CONSULTANT FOR THE NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL PIANO FOUNDATION

After graduating from the University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music, she studied with Dr. Robert Pace at Teachers College, Columbia University. In the "Pace approach", students are immediately introduced to music fundamentals, harmony, ear-training, etc. since these are the foundation of musical understanding. Dr. Pace also stressed the advantages of group learning and the excitement of creating one's own music. Patricia King was selected to be a Consultant for the National and International Piano Foundations to present Dr. Pace's ideas in workshops for piano teachers.

FACULTY CHAIRMAN OF THE DOROTHY TAUBMAN SCHOOL OF PIANO

Patricia King also studied the concepts of Dorothy Taubman, who clarified how our hands, arms and body move according to physiological principles. She related this information to the mechanical principles of the piano. At first Ms. Taubman earned a reputation through her high rate of success in curing playing injuries. At the same time, she created controversy by questioning the physiological soundness of some tenets of traditional piano teaching. Patricia King was selected as one of the first faculty members of the Dorothy Taubman School of Piano and then served as Faculty Chairman of the Institute.

GAMES & STRATEGIES
(part of PK never grew up)

In addition to the above activities, Ms. King developed games to help reinforce musical concepts. She presented these games in her workshop, "Keyboard Games and Strategies" at the New York State Convention of the MTNA and then for other teacher organizations. Another workshop, "Pedagogy for Piano Teachers", was featured at the University of Massachusetts. Ms. King also adjudicated "Creative Festivals" where she provided tools for students to immediately improvise and where students performed prepared original compositions.

MERGING TECHNOLOGY AND TRADITION

Being the winner in a drawing for an electronic keyboard lead her into a new direction. She learned to take advantage of new technology and developed an electronic lab. Being one of the first teachers in this field, she was asked to contribute to "The Music & Computer Educator" and "Keyboard Companion" magazines. She was also asked to speak at the Roland Keyboard Technology Seminar and added "Merging Technology with Tradition" as a workshop for teachers. The New York Times observed and interviewed her for an article on the use of technology in piano lessons.

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR of the KEYBOARD ENSEMBLE OF LONG ISLAND

Recognizing the advantages of group learning and technology, Patricia King became Founder and Director of the "Keyboard Ensemble of Long Island". Groups of students played on keyboards, each one sounding like one band or orchestral instrument. As a result, piano students were given the opportunity to play as part of an ensemble (lots of fun).

TEACHING STUDIO

Patricia King has an active studio in Nassau County, Long Island, NY. It includes a Steinway "B" grand and an electronic lab. Students have both a private lesson and time in the electronic lab to enjoy it's many educational programs. She enjoys teaching and is especially proud of a former student who won the 2010 Pulitzer prize in music.

AS A COMPOSER

As a composer, Ms. King was the First Prize winner of the Ithaca College-Theodore Presser International Choral Composition Competition. She also won the First Prize at the Long Island Arts Council Third International Musical Composition Contest, a competition for student music. She served as Composer-in-Residence for the Amherst Music Festival in Amherst, Massachusetts and has been the recipient of grants from the "Meet the Composer" Foundation. Ms. King was selected as a composer honored in the NY State "Composerfest and the subject of a one hour interview on WCWP-FM covering her career as a composer and educator. She has judged for the American College of Musicians Composition Competition, for NYSSMA and other competitions. With her original compositions she performed an assembly program, "Speaking with Music" in the public schools under the auspices of "Project REACH", a government sponsored program.

Patricia King's music includes humorous works for students (16 hands, two pianos) as well as serious compositions. Her publishers include: Lee Roberts Music Publications, Inc., Theodore Presser Publishing Company, Neil A. Kjos Music Company and Creative Music.

Patricia can be reached at patriciaking@yahoo.com.