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Autumn 2000: Volume 11, Number 2

The following is from The Editor's Page, by Elvina Pearce:

his issue of KEYBOARD COMPANION is dedicated to the memory of Richard Chronister, the magazine's founder. One of Richard's long-time dreams was to publish a journal devoted to one of his favorite topics-early-level teaching. This dream finally became a reality in 1990 with the creation of KEYBOARD COMPANION, and from that year until his death in 1999, Richard served as its Editor-in-Chief.

In the magazine's inaugural issue (Spring, 1990), Richard wrote in his first Editor's Page: "We want KEYBOARD COMPANION to provide you with exactly what it says-companions in the wonderfully complex profession we have chosen. We want to give you lots of answers to the day-to-day questions we all encounter each year we teach. Out of these answers will come new approaches that all of us can use in our own teaching and this will set us to discovering even more answers of our own."

The Associate Editors and I urge you to continue to share with us and the magazine's readers the answers that you have found for questions that have consistently arisen in your teaching. We also solicit your input on problems for which you have not yet found satisfactory answers so that these can be explored within the various departments of the magazine in its future issues. As always, you, your students, your teaching, your successes and your problems, will continue to be the reason for KEYBOARD COMPANION's existence. So please let us hear from you!

We believe that Richard would be extremely pleased to know that the magazine is still alive and well under the auspices of the Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy of which he was a Founder and for which he served as President of the Board. One of his desires was to have the magazine become part of the Center and now, that, too, has come to pass. Our goal is to see to it that KEYBOARD COMPANION continues on with its original purpose still intact-to provide for its readers, a magazine that is "relevant in the most practical way to the needs of those involved with piano study at the early levels." Please assist us in fulfilling this goal by staying in touch!

(Address your comments, suggestions, and questions to KEYBOARD COMPANION, 827 Santa Maria Drive, Naperville, IL 60540, or, send us an e-mail message. NOTE: If you have an e-mail address, please include it along with your mailing address.)

The cover photo is by Marjore Chronister. To see a larger image of it, please visit our Art Gallery.

FEATURED ARTICLE - Rhythm Department

When is a good time to introduce RUBATO to our early-level students? And what are some effective ways to do it? Marvin Blickenstaff, Christos Tsitsaros, and Elizabeth Gutierrez discuss different approaches to these important questions. All authors include audio clips that make their points crystal-clear to the ear! To deepen our exploration of this topic, we have also re-printed, in their entirety complete with excerpts, the articles that addressed these very same questions in the Autumn 1992 issue of KBC.

These are the other articles that were in the Autumn 2000 issue

Information on obtaining back issues

The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent Barbara Kreader, Editor	What do you do when a child doesn't practice?	Barbara Kreader

The Other Teacher: Home Practice Elvina Pearce, Editor	How do your students practice to avoid/overcome common technical problems?	Sue Haug Virginia Campbell Kenneth Williams

Independence Day: Music Reading	Is there a relationship between student dropouts and when and how reading is introduced?	Elvina Pearce Adela Bay

Let's Get Physical: Technique Scott McBride Smith, Editor	How do you work with a student who plays everything loudly?	Teresa de Jong Pombo Mary Beth Shaffer Claire Wachter

Partners in Time: You and Your Piano Madeleine Crouch, Editor	What do your students think about when waiting for their turn to play?	Madeleine Crouch

The Heart of the Matter: Rhythm Bruce Berr, Editor	When and how do you introduce rubato?	Marvin Blickenstaff Christos Tsitsaros Elizabeth Gutierrez

From the Inside Out: Motivation Joyce Cameron, Editor	*How do you motivate students to want* to practice?**	Mary Tollefson

It's Never Too Late: Adult Piano Study Brenda Dillon, Editor	How is your teaching manner and approach different when you teach adults?	Wynn-Anne Rossi Doug Hanvey Linda Sorrell

Putting It All Together: Repertoire Marvin Blickenstaff, Editor	How do you introduce new pieces to students?	Martha Smith Yu-Jane Yang Annette Conklin Susan See

Tomorrow Today: Technology Sandra Bowen, Editor	How do you use technology to help students with special learning needs?	Mary Kay Archuleta