Got Rhythm?
(for high school pianists)
Saturday, January 17, 2026
Grand Valley State University
Calling high school piano students!
Register by 1/5/2026.
Join us on Friday, November 21, 2025 for a full day of piano activities. We all know that rhythm is such an important element of music, but we want to show you that it is perhaps even more important than you have known it to be and that it’s SO fun to work with it!
See the schedule below to explore what we can do with rhythm!
Don’t hesitate to email Dr. Cho ([email protected]) if you have any questions.
Schedule
(subject to change without notice)
8am: Breakfast and Check-In
8:30am: Rehearsal #1 of Steve Reich’s iconic Clapping Music (check out video 1 and video 2); we will learn it together!
9am: Chamber music and solo performances by GVSU students followed by Q&A
10am: Solo Masterclass #1 with Dr. Cho
10:40am: Group Scale Rehearsal #1 in Keyboard Lab (digital pianos). Please practice C, D, E, F, G, A, B major scales for this event (if you know black key major scales, that’s even better). We will make videos like the ones below! (They became popular on our Instagram)
Scale Challenge Scale Challenge #1 Scale Challenge #5
11:40am: “Understanding Rubato through Studying Recordings” Rubato literally means “stolen time.” But what makes rubato effective, and what does not? Let’s try to uncover the secret by studying selected recordings by master pianists.
12:30pm: Lunch and musical games
1:30pm: Rehearsal #2 of Steve Reich’s Clapping Music
1:50pm: Solo Masterclass #2 with Dr. Cho
2:30pm: Rehearsal for scale ensemble performance; again, you just have to have your scales ready, and we will let you know what you will have to do for the final concert!
3pm: “Rhythm in Classical Era Repertoire vs. Romantic Era Repertoire” How has the role of the rhythm changed over time - or has it? Let’s look at some examples by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms, and try to understand how we can use the rhythm more effectively in our own playing.
3:40pm: Getting Ready for Final Concert
4pm Final Concert! (with Post-Concert Reception)
Registration/Fees
- Registration fee is $20 for students, and free for teachers and students’ parents.
- Breakfast/Lunch/snacks will be provided for students.
- Register by January 5, 2026.
- All the participating students will receive certificates.
Performance and Session Opportunities
Solo Masterclass with Dr. Cho
If you’d like to play for Dr. Cho in this session, please provide the piece information as well as your performance video (it does not have to be the same piece) in the registration form. The pianists will be chosen for this session based on the repertoire. Due to the time limitation, each person will play a 5-minute piece (or a selection from a piece) in the masterclass. If you are not chosen, Dr. Cho will offer a free mini-lesson on another day.
Final Concert
If you’d like to play in the Final Concert (we highly recommend that you do!), please provide your piece information. Memorization is required.