The Toy Piano Is Not a Toy

• Main Author: Antonietta Loffredo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual do Paraná 2020-09-01
• Series: Revista Vortex
• Subjects: toy piano; music composition; creativity; contemporary classical music; pedagogy
• Online Access: http://periodicos.unespar.edu.br/index.php/vortex/article/view/3783

This paper describes a two-day composition workshop dedicated to the toy piano held in 2019 at a state middle school with a musical address in Italy. Eight young pupils in the early years of their piano studies took part. The resulting compositions are shown and indicate that the toy piano is a useful means to stimulate creativity in young pupils. A further consideration addressed is that operating in the educational field means expanding the future audience with respect to new musical languages and means of musical expression. In discussing both pedagogical practise and composing and performing, the author’s aim is to contribute to the comprehension of the ‘toy piano phenomenon’ which in recent years has increasingly seen this instrument take centre stage on the contemporary music scene.