Teaching
About:
Dr. Allen Yueh is an avid pedagogue in the Cleveland area, teaching theory classes and private piano students at CIM and from his home studio in Cleveland Heights. Dr. Yueh uses his studies and experiences to bridge the gap between theoretical analysis and performance practice. Yueh joined CIM’s preparatory piano faculty in 2020, CIM's conservatory theory faculty in 2021, and Case Western Reserve University's piano faculty in 2022. As theory faculty, Yueh has taught classes including: 18th Century Counterpoint, the DMA analytical seminar, and several of the core undergraduate courses. He will teach a theory course on The Late Beethoven Piano Sonatas during the fall of 2023.
For any inquiries, please reach out here.
Teaching Philosophy:
My goal as a teacher is to enable my students to learn how to learn. Life is a tireless journey of growth and self-reflection, not only in a musical sense, but with everyday experiences.
From a piano perspective, my aim is to give my students a thorough understanding of the techniques and musical expressions needed for a polished, personal, and convincing performance. I blend my experiences as a serious Russian trained pianist within a more flexible American education system to help students of all backgrounds.
When it comes to music, I not only teach "what?" and "how?" to play, but I feel the "why?" is the most important point to get across to a growing musician. A musical conception comes from knowing the details in the music, theory, style, and historical context. After accruing this knowledge can we begin assimilating these aspects towards a convincing yet individualistic interpretation.
I aim to bring the best out of my students by pushing them beyond what they thought was possible. However, I also believe in keeping perspective and patience, as each student has his or her own unique strengths and needs. I understand that not all students will become concert pianists, but regardless, I hope they can be their best selves.
I want to instill in my students both an expectation of excellence and an attitude of accepting mistakes when they happen. Each mistake is a learning opportunity, and we can all strive to be better learners and grow from our experiences.
