Alejandro Cremaschi walks students through the basics of piano playing using custom videos and the tools Piano Marvel and Classroom Maestro.
This summer, Alejandro Cremaschi will teach a class of 15-20 students the finer points of beginner piano playing. They'll go through a sequence of fun piano pieces and learn about rhythm, reading music, hand placement and chords鈥攁nd they'll do it entirely online.
鈥淚t presents a lot of opportunities and a lot of challenges,鈥� Cremaschi says. 鈥淪tudents can work at their own pace, and the course is open ended so they have the opportunity to do more than what鈥檚 required. But I鈥檓 also not there to see their technique in person, and unlike a regular class, they鈥檙e not in the same room learning together with their classmates.鈥�
The associate professor of piano pedagogy first started teaching the online course three years ago to accommodate students outside the College of Music who may be interested in composition or music technology.
鈥淧iano is really the most accessible instrument. You can create harmonies, you don鈥檛 have to worry about intonation, you don鈥檛 need to spend six months learning how to make a sound from it. So a lot of people learn how to play the piano as a gateway to music.鈥�
Though the class consists of more than a dozen students, Cremaschi says the online format means it works more like a one-on-one lesson. Students complete several assignments each week, progressing to more difficult pieces as the course goes on. The class culminates with a project that requires students to accompany a hit song song by Coldplay.
The coursework is facilitated by an electronic keyboard and an online tool called Piano Marvel, which work together to give students real-time feedback on their playing. Cremaschi also has students record videos of themselves playing so he can keep an eye on their positioning and coach them each week.
鈥淥ne of the benefits for me is that I usually travel in the summer鈥攖his year I鈥檒l be in Brazil鈥攁nd this way I鈥檓 still able to teach,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚 conduct office hours via Skype. I have to be very quick to answer emails, because when there鈥檚 no face-to-face contact, students can鈥檛 just raise their hands when they have a question. I want them to feel like I鈥檓 there with them.鈥�
Videos from Cremaschi himself early on in the course lay the foundation for proper technique, showing multiple angles and thoroughly explaining the correct physical approach to playing the instrument.
To combat the loss of social support present in a classroom, Cremaschi has integrated group discussion into the course.
鈥淏eing around other people who are playing can be motivating and encouraging. So I have students share their videos with each other and comment on the other students鈥� playing.鈥�
New for this semester, Cremaschi hopes to unveil a new technological solution to distance learning challenges: During his sabbatical, he鈥檚 been working with a group of computer science students to develop a tool that allows students to store and share video and MIDI files and do live conferencing all in one place.
He says he hopes to continue improving the app to meet a growing need in music in higher education.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of interest in developing this course model, especially for faculty teaching non-music majors in group settings. We鈥檙e one of only a few colleges offering this kind of online introductory course, and I think there鈥檚 a future in this.鈥�
The online piano course is open to non-music majors and takes place during Summer Session B, July 11 through Aug. 11. Look for Piano Class 1, MUEL 1115, Section 200 in the .
