ABSTRACT
The master-apprentice approach of teaching is synonymous with one-to-one piano instruction, particularly in higher music education. Currently, postsecondary institutions are witnessing a phase of reckoning. The professional piano community needs to self-reflect and identify what needs to be overhauled and adjusted so that the future can be considered. Through established scholarship, this chapter examines how collaborative learning, facilitation of creative thought, and the use of technology can help to break down the walls that have been fabricated by the master-apprentice model in applied piano study. Vignettes narrating specific success stories from teachers around the world provide first-hand accounts of how change and transformation can successfully take place. Recommendations will offer forward-thinking instructors ideas and starting points of reflection for revitalizing piano instruction and preparing students for a music career in the 21st century and beyond.
