With 30 states and nine countries under her belt, Gail Berenson should have no problem tackling the Kennedy Museum of Art.
On Thursday, Gail Berenson, professor of piano at Ohio University, will headline the Inside/Outside: Art Talks at the Kennedy with “Not Your Momma’s Music Lessons: Piano Instruction in the 21st Century,” a discussion about the recent pedagogical changes in modern piano instruction and its effects on students and teachers.
“The Inside/ Outside Art Talks are presented by Friends of Kennedy Museum,” said Beth Tragert, administrative associate of the museum. “It is an opportunity for people to hear from local and regional artists in a more personal way.”
The discussion will be held in the Christine Demler Brown Center for Education multi-purpose room of the museum, giving all attendees an opportunity to browse the galleries before and after the lecture.
Not expected to be a huge crowd gatherer, the Art Talks are more so about providing an opportunity for audience members to learn how artists work, Tragert said.
Thursday’s lecture will include a multitude of topics such as musician wellness, the benefits of new technology and the vital role of teacher-student interaction.
Similar to how the newspaper and business industries had to change, the world of piano pedagogy has had to do away with outdated techniques in order to make way for modern methods in order to ensure its survival in the ever-changing, technological world.
“Things have changed,” Berenson said. “And those changes are mirrored in other fields. Technology has made contributions.”
One of those contributions is ProformaVision, a technology that OU recently purchased, which displays how much physical tension a performer holds in his or her body while performing.
“We are using this to help our students develop a more effortless technique that will enable them to maximize their performance,” Berenson said.
“My favorite composition to perform is whatever I am playing at the time,” Berenson said.
mg986611@ohiou.edu
