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“We were pleased to have the opportunity to help host this exciting cultural event in the Berkshires,” says Garber. “The entire experience was simply outstanding.” Thirteen pianists from around the world performed, including 1996 Leeds winner Ilya Itin (Russia), Konstantin Lifschitz (Ukraine), Piotr Anderszewski (Poland), Klára Würtz (Hungary), and Robert Shannon (U.S.).

“We have students of all ages and all levels in attendance at the Institute,” says Enid Stettner, Executive and Festival Director. “We had several students as young as fifteen, one who came from Hong Kong and made the trip on her own, and even two students in their eighties. I think the huge diversity of people from all parts of the world makes for an extraordinary and unique experience. Several performing artists stayed to take part in the Institute as well,” she notes. “We have more than 65 percent of attendees returning each year.

Dorothy Taubman

Dorothy Taubman, who has been teaching piano for more than 50 years, helped liberate thousands of pianists from the physical limitations that inhibit full artistic expression. Her groundbreaking body of knowledge, now widely known as the Taubman Approach, is based upon established principles of physiology and coordinate motion, enabling pianists to not only unravel technical complexities, but also to avoid pain, fatigue, and injury. Though the Taubman Approach has enjoyed remarkable success in helping injured pianists to play again, it has also helped pianists avoid injury and has earned a well-deserved place in basic piano pedagogy. All Taubman faculty members are rigorously trained by co-music directors Dorothy Taubman and Edna Golandsky.

Reflecting the new association between Yamaha and The Taubman Institute, Yamaha pianos will be featured on lecture and master class videos, highlighting this year’s and future Taubman productions. These new additions will join the Institute’s existing library of renowned educational and performance materials. A description of Taubman Institute materials and instructional venues can be obtained through its website, www.taubman-institute.com.

YMES teachers and students joined Yamaha staff to celebrate JOC’s 30th anniversary

he Yamaha Music Education Division celebrated the 30th anniversary of Junior Original Concerts (JOC) during its three day Jamboree held last June in Minneapolis, attended by 20 teachers and 16 Yamaha Music Education System (YMES) students. Yamaha teachers and administrators heard the latest ideas and issues related to music education, while the students had

Happy Birthday, JOC!

a chance to perform before an appreciative audience. Repertoire performances and an ensemble presentation of Mussorgky’s “Night On Bald Mountain” were also featured. “This yearly gathering keeps the value of fostering musical creativity in people’s minds,” says Michael Morrell, Yamaha’s Director of JOC and Advanced Curriculum. “Including standard repertoire, the performances showed that creativity is not limited to composing and improvisation. YMES nurtures a broad range of activities, and playing others’ compositions certainly requires creativity.”

At YMES schools, Morrell continues, the curriculum is based upon the communicative power of music and on group lessons. “In a sense, every class is making music together. Our philosophy includes group study, as this focus on instrumentation and orchestration adds greater dimension to a student’s experience.”

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