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Welcome

Livonia Area Piano Teachers Forum (LAPTF)

is deeply rooted in a commitment to our craft & an intention to

generously share knowledge, experience, and insight

with the next generation of teachers.

"One who dares to teach must never cease to learn."

                                              ― Richard Henry Dana

Monthly Meetings

September - May

1st Wednesday of each month

10:00 AM

The Steinway Gallery

2700 E West Maple Road

(M-5 & West Maple Rd, just west of Haggerty) 

Commerce, MI 48390

Visitors Welcome!

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LAPTF Monthly Meeting
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Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Meet & Greet - Guests Welcome & Encouraged!

Start the 2024 / 25 piano season with us at this networking event.

Get to know new members, renew existing connections, and gain momentum for the coming year! Bring a dish to pass. Paper products & utensils are provided.

 

*New & Gently Used Music Swap included! (Donors must take home any remaining pieces.)

Location:

Friends Meeting House, 20501 Newburgh Rd., Livonia, MI 48154

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We

Are

You.

We are every piano teacher.

Fresh Entrepreneur.
Veteran Instructor.

College Professor.
Side Hustler.
Grad Student.

If you teach,
you belong in LAPTF.

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Mary Siciliano

BE INVOLVED. There is no greater inspiration than meeting fellow piano teachers and working together to create meaningful projects and events for our students and our community.

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Soonghee Ha, DMA

When I moved to Michigan 14 years ago, I did not have anyone with whom to discuss, "How to teach a beginner."  Attending monthly meetings with my colleagues at LAPTF has helped me gain a better understanding of teaching piano than I had studied in school. As I learn more about teaching music, I find myself enjoying it even more than before. Serving as a board member at LAPTF has been a great way to develop myself. I am grateful to LAPTF for this wonderful experience!

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Janice Derian

LAPTF monthly meetings provide me an excellent source of friendship, mentoring, and educational growth. My students have thrived through LAPTF events such as recitals, fund raisers, The Monster Concerts, and Student Achievement Testing.  It is a wonderful community of intelligent pedagogical and musical minds and hearts.

Meet The 2024 / 25 Board

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President
Gail Gebhart

Gail teaches private piano in her Farmington Hills studio. She is a former faculty member at Wayne State University. She holds degrees from University of Michigan and Wayne State University and is a piano Teacher Trainer for the Suzuki Association of the Americas.

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Vice President
Shiranthi De' Silva

Shiranthi is a dedicated educator and community contributor.

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Secretary
Ellen Nixon

Ellen is retired from collegiate settings and continues to teach privately in her Westland home. She is a Certified Piano Teacher of over 20 years at Schoolcraft Piano Academy and celebrates over 30 years in private studio instruction.

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Treasurer
Amber Allmen

Immediate Past President
Dr. Soonghee Ha

Amber holds an MM in Piano Pedagogy from Michigan State University. She has been an active instructor since 2009 and currently teaches in her Farmington Hills studio.

Soonghee teaches humanities classes, including Class Piano and Music History at Schoolcraft College. She received her doctoral degree in Piano Performance and DMA from the University of Texas at Austin. Her Northville studio has been active for over 10 years.

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Standing & Special Committees

Please click name to send email

Immediate Past President - Soonghee Ha

Membership - Shiranthi De' Silva

SAT - Deidre Myers

Website Custodian - Gail Gebhart

Honors Recital - Pinlin Liu

Teacher of the Year - Sharon Gomulka

SAT LAPTF Semi-final Chair - Mary Siciliano

Charity & Outreach - Joyce McClure

Program Coordinator - Linette Popoff-Parks

Committee Chairs
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