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Hartsville, S.C. — Coker College music professor Dr. Mark Laughlin recently presented his research on piano improvisation at the 2006 National Conference of the College Music Society in San Antonio, Texas.

Laughlin, who joined the Coker music faculty this fall, is one of the nation’s leading experts on teaching improvisation, teacher education, and group piano instruction. His paper was entitled “Improvisation in Group Piano Curricula.”

“Improvisation has been an essential part of performance practice and composition in every epoch of music,” said Laughlin. “This skill was one of many expected from every performer regardless of instrument, but was never more prevalent than in the realm of keyboard performance.”

According to Laughlin, the study of improvisation allows piano students to begin to develop overall musical understanding while giving them the opportunity to explore and express individual creativity. Important composers and performers throughout history were masters of improvisation, including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin.

“Learning to improvise can be one of the most rewarding aspects of music study, but like every skill and performance practice, it takes time to develop, mature and blossom,” he said.

The College Music Society is a consortium of college, conservatory, university and independent musicians and scholars interested in all disciplines of music. Its mission is to promote music teaching and learning, musical creativity and expression, research and dialogue, and diversity and interdisciplinary interaction.

Laughlin’s research was designed to investigate how academic institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) meet improvisation requirements. Coker College is accredited by the NASM.

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September 18, 2006