THE BALANCED PIANIST

Dr. Teresa Dybvig, Director

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Visit the 2007 programs online photo album!

 

 

See our scrapbook of the Colorado 2006 program.

 

 

 

Plan to combine The Balanced Pianist with a visit to Denver or a trip to experience the natural wonders of Colorado!

 


The Music Center at the Colorado Christian University

 


Colorado Christian University campus

 


Colorado Christian University campus

 


Colorado Christian University campus

 

A Summer Piano Program in Cooperation with Colorado Christian University:

The Balanced Pianist Colorado 2008

An intensive program to improve practice, performance, and teaching skills, through integrated focus on piano technique, musicianship, bodywork/movement, positive mindset, and learning styles, in a supportive, interactive environment.

When: Thursday, July 10 through Tuesday, July 15, 2008. There are also special events open to the public the evenings of July 12 and 13.
Where: Colorado Christian University in Lakewood, Colorado (Lakewood is a suburb of Denver).
Who: Open to all pianists, high school age and above, amateur and professional.
Instructors: Dr. Teresa Dybvig, pianist, faculty of the Taubman and Golandsky Institutes from 1995 - 2004; Susan Nowicki, pianist, faculty member of the Curtis Institute of Music, and faculty of the Taubman and Golandsky Institutes from 1997 - 2005; and Judy Huston, specialist in Aston Patterning.

Are you wondering if The Balanced Pianist is for you? See what past participants have to say.

Note: No previous experience in the Taubman approach or Aston-Patterning is necessary for participation in this program.

Registration: As soon as you decide to attend, fill out the registration form and send a check for your deposit to:
The Balanced Pianist
P.O. Box 49
East Setauket, NY 11733

Because everyone receives personal attention, the program is limited to 24 participants. If you want to be sure there are still openings before you send your deposit, please fill out the registration form at least one week before the postmark deadline, indicate in the message box that you are wondering about openings, and we will let you know if there is room for you in the program.

We know it would be easier for you to register online with a credit card, and we apologize for the inconvenience. We limit ourselves to payment by check to keep your prices down.
  • If you would like to register as an Early Bird, your deposit check must be postmarked by February 15, 2008. For regular registration, please have your deposit postmarked by May 1, 2008.
  • Limit: 24, accepted in the order of registrations received, pending receipt of postmarked deposits. Priority will be given to registrants who can attend the full 6 days.
  • The fee includes dinner but does not include breakfasts, lunches, or accommodation.
  • Your deposit is fully refundable until May 1. After May 1, your deposit will be refunded only if there is someone on the waiting list to replace you.
  • Please make checks out to The Balanced Pianist.
Early-bird fee:
Deposit postmarked by Feb 15 $365
Balance by July 10 $445
Total fee $810

Regular fee:
Deposit postmarked by May 1 $435
Balance by July 10 $445
Total fee $880

On-Site Registration for Special Events Open to the Public
You can register and pay for each of the events below fifteen minutes before the program begins. Fee is $30 per event. Please make your check out to The Balanced Pianist. (Please note that both of these events are included in the curriculum for participants in the full program).

Special Events:

Saturday, July 12, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm: Performance class: improving your concentration in performance. Teresa Dybvig and Susan Nowicki will coach participants in using the tools from Don Greene's Performance Success. Please indicate on your registration form if you are interested in playing for this class. We will be in touch with you about what would be the most useful activity for you during this session.

Sunday, July 13, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Lecture and activities, Brain twisters: challenging your brain to learn in new ways. Judy Huston will lead us in an active session, challenging us to learn in fun ways we may not have considered before.

