Your Instructor

Shavaun M. Kidd, MA, BME, BA

MUSICAL GENEOLOGY
In musical studies, it’s often said who you study with is as important as what you are studying. And Shavaun was fortunate to have had the opportunity to be inspired by and learn from a very talented pianist, who was part of a long lineage of renowned masters of the piano, and one whose lifelong passion was sharing her knowledge and gift with youth of the community.

Shavaun’s first and most influential teacher was Lois Lawson Ross of Moline, Illinois, a graduate of Oberlin College & Music Conservatory. Post-graduation, Ms. Ross studied with the Austrian-American concert pianist and educator Fannie Bloomfield Zeissler of Chicago, who was known as “America’s greatest virtuoso.” Madamn Zeissler was a student of Austrian-Polish pianist and composer Professor Theodor Leschetizky, who studied with the great Carl Czerny, Austrian pianist and teacher. Czerny composed more than 1000 works of which his books of studies for the piano are used by piano teachers worldwide. Czerny was one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most well-known students. He later went on to instruct Franz Liszt, one of the most influential composers of the Romantic period.

Ms. Ross had a wonderful way of incorporating music history and theory along with a musical vocabulary into each lesson that not only focused on technique but on the artistry and emotion conveyed by the music. She presented the instrument as one that encompassed the entire orchestra, developing in her students a sense of pride and respect for the piano and those who mastered it. And whether they practiced or not, her praises and words of encouragement gave each and every student a sense of accomplishment.

The rich and textured musical foundation received from Ms. Ross galvanized Shavaun’s love of the piano and of music and inspired her to pursue a career in music education. She obtained a Bachelor of Music Education degree at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, studying piano with Professor Brynolf F. Lundholm and voice with Ruth Holmen Taylor, whose post-graduate education included studies at both Eastman School of Music and Julliard School of Music. Shavaun sang with the Augustana College Choir under the direction of Donald Morrison for all four years she attended Augustana where she also earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in biology and elementary education. While at Augustana, Shavaun was a member of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity and the Music Educators National Conference. She also sang with the the Augustana Handel Oratorio Society throughout high school, college, and post-graduation for many years while under the direction of Donald Morrison and later Jon Hurty, who is currently the director of the Augustana Choir.

Shavaun later received a Master of Liberal Arts degree with the focus on conservation education from Western Illinois University and, having more than 20 years experience as a wildlife conservation educator, is currently the Outreach Manager with the Snow Leopard Conservancy, a non-profit conservation organization. Shavaun taught piano and voice privately in the 1980s and 1990s before going on to pursue other ventures, including owning and operating a pet store and gift shop and working as a medical transcriptionist and editor for more than 20 years. Shavaun holds Illinois teaching certificates in K-12 vocal music, K-8 biology and general science, and K-8 self-contained classroom. She has served as both a music and science guest instructor for most of the Quad City area school districts over the course of several decades, most recently with the Davenport Public Schools, and has been the conductor of several local area church choirs.

PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
Shavaun’s philosophy and style of teaching is much like that of her former teacher, Ms. Ross. While providing the fundamentals of learning how to read music and how to play the piano, she seeks to provide a broader musical base for her students. Incorporating a bit of history and theory isn’t necessary to learn a piece of music but often makes it easier by providing the student with a template upon which the piece was created. It’s a bit like a math problem. Once you recognize the equation to use, it’s easier to solve the problem. With a solid basic understanding of theory, students also become better sight-readers, which is an important tool for professional musicians as well as those who just want to learn to play for their own personal enjoyment.

Technique is also an important aspect of learning to play an instrument like the piano, and Shavaun works with her students in that regard. But equally important is how you interpret the music, how it makes you feel, and how well that feeling can be conveyed to the listener. So, in addition to learning technique, lessons will also focus on interpretation.

Shavaun wants her students to come away from their lessons feeling a sense of accomplishment yet challenged to improve and learn more. And similar to learning to read and write, once the student has a grasp on the basics, they’re encouraged to explore their own creativity.

Studying the piano has been proven to enhance cognitive ability and improve memory, specifically verbal memory. Music is very mathematical and structured and can be quite complex. And learning to play any instrument takes practice and the development of skills. But learning to play the piano is way more than just learning how to walk and chew gum at the same time. A pianist is basically reading, interpreting, and playing two scores of music at the same time, one with the right hand and one with the left, not to mention the pedals. On top of that, they’re not only playing the melody but also the harmony while providing their own percussion section as the piano is considered a percussion instrument as well as a string instrument. So, as Ms. Ross said, “the piano is the entire orchestra,” and the pianist is both the conductor and multiple musicians all rolled into one.

Yet, beyond that, learning to play the piano is a wonderful outlet for exploring emotions and creativity. Music moves us all. Even herds of cattle will come to a fenceline to hear music being played for them. Being able to interpret that music and even write your own on a wonderful instrument like the piano relieves stress, provides a pathway for expressing emotion, develops creativity, and spurs the imagination and allows it to grow.