At the recently concluded inaugural Music Education Development Forum at The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, Brazilian pianists Professor Fabio Witkowski and Professor Gisele Witkowski from the prestigious Hotchkiss School in the United States attended the forum, shared their educational insights, and delivered an outstanding performance. Additionally, they took the time to conduct one-on-one master classes, providing individual guidance to our piano students.

Professor Gisele Witkowski excels in using vivid and engaging body language to interpret various styles of piano music. For instance, when discussing Mozart's pieces, she suggested that students use a question-and-answer format to make the music more interesting, achieving a good balance of vitality and elegance. While explaining Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," she advised imagining the leaping movements of ballet dancers, making the sound jump and then slowly fall, leaving room for reflection and better capturing the musical essence.

Professor Fabio Witkowski guided students to adjust their performance starting from the overall movement, emphasizing a seamless flow throughout the piece. He engaged with the students in "treasure hunting" within the score, teaching them how to find opportunities for variation and surprise in their performance, and how to immerse the audience through strong emotional contrasts. For example, when discussing Scriabin's "Piano Sonata No. 2," he described the first movement as an alternation of dreamscapes, guiding students to adjust their rhythm for greater tension, allowing the audience to share in the dream.

At the conclusion of the master classes, both professors praised the students, noting that despite their varying ages, their playing levels were very high and showed great potential, which also reflected the excellent teaching standards at the school. They offered valuable advice on how the students could grow into "future musicians." Please click the video to view their suggestions.

Fabio Witkowski and Gisele Witkowski both teach at the Hotchkiss School, where they hold positions as Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, Director of the Student Orchestra, and Piano Professors. They are also co-directors of the Music Festival of Florence in Italy and the Hotchkiss Summer Piano Program in the United States. Their performances, particularly their dynamic and energetic four-hand and duo piano pieces, have been highly acclaimed.

Fabio Witkowski remarked that although Hotchkiss School and The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao are thousands of miles apart, they share many similarities and commonalities in music education. He foresees an immeasurable future for The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, believing he is witnessing a miracle in music education. He is confident that the school will cultivate many outstanding performers, becoming a leader in the field of music education. He eagerly anticipates more artistic exchanges and collaborations between the two schools in the future.