Students' experiences with The Balanced Pianist instructors

"Susan Nowicki is a superb musician and teacher. I worked with her retraining at the piano for about two years and found that her knowledge of the principals of the Taubman technique is deep and her ability to translate these principals into practical, technical movements at the piano remarkable. She combines an organized, patient approach to learning these complex yet essential movements with a deep sense of the music being addressed and the practical experiences of a seasoned performing artist. Susan was the essential hand which brought me through new stages of control at the piano, when uncertainty, and fear threatened to stagnate my developing new skills. I recommend her as a teacher without reservation."
—Adrienne Sirken, Pianist and Educator

"Judy Huston understands my body more than anyone else I've encountered."
—Rebecca Olsson, Pianist and Vocalist

"Before studying with Teresa Dybvig, I had studied with several prominent teachers of the Taubman Technique for nine years. Although I made some progress, it was not until I started studying with Terry that my technique finally came together... Terry helped me regain my proper posture and hand shape... Terry not only was able to balance my body; her focus is always on musical expression. She has a unique gift of balancing the teaching of technical skills with the expression of music. I am finally beginning to be where I want to be in my piano playing. I am convinced that this is due to Terry's high quality teaching."
— Thomas B. Stuart
Accompanist and Collaborative Pianist

Also see more quotes in our scrapbook of the 2006 program in Colorado.

Also see quotes from anonymous evaluations of other The Balanced Pianist programs.


Program Details:
        From:        July 10 (4:00 pm, check-in 1 to 4 pm)
        Through:    July 15 (9:00 pm)

This will be six days of supportive interaction among all of us. For more detailed information about The Balanced Pianist programs, please visit www.BalancedPianist.com.

Each participant will experience:
  1. Two hours of lessons with Teresa Dybvig or Susan Nowicki
    • You will be partnered with 2 or 3 other students, who will attend your lessons, and, if you choose, your practice.
    • You choose what to work on during your lesson.
    • You are invited (urged even) to attend as many lessons as your concentratation allows, unless the student specifies otherwise.
    • You will have all your lessons with one teacher. We will make every attempt to assign you to the teacher you prefer, but as you can imagine, we cannot guarantee. Don't worry! You will have a good teacher either way!
  2. One 2-hour clinic on July 11. You can choose between Introduction to Basic Movements and Shaping.
  3. The option to choose four other clinics to be selected at registration. Clinics are based on the tenets of the Taubman Approach to Piano Technique, Aston Patterning, and Dunn and Dunn Learning Styles. We will introduce these concepts and work with each participant in skill-based clinics, showing partners how to coach one another.
  4. One class and one four-person (quad) session in Aston Patterning by Judy Huston.
  5. We encourage you to take advantage of separate private sessions in Aston Patterning, also available from Judy Huston. These sessions would either be movement lessons or massage, and are available at an additional fee of $65 for a one-hour session, payable at check-in. You can arrange this time in advance when you register, or during the week. Space is limited for these sessions.
  6. Opening program on making changes, including introductory talk by Teresa Dybvig.
  7. One presentation with activities, Brain twisters: challenging your brain to learn in new ways. led by Judy Huston.
  8. One performance class focusing on using the tools of Don Greene's Performance Success, led by Teresa Dybvig and Susan Nowicki. Please let us know if you would like to play for this class at registration.
  9. Daily viewings of The Taubman Techniques lecture videos.
  10. Mealtime discussions about mental attitude in practice and performance, using Performance Success, by Don Greene, and other texts.
  11. One Works-in-Progress recital.
  12. Practice time will be available to everyone.
 

Clinic choices for Friday, July 11: (Select one at registration.)

Basic movements. For those of you who are new to us, or would like some review. Teresa Dybvig will coach participants in the basic movements for playing the piano based on Dorothy Taubman's approach to piano technique.

Shaping. Susan Nowicki will coach participants in this fundamental element of Dorothy Taubman's approach to piano technique.


Sunday Clinics
We will spend Sunday morning in the foothills of Golden, Colorado, where participants will have the choice of participating in two clinics or enjoying the outdoors. In the afternoon we will return to CCU, where participants will have a choice of two more clinics before our evening program. You will be asked at registration to choose the clinics you would like to participate in. Rides to the area will be available for those without cars.

