The Legacy of Master Piano Teacher Marvin Blickenstaff: His Pedagogy and Philosophy

Abstract

The legacy of master piano teacher Marvin Blickenstaff (b. 1935) is documented in this study through an analysis of his philosophy and pedagogical style and of his contributions to the field of piano pedagogy. Blickenstaff's extensive career includes teaching piano to all ages for over fifty years, giving presentations to teachers both nationally and internationally since the later 1960s, and publishing writings on teaching and materials for students. His major professional positions have included a professorship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for ten years (1969-78) and at Goshen College for twenty-one years (1978-99), and presidency of the Board of Trustees of the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy since 2000.

The primary resources for this study were Blickenstaff's publications and presentations, recordings of his piano lessons and classes, interviews, and surveys. The principal investigator conducted six interviews with Blickenstaff and interviewed twenty-two of his colleagues and students. To span the breadth of Blickenstaff's career, thirty-seven additional students and thirty-six teachers were surveyed. The interviews and surveys revealed how Blickenstaff's professional works impacted individuals within the field of piano pedagogy and established his philosophy and teaching style. Twenty-one piano lessons, a small-group lesson, and two classes were observed in 2009 at his home studio in Pennsylvania and at the New School for Music Study in New Jersey. These lessons are excerpted throughout this study to validate and demonstrate the tenets of Blickenstaff's philosophy and his pedagogical strategies. Blickenstaff's output as a presenter was analyzed through his presentation notes and through videos of his workshops and masterclasses. The major publications that Blickenstaff coauthored are the Handbook for Teachers published in conjunction with the Celebration Series, and Music Pathways, a method for beginning pianists. In addition, Blickenstaff's articles in the journal Keyboard Companion were consulted.

The eight chapters of this study document Blickenstaff's career, philosophy, and pedagogical style. In the introductory chapter, the purpose and justification of the study is established. The methodology and research procedures are presented in chapter two along with a summary of related studies. Chapter three contains a biography of Blickenstaff that chronicles his significant professional activities. Blickenstaff's philosophy of music education is outlined and validated in chapters four, five, and six. Chapter four presents Blickenstaff's viewpoint on the definition of music, the teacher, and the student. In chapter five, Blickenstaff's foundations for music study are explored through an analysis of the value of music study and the qualities of the student-teacher relationship. His philosophy on the learning process is detailed in chapter six, which includes an examination of the learning environment and how humans learn. In chapter seven, Blickenstaff's pedagogical style is codified through a summary of his lesson content, teaching techniques, and style of communication. The final chapter addresses the research questions posed in chapter one and synthesizes his philosophy, pedagogical style, and contributions to the field of piano pedagogy into his legacy. The ten appendices include lists of his publications, articles, recordings, and presentations, as well as transcripts of all interviews with Blickenstaff and reproductions of the questionnaires administered to piano teachers and his students.