CCM Prof. Michelle Conda receives Frances Clark Center Lifetime Achievement Award

Conda, who serves as the Division Head of Keyboard Studies at CCM, was praised for her "extraordinary" contributions to the field of piano pedagogy in the Frances Clark Center's announcement. Her "influence and impact on the profession are demonstrated across the country and internationally, exemplifying outstanding dedication to the field of music and piano teaching."

Conda is a frequent writer and presenter for the Frances Clark Center, and former Associate Editor for Clavier Companion magazine. Her specialty is andragogy (adult education), and she also does workshops on Piaget and microaggression. She is a founding member of the Steering Committee of the National Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum (GP3). National conference participations include the Steering Committee of the Adult Learning session of Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA), Steering Committee of the Carnegie Hall Achievement Program and Steering Committee member of the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP). She lectures locally and nationally, including MTNA National Conference, GP3 and NCKP.

In addition to her editorship, Conda's articles have appeared in Keyboard Companion, Clavier Companion, Yamaha Key Action, American Music Teacher and Piano Pedagogy Forum. She is also the author of "Sensible Piano Skills for the College Age Musician," a guide to learning piano for students studying other music performance disciplines. Her most recent book is "Learning Piano by Chords," written to teach pop music and lead sheets.

Her pedagogy studies were with Jane Magrath and E.L. Lancaster. At CCM, she is the head of the Keyboard Division and Secondary Piano and Pedagogy Department. Furthermore, she is a frequent collaborator with the Cincinnati Community Orchestra, having performed nine concerti with them to date.