The Northeast Wisconsin Piano Teachers Forum (NEWPTF) is a group of about 40 professional teachers dedicated to the advancement and promotion of piano teachers and their students in our region. Our group has been nationally recognized for its innovations and professionalism.
Joining the Forum means you will have access to all programs, meetings, seminars, masterclasses, festivals, special student performance opportunities, and networking. Attendance at meetings is not required. We meet six times a year on the first Friday, from September to June. Locations vary; please see our calendar.
Some of the activities in recent years include masterclasses, lectures, and performances with Catherine Rollin, Robert Vandall, Kevin Olson, and Melody Bober. We have also hosted local and nationally recognized pedagogues to lecture and lead seminars in technique, performance practices (such as performing Baroque music) improvisation, teaching theory, studio business, jazz, ensemble performing, stage fright, and preparing for auditions. Workshops on specific composers and their works have included Bartok’s Microcosmos, Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier, and Beethoven’s Sonatas.
We offer festivals and competitions for our students in solo, duets, ensemble performance, composition, Music Fair, special projects, technique challenges, theory, and history tests. We have also held day long events dedicated to duets (the “We Can Duet” Festival) and a Contemporary Music Festival. Students may participate in performances such as our themed recitals in the local mall at Christmas time or Halloween.