Clinic 1 Demanding walk in the foothills Healthy computer use. Teresa Dybvig will show participants how to navigate the computer keyboard and mouse with ease. Bring your keyboards or laptops if you can!
Clinic 2 Undemanding walk at the base of the foothills Teaching children: beyond the first lessons. Susan Nowicki will share her priorities for giving children a well-rounded and healthy piano education.
Clinic 3 Head, shoulders, knees and toes: Integrated whole-body movement at the piano. Judy Huston will draw from her experience in Aston Patterning. and as a pianist to show the role of the body in piano playing. Blocking to stay aligned. Drawing from her experience with Dorothy Taubman's approach to piano technique, Teresa Dybvig will coach participants in staying aligned while moving between different registers on the piano.
Clinic 4 Learning Styles profiles. Teresa Dybvig will discuss participants' Dunn and Dunn learning styles profiles, and how they can help us be better students and teachers. Participants will need to take their profiles in advance of the session. Leaps. Large leaps can be frightening, but they need not be! Susan Nowicki will coach participants on tools for leaps from Dorothy Taubman's approach to piano technique.

The Schedule
The program will open on Thursday, July 10, at 4:00 pm with an orientation meeting. From 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm there will be an opening address, Making Changes, by Teresa Dybvig followed by a reception of light dinner with some 4-hand entertainment provided by Ms. Nowicki and Ms. Dybvig and any others who would like to join in! The following days will begin at 8:30 or 9 am and end at 9 pm.

A Sample Day's Schedule:
9:00 - 10:30 am Clinic
10:30 am - 12:30 pm Eight 30-minute lessons, with concurrent showings of The Taubman Techniques videos, two quad sessions in Aston-Patterning, and practice time
12:30 - 2:00 pm Lunch, with discussion about practice mindset
2:00 - 4:00 pm Eight 30-minute lessons, with concurrent showings of The Taubman Techniques videos, two quad sessions in Aston-Patterning, and practice time
4:00 - 5:00 pm Walk outside
5:00 - 7:00 pm Eight 30-minute lessons, with concurrent showings of The Taubman Techniques videos, two quad sessions in Aston-Patterning, and practice time
7:00 - 8:30 pm Supper with discussion about specific sections in Performance Success by Don Greene

Travel: If you travel by air, the closest airport is the Denver International airport (DEN). Many major and smaller budget airlines fly into Denver. When you are looking for flights, check the Midwest Airlines, Jet Blue Airways, Frontier Airlines, ATA, and Southwest Airlines websites as well as your favorite air travel websites, which don't always show budget airline options. From the airport, you can take Super Shuttle to the college (if you check the shuttle website, key in 80226 as your destination zip code). The cost as of this writing is $33, excluding tip. We will try to help you coordinate return shuttle transportation, if you let us know your arrival and departure times, airlines, and flight numbers.

Accommodation: If you need accommodation, please let us know when you register. We will ask you to specify whether you would like to stay in CCU housing or in the Extended Stay America hotel.

CCU housing: Some 3-bedroom student apartments have been set aside for us at Colorado Christian University. For student housing, these apartments are comfortable; they are air-conditioned, non-smoking, and walking distance from the school. Each room has two twin beds. The cost will be somewhere between $52.00/night for one person in an apartment and $8/night if you share a room in a full apartment. If you would like to stay in a Colorado Christian University apartment, we'll be happy to try to set you up with as many apartment-mates and roommates as you would like. Though unfortunately we cannot promise you a roommate, this usually seems to work out.

Hotel: If you wish to stay at a hotel with a swimming pool, we can recommend the Extended Stay America Denver - Lakewood West near the college, although there are other area hotels to choose from. People who stay at the Extended Stay America will need their own transportation.

Meals: You are on your own for breakfast. The CCU apartments have refrigerator and stove (though no pots, pans, or utensils), and the hotel has refrigerator, stove, microwave, and some dishes. There is also a nearby coffee shop. For those who cannot bring their own lunch, it will be delivered. You will make your choice and pay for your lunches when you check in. Please plan to bring $9 cash per lunch. Dinner will be takeout, and is included in your registration fee.

Copyright © 2007 Teresa Dybvig