Michael Shinn, director of Keyboard Curriculum at The Juilliard School in New York will conduct a live, interactive piano master class with students assembled at Lee University—from New York City, more than 700 miles away.
As students perform for Mr. Shinn on a Yamaha DCFX Disklavier PRO concert grand piano in Cleveland, a similarly equipped high-tech "reproducing" instrument at Yamaha Artist Services in New York will recreate, in real time, their exact performances for Mr. Shinn – the piano’s keys and pedals moving up and down to capture the subtlest nuance.
Communicating over video chat on a big screen TV, Mr. Shinn and the students will play back and forth to one another, with each artist playing the other’s piano, in real time, even though they are located hundreds of miles apart.
This technology overcomes the challenge of distance, enabling top musicians and educators to conduct live piano master classes with students from anywhere in the world, and making it seem as if the instructor and student are sitting on the same piano bench.
The event will be held at 3 p.m., Friday at Squires Recital Hall on the campus of Lee University. Students showcased in this pioneering master class are also participating in the university's 12th Annual International Piano Festival and Competition currently underway June 11-17.