music Reading (Jo Ann Wagstaff)
• Only Pianists begin with Middle C: A critical assessment of how theory is taught to non-pianists (Lee Kikuchi)
• Nurtured by Love by Suzuki (Group Discussion led by Candy Hutchins)
• Robert Vandall Workshop (joint with PPTA)
• What We Do for the Money We Earn and How to Communicate that to Students (Group Discussion led by Elizabeth Burnett)

2007-2008

• After the Method Books: A Discussion of Piano Literature (Group Discussion)
• A Workshop for Piano Teachers: Reading, Technique, Interpretation (Marvin Blickenstaff, joint with PPTA)
• Pedaling with Style: From Baroque to Fox-Trots (Nancy Bachus, joint with PPTA)
• Teaching with Technology (Becky Lewis)
• Discussion on The Practice Revolution (Group Discussion)
• Pupil Savers: A Discussion of Favorite Teaching Pieces (Group Discussion)
• How Motion Affects Sound (Shelia Page)
• BYO Teaching and Studio Policy/Business Questions/Social

2006-2007

• Teaching Beginning Technique (Group Discussion)
• Self-Directed Practice: The Key to Student Success and Motivation (Elvina Truman Pearce, joint with PPTA)
• The Zen of Piano Teaching (Group Discussion)
• Alexander Technique (Lisa Levinson)
• Preparation and Timing for Performance (Group Discussion)
• Training Students as Accompanists (Luz Manriquez)
• Composition in the Lesson (Elizabeth Burnett)
• BYO Teaching and Studio Policy/Business Questions/Social