Mary Craig Powell's Contributions to Piano Pedagogy

Abstract

The life and career of master teacher Mary Craig Powell (1940–2019) is documented in this study through an investigation of her pedagogical philosophy, teaching techniques, and her contributions to the field of piano pedagogy. Powell’s legacy was centered around teaching pre-college students for over fifty years. She shared her knowledge and experience with other teachers through workshops, training seminars, and published writings on teaching. Her major professional positions included teaching at Campbell College for one year (1965–1966), Erskine College for two years (1966–1968), Augustana College for one year (1971–1972), and Capital University for twenty-one years (1984–2005). The primary sources for this study were all of Powell’s publications and interviews along with answers from survey questions given to former colleagues and former students. To encompass the scope of Powell’s career, three former colleagues and eight former students were surveyed. The information collected from the surveys demonstrated how Powell’s work as a teacher impacted teachers and students all over the world. The major publications that Powell contributed to are Focus on Suzuki Piano and 10 Viewpoints on Suzuki Piano. Powell’s articles in the American Suzuki Journal and Keyboard Companion were also consulted. The five chapters of this study document Powell’s career, pedagogical philosophy, and teaching techniques. In the first chapter, the purpose and need for the study is established. The methodology and related studies are also presented. The second chapter presents a biographical sketch of Powell’s life and career. Chapter three discusses Powell’s writings and gives a detailed account of her twelve teaching strategies. Chapter four contains personal reflections of the principal investigator taken from notes from Powell’s teacher-training seminars in Columbus, Ohio during the summers of 2014 and 2015. The fifth and final chapter offers a conclusion by answering the research questions posed in chapter one and gives suggestions for further study. The three appendices include a list of Powell’s publications and articles, as well as reproductions of the questionnaires administered to former colleagues and students.