Piano Explored

I am delighted to welcome Dr. Susan Kindall to the podcast today. You will see that Dr. Kindall has deep and abiding faith and that that faith permeates every aspect of her life. 

SUSAN KINDALL is known internationally as a performing member of three professional classical piano duos, numerous chamber groups, and as solo recitalist. In addition to a successful classical performance career, she has toured churches throughout the United States as sacred composer, arranger, solo pianist and soprano soloist. She holds the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy (4.0 average) from The University of Oklahoma. Her students are successful international piano competition laureates, doctoral graduates of leading conservatories, performing/recording artists, and published
composers and teachers who chair university music departments and direct ministries around the globe.

An expert in the musics of Richard Cumming, Andrzej Dutkiewicz, and Ronaldo Miranda, Dr. Kindall is a passionate advocate of the piano music of living composers. Her most recent world premiere, Ronaldo Miranda’s Festpielmüsik for Two Pianos & Percussion with members of the Greenville Symphony, is considered by the composer to be the definitive performance of that work to date. 

Dr. Kindall is an official observer by invitation of the Hilton Head International Piano Competition, as well as the XVI International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland celebrating the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. She has accepted repeated invitations as National Group Discussion Leader at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy Pre-Conference Seminar for Collegiate Piano Pedagogy Teachers in Chicago and has performed nationally at the Music Educators National Convention and Music Teachers National Association Conference. Dr. Kindall is currently a performing member of the Kindall-Nitsch Piano Duo with award-winning American pianist, Paul Nitsch.

Having nurtured musicians for over 35 years, Dr. Kindall has served on the staff of Interlochen Arts Camp, as a graduate teaching assistant at The University of Oklahoma, and taught on the artist faculties of Csehy Summer School of Music, Ouachita Baptist University, Ambassador Baptist College, and Bob Jones University—the latter where she installed of the Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy degree. As an MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, she founded and directed Majesty Music Academy bringing classical artistry to church musicians worldwide. Her numerous awards include Winner of the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association Graduate Piano Competition, the Gail Boyd deStwolinski Award for
outstanding service to The University of Oklahoma School of Music, and the President’s Club Partner Award for exceptional professional outreach at BJU.

Living true to one’s personal values is a basic element of success. Dr. Kindall loves people and remains dedicated to the success of her students. She is currently teaching exclusively online as Owner and CEO of Kindall Piano Studio, LLC. Having toured in over 500 churches nationwide, she now serves as Director of Music and Worship at Greenwood Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Greenwood, SC.

Susan Kindall is passionate about changing our world for the better, as evidenced in her ever-growing international roster of successful students. She believes that every person should have music as a part of his/her world of possibility.

Today we dive into the important book 'Show Your Work' by Austin Kleon. It's a must read for creatives and those who are trying to build a sustainable creative career.
This episode is a re-release from my former podcast 'Toward Creativity'.

At the end of the episode I announce an exclusive Facebook group that is centered around the Toward Creativity community. Don't join that group!
Instead - join us on the Piano Explored Podcast group on Facebook!

To get the book you can go here to my blog: https://www.benjaminhardingmusic.com/post/episode-6

When you play the piano, you become a part of a family. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, we are a part of a community that has roots running throughout history. The historical connections for the piano are absolutely fascinating and endless. 
The branches of this family tree extend into every area of modern society and today on the Piano Explored Podcast, I explore a little bit of my own family tree.  

I encourage students of any genre in piano, to explore their heritage because our tradition is an aural one. Each generation of pianists passes on knowledge from the past and insight from the present. 

So, let's just have a laid back conversation and see where we come from. 

Thank you for tuning into the Piano Explored Podcast. You can become a part of our Facebook Group and follow us on Instragram.

The Piano Explored Podcast is hosted by Dr. Benjamin Harding who is devoting his life to learning the art of piano playing in all of its complexities and variety. He is also fascinated with  the culture, literature and personalities surrounding the art form. You can find more information about the Piano Explored Podcast and Benjamin at www.benjaminharding.net.

