{"id":22383,"date":"2014-10-23T11:39:09","date_gmt":"2014-10-23T15:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=22383"},"modified":"2014-11-11T15:37:08","modified_gmt":"2014-11-11T20:37:08","slug":"preparatory-music-departments-adult-piano-classes-supported-by-national-piano-foundation-grant-finding-fans-cultivating-talent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2014\/preparatory-music-departments-adult-piano-classes-supported-by-national-piano-foundation-grant-finding-fans-cultivating-talent\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparatory music department\u2019s adult piano classes, supported by National Piano Foundation grant, finding fans, cultivating talent"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new piano class at Eastern Mennonite University is not only educational, but therapeutic. Chi Nguyen is in the vanguard of the adult group piano class, which started its first seven-week session in August 2014. A graduate of James Madison University and Florida State University, Nguyen began teaching private lessons at EMU in August 2013.<\/p>\n

When the preparatory music department wanted to expand its course offerings, Nguyen began looking for grants. The National Piano Foundation<\/a> eventually awarded two digital pianos to launch the weekly lessons for adults. EMU bought two more to outfit a full classroom.<\/p>\n

Most of Nguyen’s students are over 50 years old, and join the class because such an activity is \u201con my bucket list.\u201d Nine students enrolled in the first session, with more on the roster for upcoming terms. Many have some instrumental experience from earlier in life, and want to build on previous skills for personal recreation or church participation.<\/p>\n

\"Teacher<\/a>
Teacher Chi Nguyen accompanies the students while conducting. (Photo by Randi Hagi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Barbara Feichtinger, from nearby New Market, the class is \u201cjust fabulous.\u201d Like all students, Feichtinger is free to drop the course or take session breaks every seven weeks, but she can\u2019t imagine doing that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m just inspired to move on,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Preparatory music<\/a> director Sharon Miller<\/a> says that part of the department\u2019s mission is \u201cto provide music education for everyone.\u201d For adults who want to learn an instrument, but may be intimidated by one-on-one instruction or prefer more social interaction, group lessons are \u201ca low-key way of doing that\u201d and also less expensive than private lessons, she says.<\/p>\n

Each weekly class begins with stretching to classical music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s one of the reasons why they come and take piano,\u201d says Nguyen. \u201cThey want to be relaxed.\u201d<\/p>\n

After reviewing techniques taught in previous sessions, the group progresses to playing songs together.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe group class really meets a need for adults,\u201d says Miller.<\/p>\n

Feichtinger agrees. \u201cWe all started with music when we were young,\u201d she explains. \u201cWe know the value of music, and how therapeutic it is \u2026 I really need therapy this year, so I came back to the piano!\u201d Outside of the class, Feichtinger practices her mother’s old \u201cDeep Purple\u201d sheet music for entertainment.<\/p>\n

Eventually, the preparatory music department would like to partner with local institutions, such as Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community<\/a>, that \u201cprovide opportunities for development of the person,\u201d says Miller.<\/p>\n

Music can provide healing and a constructive mode of expression, she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it!\u201d says Nguyen, who hopes to attract EMU students and more local adults to the program. \u201cAfter classes, I am still full of that teaching energy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new piano class at Eastern Mennonite University is not only educational, but therapeutic. Chi Nguyen is in the vanguard of the adult group piano class, which started its first ... read more about Preparatory music department\u2019s adult piano classes, supported by National Piano Foundation grant, finding fans, cultivating talent<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":22384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5583,14715,5183,5623],"tags":[15956,8664,9607],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-22383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community","category-campus-life","category-music","category-special-programs","tag-chi-nguyen","tag-sharon-miller","tag-virginia-mennonite-retirement-community"],"yoast_head":"\nPreparatory music department\u2019s adult piano classes, supported by National Piano Foundation grant, finding fans, cultivating talent - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2014\/preparatory-music-departments-adult-piano-classes-supported-by-national-piano-foundation-grant-finding-fans-cultivating-talent\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Preparatory music department\u2019s adult piano classes, supported by National Piano Foundation grant, finding fans, cultivating talent - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A new piano class at Eastern Mennonite University is not only educational, but therapeutic. 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