Teacher Showcase

Graduates from the Coordinate Movement Program utilize principles learned in the course to help their students play with physical freedom and confidence. This showcase introduces teachers who are recommended by the Coordinate Movement Program.

Susan Franzen

I have studied piano privately with Lisa Marsh, as well as having taken her classes in Body Mapping and Coordinate Movement.  I teach piano to children and adults, including adult beginners and those who are returning to music after years away.  In the lessons I teach Classical repertoire, music theory and piano technique, with special attention to the movements that create the best navigation around the keyboard and the best sound.

I have a Certificate in Piano Pedagogy from Marylhurst University, and also a Ph.D. in Psychology from The University of Chicago.  One of my special interests as a pianist and a teacher is the subject of performance anxiety.  I like to help my students prepare for performances in ways that address this concern.  Whether working with students on specific problems with performance anxiety or on just regular repertoire,  I focus on preparation, memory, physical and emotional relaxation, and the development of a good dose of confidence.

Dana Green

Dana was a student in Lisa Marsh˙s Coordinate Movement class during her final year of graduate studies at Portland State University. She says the following about her experience during that time:

The concepts that I learned in Coordinate Movement helped me to view and approach my piano performance in a new way. Suddenly, I became aware of how my body was moving, and how that influenced my playing. Because of the
concepts learned in the class, I was able to make positive changes in my own
technique. My enthusiasm about applying these concepts and sharing them
with others led me to present a graduate lecture-recital centered around
concepts and techniques learned in Coordinate Movement. It was a joy to
share information at my lecture-recital that not only could help pianists to
reduce tension and play with freedom and ease, but that is also truly
applicable in all areas of activity and movement in daily life.

Dana has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory & Composition and Music
Studies from Warner Pacific College, and a Master of Science in Teaching
(emphasis in piano) from Portland State University. She currently teaches a
variety of music courses as part-time faculty at Portland Community College,
and has also taught music courses at Portland State University and Warner
Pacific College.

In the private sector, Dana teaches piano students of all ages in their
homes, offering a well-rounded piano education that includes theory, OMTA
Syllabus, composition, improvisation, and principles of body movement. She
enjoys furthering her own education through workshops, private instruction,
and performance opportunities.