Tom Berdos and I became fast friends when I was living in Delaware. He invited me to conduct in his Fanwood Choral Festival. Stay tuned to his ideas related to teaching online before the pandemic, beginning in 2018.  

At the recording of this podcast, Tom is the Music Director at Linville Christian School and Director of Music at Chiques United Methodist Church, Mount Joy, PA. 

Tom is a piano teacher, music teacher and conductor with a strong background in church music. Equally comfortable working with younger and older musicians, he motivates his students to produce their best efforts. Tom meets students right where they are at.  He is a visionary leader, effective classroom teacher, inspiring conductor, detailed
administrator, and skilled pianist and organist.

As a music educator, he has proven experience working with students and volunteers of all ages, choral and instrumental ensembles of all sizes and ability levels, professional soloists, and professional orchestral musicians.

We need more Tom's in this world! to further the art form of music and the art of piano playing.

Tom is also going to be a featured conductor in the Choral Festival at Ocean Grove! 

https://www.oceangrove.org/choir-festival

Thank you for listening to the Piano Explored Podcast! Hosted by Dr. Benjamin Harding, we endeavor to explore the piano and its culture in all of its diversity and complexity. Join the discussion on Facebook and Instagram. You can find more information at www.benjaminharding.net.

I am still pinching myself after this interview to make sure that I wasn't dreaming! Unreal!

Jeffrey Biegel is an American pianist of great renown. I want to encourage you to visit his website and be inspired! www.jeffreybiegel.com

On this episode Jeffrey speaks about his early years; the 'reverse Beethoven effect' that he experienced as a child; his studies with the legendary Adele Marcus, at the Juilliard School; his favorite story, 'The Wizard of Oz'; an important and life changing meeting with Lucille Ball of 'I Love Lucy'; pioneering a concert on the internet in the late '90's; and, current projects. The man is prolific and is not slowing down!


For more information on the Piano Explored Podcast, visit us on Instagram and Facebook. You can also visit my website: www.benjaminharding.net.

You have to get this book! It has changed the way I think about performing, practicing, and teaching.
And so, this episode is not really a review, it's more of a - you need to get this book! - episode.
Join our Facebook community at Piano Explored Podcast.
You can also find us on Instagram @pianoexplorepodcast.
For more information head to my website at www.benjaminharding.net.
You can also see new videos on piano, piano teaching, literature, performance and the like here: YouTube Channel. 

Today's Episode is audio from our YouTube channel. We go through tips and tricks in how to level up our voicing practice on the piano. We use Rachmaninoff's Prelude in D Major Op. 23, No. 4 and Beethoven's 2nd movement of his Pathetique Piano Sonata.
For the YouTube channel you can click here: Link
For the Piano Explored Podcast website you can click here: Link
www.benjaminharding.net

Welcome to the Piano Explored Podcast! 

I’m your host Benjamin Harding. www.benjaminharding.net

You can expect to connect with piano enthusiasts of all backgrounds, beginner to advanced and piano teachers who are seasoned and brand new to the profession on Facebook and on Instagram @pianoexploredpodcast. 

Welcome to the Piano Explored Podcast! I'm your host, Dr. Benjamin Harding.

On Fridays, we release an episode related to fundamentals of playing the piano.

Today's episode is on staccato. There is an accompanying video on our Youtube channel.
You can find it here - LINK TO VIDEO.

I cite a book by Yale School of Music piano professor, Boris Berman. You can get the book here - LINK TO BOOK.

Welcome to Piano Explored! I'm you're host, Benjamin Harding. You can follow what's happening on the Piano Explored Podcast on my website: www.benjaminharding.net
Be a part of our Facebook group and stay tuned for this Friday as Friday Fundamentals is released giving tips, tools and strategies related to 'Stacatto'!