As the conservatory audition season cycles in once again—as predictable as the ice and snow that always accompanies it in my neck of the woods—it has occurred to me that a simple checklist for teachers might be useful in preparing guileless students for what lies in store. Thus the following brief suggestions for "less pain, more gain":1) A year be...

When it comes to movie sequels, I'm generally opposed. A great movie should be the final word on the subject. Who really needed Gone With the Wind: Scarlet and Rhett Together Again anyway? But when it comes to sequels for KEYBOARD COMPANION departments, that's another story! We could endlessly revisit many of the topics explored in this magazi...

Once in a while a student comes along that is head and shoulders (wrists and fingers?) above the rest of your studio. Let's call her "Karen Keys." Now Karen is a junior in high school, taking the PSAT exam, and listening to her home room teacher talk about applying to colleges and selecting a major. One day, Karen asks you, "What would it be like, ...