|
Linda Kobler served on the Music History faculty at The Juilliard School for seven years, and taught music appreciation for the Juilliard Evening Division, at Brooklyn College and at The New School. She has presented workshops for music teachers at Steinway Hall in New York City, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, and the Juilliard School Evening Division. A pioneer in online instruction, she created one of the first online college music appreciation courses in 1998, and she continues to teach online at colleges and universities across the U.S. In 2016 she redesigned her course as an Open Educational Resource. Linda Kobler has decades of experience as a teacher in both piano and harpsichord. In 2018 she lectured New York area piano teachers at Steinway Hall on innovative teaching techniques. She maintains a private teaching studio and also teaches Secondary Piano at Mercyhurst University. Her pupils perform as concerto soloists and recitalists, on public radio and in community concerts, and in the U.S. and abroad. They have won competitions and music scholarships to major colleges and universities. As a piano and harpsichord instructor, she has taught for the Peabody Conservatory Preparatory School, Third St. Music School (NYC), and the City University of New York.
|
Piano/Harpsichord Studio Work highlights of student activity |
|
|
RADIO RECITALS (WQLN-FM)
The
WQLN Radio Recitals originated with Linda Kobler's studio. These are solo on-air
recitals played live for a studio audience and streamed over the internet.
Each broadcast includes an interview with the performer. Recitalists
are also featured in Lake Erie Lifestyle Magazine. Radio Recitals have been given by: |
 |
 |
STEINWAY
SOCIETY
Seven students from Kobler's studio have been accepted --through audition-- as members of the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania. Of the seven, five were chosen to give pre-concert recitals at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, preceding the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concerts. SSWPA members have included:
Katie
Ahrens |
| ERIE
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Concerto soloists with the Erie Chamber
Orchestra, a professional chamber ensemble, include:
Erica
Williams (2005) COMPETITIONS TUESDAY MORNING MUSIC CLUB
1st
place: Deven Shah
|
 |
|
CHAUTAUQUA
SONATINA FESTIVAL
1st
place: Katie Ahrens, (video) DUQUESNE YOUNG ARTISTS NATIONAL COMPETITION (PITTSBURGH) 2nd place: Deven Shah (6-9 year old division) NORTHEAST OHIO MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (CLEVELAND) Buckeye Scholarship: Elenora Pertz
|
ERIE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
1st place: Deven Shah (Senior Division) ITHACA COLLEGE PIANO COMPETITION (NEW YORK) Honorable Mention: Katie Ahrens TALENTS FOR CHRIST (Statewide Pennsylvania Competition) 1st place: Chris Song, Senior High Division
|
|
 House concerts are a preparation for public performance |
HOUSE
CONCERTS
There is a strong emphasis in this studio on careful preparation for important concerts or auditions. This includes presenting multiple try-out concerts in private homes. The aim is to help students refine their interpretations over time and to achieve consistency and confidence in their performing abilities. CONTEMPORARY MUSIC In addition to playing contemporary music by modern masters such as Copland, Ginastera, Kabalesky, Bartok, Prokofiev, and Barber, students from the Kobler studio have had significant interaction with living composers. Two works (one written by the Honduran composer Jorje Mejia; the other by Minnesota-based composer Wynne-Anne Rossi) were premiered by Kobler students, both of whom were 13 years old. Other pieces by living composers include Gymnopedie by New York composer Bruce Lazarus, Black Earth by the Turkish pianist-composer, Fazil Say, and The Continuing Story of Counterpoint, a two-piano work by minimalist composer David Borden, which was played in a masterclass with the composer and a live dance concert. The entire studio played a masterclass with Robert Vandall in 2005, and a masterclass with Jeanine Yeager in 2016. Students have recorded performances and received email critiques from composers Christopher Goldston, Wynne-Anne Rossi, Christopher Olson, Jeanine Yeager, and Robert Vandall. CHAMBER MUSIC The Chamber Music Cafe series features chamber music in an informal setting-- in private homes-- modeled after the historic Schubertiades. In addition to Chamber Music Cafe, students have many other chamber music opportunities. Performances have included a Robert Schumann Tribute Concert (Schumann Piano Quartet, mvt. 1); the Performathon (six piano trios); and concerts at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, First United Methodist Church, Lake Erie Ballet, Zem-Zem Temple, and New Hope Presbyterian Church.
