Biographies

Lisa Marsh

Lisa Marsh is a member of the adjunct piano faculty at, Portland State University and Portland Community College. As Director of the Coordinate Movement Program at Portland State University she specializes in retraining injured musicians. Her courses focus on injury prevention, health and well being for musicians and mind-body connections for increased artistry and creativity. She received her Bachelor of Science in Music and Master of Music in Performance from Portland State University. Additional background in somatic education includes 19 years as a Registered Nurse in the fields of Neurosurgery and Emergency Medicine, 8 years of piano technique study at the Taubman Institute of Piano and 5 years of study of the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping with Barbara Conable. Ms. Marsh is a certified Andover Educator.

As a solo performer, she specializes in presenting 20th century music, original compositions and works by Northwest composers. Ms. Marsh is pianist with the Marsh-Titterington Piano Duo and collaborates frequently with Portland area chamber musicians.

Barbara Conable
Co-Founder Coordinate Movement Program

During her twenty-two years as an Alexander Technique teacher Barbara Conable helped to save hundreds of musical careers and to enhance hundreds more. She experienced frustration, however, because she knew that thousands more musicians were losing careers and capacity. To enhance her effectiveness, she wrote the book What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body and developed a Body Mapping course by the same name which is now taught by Andover Educators around the world. She co-founded the Coordinate Movement Program at Portland State University in 2002 to help retrain injured pianists. Barbara Conable is the author of How to Learn the Alexander Technique: A Manual for Students, What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body and The Structures and Movement of Breathing. Now retired from teaching, Barbara Conable continues to develop the theory and practice of Body Mapping.

Sara Cohoe, Teaching Assistant

Sara Cohoe has been a Teaching Assistant in the Coordinate Movement program since 2005. She incurred a piano playing-related injury in 2000 that significantly limited her ability to perform. In 2004, she began lessons with Lisa Marsh and enrolled in the Coordinate Movement class. Her injury improved dramatically and she is now enrolled as a music student at Portland State University and is actively performing at the university, for her church and in the community. She continues to be involved in the Coordinate Movement program as a teaching assistant to Lisa Marsh and plans to become an Andover Educator. Sara is also working toward ordination in her church and desires to be a music minister. She was recently accepted to the Honors College at Portland State University.

Susan Riggs, Teaching Assistant

Susan Riggs teaches piano and Body Mapping in private lessons and master classes. She became a Certified Andover Educator in 2005, combining this approach with her expertise in Dalcroze Eurhythmics to teach music from a holistic perspective. Susan received her B. A. in Religion, from Oberlin College and her M. Ed., in Creative arts in Learning, from Lesley University. She was awarded her Dalcroze Certificate from The Longy school of Music. Susan embarked on her journey of movement re-education for playing piano in 1996, studying with Lisa Marsh, Barbara Conable, and at the Taubman Institute. She is currently a candidate for the Bachelor of Music in piano performance at Portland State University, where she also assists in teaching Coordinate Movement and Body Mapping. For more information, visit: www.SusanRiggs.com.

Gary Michael Skye, M.Mus.

Solo and collaborative pianist, private piano teacher, university instructor, vocal coach, Gary has collaborated with many nationally and internationally touring artists and groups including NY City Opera mezzo soprano Jennifer Rivera, folk-rock duo Gypsy Soul, and guitar virtuoso Michael Mandrell. He has held positions as a Staff Accompanist and Vocal Coach for the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Preparatory Voice Division, Sonoma State University’s Department of Music, the Summer Music West Opera and Musical Theater Workshop, and the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan. He has taught piano classes at Portland State University and currently teaches on the adjunct faculty of Marylhurst University. Gary has enjoyed teaching private lessons for over 15 years, with a special emphasis in the areas of musician's wellness and Body-Mapping.