Journal of Piano Research
© The Author(s) 2026
https://doi.org/10.70760/AEWH7690
journalofpianoresearch.org
Robert Duke
The University of Texas at Austin
Robin Heinsen
Miami University of Ohio
Abstract
We examined the extent to which music teachers’ piano learning experiences influence their use of the piano in teaching. We administered an online survey via the National Association for Music Education and collected responses from 1,953 participants who teach choir, band, orchestra, and elementary general music in the 50 United States and two additional countries. Self-perception of piano skills was highly correlated with piano use in teaching, and the number of years of private piano study was highly correlated with self-perception of skills. How frequently teachers use the piano and what types of activities they perform on the piano were both related to teachers’ self-perceptions of keyboard competence and whether teachers play the piano for pleasure. Our results may prompt university programs to develop instructional practices that facilitate music majors’ leaving college with a sense of self-efficacy, feelings of enjoyment, and the fluency necessary to effectively incorporate piano in their teaching.
Keywords
music education, music teacher preparation, piano pedagogy
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