Steven Baxter Recital Studio

The Learning Curve is a new and ongoing series led by Dr. Khoo Hui Ling, which explores challenging aspects of teaching and learning in music education. It is a discussion not just for educators, but for students and parents too; it tackles issues both public and private music educators may confront, raises questions students can reflect on, and discusses decisions that parents often struggle with.
‘Why Am I Learning Music?’ is the first of this series.

Patrick Stadler performs excerpts of the cycle for soprano saxophone solo by Giorgio Netti

While Robert Schumann is known for his compositions, he also created revolutions in piano education. Instead of the dry technical exercises common in piano instruction books of the 19th century, Schumann brought forth his Album for the Young that illuminated the hearts of the young and transformed their imaginative world - yet this work and the pedagogical philosophy behind it are often overlooked. This workshop examines Schumann’s didactic principles, which have greatly impacted piano education for over two centuries and in today’s teaching.