Abstract:

Introduction:
Most music schools in North America continue to become more culturally and ethnically diverse than in years past. Large numbers of pre-college-aged Asians and Asian Americans, (especially of Korean and Chinese descent), are involved with classical piano training in the United States and Europe. Wang claims that Asians and Asian Americans constitute from thirty to fifty percent of the student population at leading music schools and departments in the United States. The numbers are often higher at the pre-college level where Asians and Asian Americans constitute more than half of the student body. The two largest sub-groups represented are students of Chinese and Korean descent studying the violin and/or piano.This growing participation of pre-college Asians and Asian Americans in piano study suggests that an understanding of cross-cultural teaching and learning needs to be a component of current piano pedagogical practices. Training the next generation of musicians will require music educators to be well prepared with culturally diverse pedagogy. However, the extant literature lacks attention to the complex issue, challenges and importunities associated with cross-cultural approaches to teaching piano. It is noteworthy is the lack of piano pedagogy literature that addresses cross-cultural pedagogic interferences and teaching across all three groups of parents, teachers, and students.

Purpose:
I am interested in exploring such issues more substantively. My research will fill an important gap both by 1) investigating the existing challenges and unexpected situations involving the triangular relationships of parents, students, and teachers within cross-cultural teaching and by 2) examining other relevant scholarship and aspects of Korean culture that relate to the challenges to be successfully navigated within the realm of cross- cultural piano pedagogy. More specifically, I am interested in the following research questions: Are there the any linguistic or aforementioned cultural challenges involving the triangular relationships of parents, students, and teachers within the realm of cross-cultural piano pedagogy? What are the principal beliefs and values that undergird and guide Korean educational culture? How do these beliefs and values manifest themselves in the context of music education?

Methods and Design:
My research will use a conceptual paradigm primarily stemming from a Korean cultural perspective. Additionally, I will examine several participant opinions and perceptions related to their experiences as teachers in cross-cultural teaching through interviews, particularly in a Korean-American setting. Participants will be selected from those who are currently either a Korean or American graduate piano or piano pedagogy student at UW-Madison and have teaching experience with both a pre-college Korean student and a pre-college student from the United States.

Conclusion:
My ultimate goal is to invite piano instructors to reflect upon their communication and their students’ behaviors by examining their values, beliefs, and traditions, and expectations; and to reconsider cross-cultural communication and positive relationships with students and parents within particular types of teaching situations. Moreover, I hope that my efforts will eventually not only add value to cross-cultural teaching and learning for piano, but also will inspire and assist other music education researchers to explore emerging cross-cultural topics.