ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the purpose of group piano in the undergraduate music curriculum, typical skills addressed in undergraduate group-piano programs, and useful textbooks. Regardless of their primary instrument, undergraduate music majors throughout much of the world must display a minimum level of competency at the piano. Teaching students in a group setting and employing various group strategies to facilitate student learning and understanding, college music majors should be assessed individually. For many educators, the keyboard is a logical instrument through which students can explore various facets of music including rhythm, melody and harmony, theory and analytic skills, musical form, aural skills, coordination, listening and evaluation, and even improvisation. Musicians who will be involved in formal music education in schools will need to draw on keyboard skills including harmonization, transposition, improvising, sight reading, and performing simple accompaniments. Sometimes the only place that improvisation happens is in the group-piano class, and the piano lab provides an ideal setting for musical synthesis.