|
| SOCIAL
ACTIVISM
Students in the Kobler studio have leveraged their musical skills to advocate for a wide variety of causes. Several initiatives were started by students. Eliza Oppenheim organized a benefit performance for the Therapeutic Riding Equestrian Center in 2013. In 2008, Allegra Glinsky volunteered to teach piano for one year at the downtown Neighborhood Art House, which reaches underserved children. Other studio initiatives include:
HABITAT
FOR HUMANITY. The Kobler studio spearheaded the Performathon, a 12-hour
marathon of music which united players from all over the community, young
and old, experienced and novice. Performathon gained TV and newspaper
coverage and raised over $5000.00 in one day. Proceeds went to rebuild housing
in "Musicians Village" for musicians who had lost their homes in Hurricane
Katrina. (2007) |
|
|
| MASTER
CLASSES
Students have had the opportunity to play masterclasses with composers David Borden, Jeanine Yeager, Jorge Mejia and Robert Vandall; with concert pianists Emmanuel Ax, Inna Faliks, and Rebecca Penneys; and on harpsichord with the early music ensemble, Rebel. NATIONAL PIANO TEACHERS GUILD Every student participates annually in the National Piano Teachers Guild auditions. The Guild audition is a one-on-one performance in which a student prepares a program to play for an independent adjudicator, who gives a written evaluation of the student's work. This studio has participated since 2002. Four students have received the Guild's Five Year Award, given for presenting 10 piece programs for five years. Each year many students achieve the Critics Circle Rating, the highest rating possible.
|
|
 |
OTHER
CONCERTS LAKE ERIE BALLET. Linda Kobler and Katie Ahrens performed David Borden's The Continuing Story of Counterpoint at a Mercyhurst University masterclass with the composer, and for the "Women of Myth" dance concert (article at left). THURSDAY NOON TOGETHER SERIES. The studio has presented a full concert every year on this downtown series, 2005-2014. PENNSYLVANIA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. The studio participated in PMTA Honors Recitals in Pittsburgh, 2010 - 2011. ERIE MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. The studio has participated in EMTA recitals every year, 2006-2014. HONORS RECITALS AT CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION (by invitation only). Katie Hetz, Nora Pertz, 2010.
|
 Composer Robert Vandall and his wife, Karen, who performed at the all- Vandall Festival presented by the Kobler studio. |
STEINWAY
HALL, NEW YORK CITY. Duo-Recital of Deven Shah and Noah Bongiovanni, 2018 STEINWAY HALL, NEW YORK CITY. Studio recital honoring the piano pedagogue, Eleanor Statmore, May 2007. DAFMARK 'BACK TO BACH' CONCERT OF MUSIC AND DANCE. Madeline Su presented two works by Bach: Prelude and Fugue from WTCI and Duetto in G. 2008. DOROTHY SUTTON PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL. A qualifying festival in which students have to earn a score high enough to participate. Seven students were invited to DSPF Fall 2009. Two students played in DSPF Fall 2010. DOROTHY SUTTON PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL CONCERTO DIVISION. Katie Hetz presented one movement of a Haydn concerto at DSPF 2009. ERIE ART MUSEUM, OPEN STAGE NIGHT. The following students presented solo works there: Brian Yan, Nora Pertz, Katie Ahrens, Madeline Su. ROBERT VANDALL CONCERT. The Kobler studio presented an all-Vandall concert, open to the public. The composer and his wife joined in to conclude the concert with a duet. |
|
SCHOOLS
Members of the studio have been accepted to the following colleges/music schools:
Vanderbilt
University
Ithaca College
Bucknell University
Indiana University
University of Pittsburgh
George Washington University
University of Notre Dame
Members
of the studio have been accepted to the following summer music programs:
Jacobs School (Indiana University)
Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts
Vienna International Piano Academy (Austria)
Czehy Music Camp (New York)
|
Back to Top
Music History/Music Appreciation
TEACHING FACULTY: The Juilliard School, New York City, Faculty, Music History Dept. Courses taught included Music History Survey (in both one year and two year formats), and senior seminars: Style Periods: Late Baroque through Early Classical; Style Periods: The Twentieth Century; History of Music in Performance; Topics in Instrumental Music. The Juilliard School, Evening Division, New York City, Faculty, Music History Dept. Courses taught included Music History Survey (in both one semester and two semester formats), and Teaching Teachers Music, a class specially designed for American Federation of Teachers union members teaching music in grades 1 through 12. The New School, New York City, Faculty. Early Music Studies. Brooklyn College, New York City, Adjunct Faculty. Music Appreciation. WORKSHOPS:
Steinway Hall: Piano Pedagogy Workshop, June 2018. ONLINE: American College of Pre-Hospital Medicine, Central Virginia Community College, Eastern Oregon University, Gannon University, Graceland University, Greenville College, Mercyhurst University, Notre Dame College, UCLA, University of Colorado at Boulder, University of Southern Mississippi, Western Virginia Community College.
|
