Business Courier: Music teachers navigate new universe of learning
Arts reporter Janelle Gelfand interviews CCM piano instructors about teaching during the pandemic
The Cincinnati Business Courier spotlights how local members of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) are holding music lessons for students during the pandemic. The story features interviews with UC College-Conservatory of Music DMA student Kara Huber and Professor of Piano Michelle Conda.
Kara Huber. Photo/Paul Steward.
Huber, a Grammy-nominated pianist who studies at CCM with Awadagin Pratt, is teaching students remotely during the pandemic. Her at-home studio has a computer, three cameras aimed at her piano's keyboard and pedals, and a Blue Yeti microphone. She also has a MIDI keyboard, which is hooked up to a software program called "Classroom Maestro" to assist with online teaching, according to the Business Courier story written by Janelle Gelfand.
“A lot of people are thriving with online teaching. I have students now from all over the place, because you don’t have to be physically present,” Huber told Gelfand. “I have a student in Hungary, and we just meet on Zoom. I think the future of piano education, it’s thriving, and I can see it continuing to grow.”
Over the summer, Huber modified her "Group Piano for Non-Music Majors" class so that it was offered entirely online. She plans to offer the class again this fall as part of CCM's arts elective offerings that are open to all UC students.
Conda adds that online teaching and learning is bringing educators into a new realm of possibilities. Students who don't like to play in-person recitals are thriving in virtual recitals, she told Gelfand. "We had one student who played for her stuffed animals, and it was the best she's ever played."
CCM and UC will welcome students back for the start of the fall semester on August 24 with a thoughtful blend of in-person and virtual offerings, in addition to enhanced health and safety measures. Learn more by reading UC's Return to Campus Guide or by referring to CCM's COVID-19 resources website.
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