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Marshall University Music Department Presents the Marshall University Sonatina Festival & Competition
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  • Júlio Ribeiro Alves, Marshall University
Publication Date
3-12-2011
Year of Release
2011
Note(s)

Adjudicators:

The Fisher Duo: Christopher & Katherine Fisher

Guest Clinicians:

Júlio Alves

Alanna Cushing

Bruce Rous

Biographies of Adjudicators:

Fisher Piano Duo:

Christopher and Katherine Fisher, pianists

The Fisher Piano Duo has been delighting audiences throughout the United States with innovative and engaging programming of piano duet and duo literature since 2004. Recognized for their artistry, the duo was awarded first prize in the 2007 Ohio MTA/Graves Piano and Organ Company Duo Piano Competition. As dedicated educators and proponents of collaborative music making, the duo frequently serves as featured artists and clinicians at university, community music school, and civic events, including recent and forthcoming engagements at the Wichita State University Piano Pedagogy Institute, Steinway Hall (Akron, OH) and the Marshall University Sonatina Festival.

Katherine Fisher is an affiliate faculty member of the Athens Community Music School at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Her responsibilities include teaching private piano lessons as well as coordinating the Piano Preparatory Program (group lessons) for children who are beginners at the instrument.

Katherine Fisher is co-author of the Piano Safari Method (www.pianosafari.com) for children. She and Dr. Julie Knerr have been working on their piano method since their time in school together at the University of Oklahoma, when they both realized they had mutual dreams of writing a piano method that would incorporate all the best elements of the various methods they had been using in their teaching. Katherine is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association, having most recently served as recording secretary for the OhioMTA. She presently serves in the capacity of Vice- President for Membership for the Southeast District of OhioMTA. A native of Ohio, Katherine obtained her degrees from the University of Oklahoma (Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy) and the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music (Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance). Her former teachers include Jeongwon Ham, Jane Magrath Barbara Fast, Karin R. Edwards, and Nancy Bachus.

Dr. Christopher Fisher is Associate Professor of Piano at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where he serves as Chair of the Keyboard Division and Coordinator of Group Piano Studies. The 2010 recipient of the Ohio University School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award, Dr. Fisher teaches courses in applied piano, group piano, and piano pedagogy.

Dr. Fisher is the author of Teaching Piano in Groups (Oxford University Press, 2010), the only comprehensive group piano pedagogy textbook/handbook of its kind. A group piano specialist, Dr. Fisher is engaged in research exploring the application of cooperative learning theory to teaching piano in group environments. He has published articles and reviews in leading keyboard journals including Keyboard Companion, American Music Teacher, Clavier, and Clavier Companion. His early level composition titled Midnight Express is available from Alfred Publishing Company and is included in the National Federation of Music Clubs 2011-2013 Festival Bulletin.

In demand as a workshop clinician, Dr. Fisher has presented lectures nationally and internationally, including the National Conferences of the Music Teachers National Association (Washington, D.C., 2001; Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2007; Atlanta, 2009), the National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum (Norman, Oklahoma, 2006; Austin, Texas, 2010), the Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference (Canberra, Australia, 2008).

Dr. Fisher is an active member of Music Teachers National Association and serves as Vice-President for Conferences for the Ohio Music Teachers Association. He is currently faculty advisor for the Ohio University MTNA Collegiate Chapter. In 2010, he was named the Ohio Music Teacher Association Collegiate Teacher of the Year as well as the Southeast District of the Ohio Music Teachers Association Certified Teacher of the Year. Dr. Fisher maintains a studio of pre-college students who have been successful at state and regional piano competitions and festivals. He frequently serves as an adjudicator and master class clinician at piano festivals throughout the United States.

Note
Smith Music Hall
Citation Information
Júlio Ribeiro Alves. "Marshall University Music Department Presents the Marshall University Sonatina Festival & Competition" (2011)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/julio_alves/25/