42: Barbara Banacos on Being Healed from Dystonia and Helping others through the Taubman Approach

07/19/24 • 33 min

You are going to love today's episode! Barbara Banacos is an inspiration.
As a young pianist, she endured an injury that manifested itself as a form of dystonia. This is significant because it is not well-understood in the medical community. The Taubman Approach can help you if you are struggling with a devastating injury. Some of us are experiencing devastating injuries in regards to playing the piano. We are here to help! Go to Golandskyinstitute.org and we will get you connected to a teacher to help you.

If you could list my website and social media in the show notes I'd greatly appreciate it!
Website: www.barbarabanacos.com
Instagram.com/barbara.banacos
Facebook: Barbara Banacos Piano Studio
youtube.com/@barbarabanacos
Barbara Banacos is the daughter of world-renowned jazz educator Charlie Banacos and pianist/educator Margaret Banacos. She began teaching in her mother's studio in 1997. Ms. Banacos teaches children and adults from beginner to advanced levels with a focus on classical music and offers advanced technical training in the Taubman Approach.

While completing her undergrad and graduate degrees in music from CUNY Hunter College, Ms. Banacos ran a private studio in Millburn/Short Hills, NJ and taught at Montclair State University Preparatory School. Since returning to the Boston area in 2003, Ms. Banacos teaches in-home private lessons in Lexington and Winchester, MA and at her home studio in Hamilton, MA. She has also taught remotely since 2010, reaching students as far away as Malaysia and New Zealand.

One of only three teachers in the Boston area certified in the Taubman Approach, Ms. Banacos has studied with Robert Durso of the Golandsky Institute since 1997. She is certified at the Associate level with the Golandsky Institute, is adjunct faculty for their annual summer symposiums at Princeton University and has led their support groups for many years. She has presented lectures on piano technique at the Golandsky Institute Boston Workshops and was invited to teach at the Danilo Pérez Foundation in Panama, assisting Edna Golandsky. Check out the Golandsky Institute and info/videos about the Taubman Approach here. Other significant teachers include Edna Golandsky, Charlie Banacos, Garry Dial and Lefteris Kordis.

Ms. Banacos has performed as a soloist, accompanist and in numerous piano duos with her favorite duet partner, Margaret Banacos.

(If you are looking to study the lessons of Charlie Banacos via online lessons taught by Garry Dial, click here for more information or inquire by emailing Barbara at [email protected])

The Golandsky Institute's mission is to provide cutting-edge instruction to pianists based on the groundbreaking work of Dorothy Taubman. This knowledge can help them overcome technical and musical challenges, cure and prevent playing-related injuries, and lead them to achieve their highest level of artistic excellence.
Please visit our website at: www.golandskyinstitute.org.

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Ms. Banacos has performed as a soloist, accompanist and in numerous piano duos with her favorite duet partner, Margaret Banacos.

(If you are looking to study the lessons of Charlie Banacos via online lessons taught by Garry Dial, click here for more information or inquire by emailing Barbara at [email protected])

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41: An Exclusive Interview with John Bloomfield

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John Bloomfield is a Kentucky native and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Furman University in Greenville, S.C. An award-winning solo and chamber pianist, he has been broadcast by Public Radio in New England and has been heard on the air in New York under the auspices of Ars Viva. He earned a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and since then has been a long-term student of Dorothy Taubman and Edna Golandsky. He has taught at Adelphi University and in the pre-college division of the Manhattan School of Music. In demand as a clinician and adjudicator around the country, he has lectured at a number of colleges and universities. He was invited several times to teach in Taiwan and has been a featured presenter at the Breckenridge Music Institute, state MTA conventions, and the MTNA Conventions in 2005, 2009, and 2014. He was the keynote speaker at the 2007 MTA convention in California. He was guest artist at the University of Alabama in 2013. He traveled to Australia in 2014 to teach and present lectures on the Taubman Approach. Mr. Bloomfield maintains a studio in New York City, where he is also a performance associate at Hunter College and an adjunct instructor at Queens College. He travels regularly to Portland, Atlanta, and the San Francisco Bay Area to consult and give lessons. He is a co-founder and senior director of the Golandsky Institute, which he also serves as faculty chair.

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43: Elizabeth Grace, Master Teacher, on Experiencing the Life-Changing Taubman Approach

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www.bethgrace.com
Elizabeth Mueller Grace, NCTM, enjoys a multi-faceted career as performer, teacher, clinician and adjudicator. An award-winning pianist, her performances have been praised for their “depth of sound, intelligent interpretation and fluid technique.” (Omaha World Herald)
A frequent collaborator, Ms. Grace is a member of the Capriole Duo with Barbara Leibundguth, former co-principal flutist in the Minnesota Orchestra. The acclaimed ensemble has performed extensively together throughout the United States since 1984. The Duo was chosen to perform at the National Flute Conference in Chicago, toured under the auspices of the Midwest Arts Council and was featured on the Ruel Joyce Series in Kansas City. Ms. Grace has appeared with the Ives Quartet on the Chamber Music Tulsa Series, and has performed in ensembles nationwide, including at the University of Texas, University of Denver, Drake University and the Lawrence Conservatory of Music. Ms. Ms. Grace regularly concertizes with Dr. Janet Fetterman in duo-piano and four-hand collaborations. The duo was featured as the Conference Artists for the Missouri Federation State Convention.
Ms. Grace was selected as a 2021 Steinway and Sons Top Teacher and was the winner of the 2014 Kansas Outstanding Teacher of the Year. A dedicated and enthusiastic teacher, she has taught at Rice University, Houston, Texas and Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Her students frequently win top prizes in competitions and festivals.
Ms. Grace is certified at the Master Level of the Taubman Approach through the Golandsky Institute, New York City, and has been involved with the Taubman Approach since 1986. She regularly coaches with Edna Golandsky and John Bloomfield, New York City. She has extensive experience teaching the principles of injury prevention and recovery. Her work with injured musicians is described in Preventing and Resolving Piano Injury and is featured onMajoringinMusic.com and MTNA.org.
The recipient of numerous prizes and awards, Ms. Grace served as Keyboardist in the Houston Symphony, Topeka Symphony and as Principal Keyboardist in the Omaha Symphony. For fifteen years, she was a member of the performing artist faculty of Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park, Colorado and served as the Center’s Music Director for eight years.
Ms. Grace graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University. She was the first recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Fellowship Award given for advanced musical study.