10/30/2026 CEOMTA Teacher Workshop
CEOMTA Teacher Workshop
Lisa Bastien pianist, pedagogue, and author
October 30: 2026
10:00 a.m. – noon
Stanton Music
9;45-10:00 a.m. coffee and refreshments
10:00-10:50 a.m.
Beginning Piano Basics That Inspire a Love of Music
Join Lisa Bastien as she shares her time-tested teaching, technique, and motivating technology tips for beginning piano students! In this exciting session, Lisa will offer practical ideas for laying a strong foundation right from the very first lesson, fostering solid practice habits and encouraging parental involvement at home.
Lisa will also explain how to use the highly effective musical tool, the IPS App. This free practice app is included with every book in the NEW Bastien series, Bastien New Traditions, making it an invaluable asset for both teachers and students.
As a special bonus, all attending teachers will receive a FREE packet of Bastien books, providing immediate access to the IPS app.
10:50-11:00 break and refreshments
11:00 – noon
Please vote for one of the following Pedagogy topics
1.The Beginning Pianist’s Technique Journey )
Lisa Bastien considers it an honor and a privilege to teach beginning piano students. Her immediate focus lies in establishing a strong foundation in technique. Come and explore how Lisa guides students in acquiring the skills to play the piano with efficiency and comfort, while producing a beautiful sound. (Complimentary Technique books provided for the teachers.)
OR
- Successful Teaching in a Rapidly Changing World
Lisa Bastien has dedicated herself to the art of piano teaching for over three decades. Throughout her journey, she has sought novel and practical approaches to inspire and captivate her students, while also fostering a sense of community through group classes, recitals and studio traditions. Witnessing the gradual musical growth of her students over time has been a rewarding cornerstone of her career. Now, Lisa opens the door to her world, offering a behind-the-scenes peek into her daily life, twenty stories above the vibrant streets of Manhattan and now in Lisa’s new studio in San Diego, California! Lisa will share her day-to-day experiences that reflect the challenges and joys of managing a thriving piano studio in the midst of our rapidly evolving world.
Please click on this link to vote and to indicate if you plan to attend.
CEOMTA: Scale Olympics 2026
Scale Olympics registration is open now through September 20th! Scale Olympics will be held on October 10, 2026 at Otterbein University.
Registration links can be found on the CEOMTA website: https://www.ceomta.org/
New for 2026:
Significant revisions were made to the Handbook for Scale Olympics 2026! Students will be scored based on the most recent handbook requirements, so please make sure you are preparing your student using the updated Handbook. Level 2 and 3 SCAT events were changed so that keys match across the different events. Arpeggios Level 3 are now thumb turns (instead of cross hands), and Levels 7 and 8 arpeggios are now triplet rhythms.
As an incentive for new teachers to try Scale Olympics, CEOMTA has received a private donation for Scale Olympics 2026 Scholarships! CEOMTA teachers participating in Scale Olympics for the first time can receive 1/2 off registration for up to 5 students (up to 25 scholarships are available in total).
Scale Olympics is switching to online judging forms this year! Teachers will fill out a single Student Event Sheet per student, rather than individual paper score sheets.
And lastly, all Theory and Ear Training pages in the Handbook were updated to reflect the material and question types included in the online tests. New practice tests are also available on the website!
Andrea Keil & Katherine Bede, Scale Olympics Co-Chairs