The Piano Lesson burst into the music industry in March 2003. It is the only piano curriculum of its type that offers musicianship phases, assignment sheets, scales, theory, vocabulary and music appreciation, while allowing the individual to select his own repertoire. Piano pedagogy departments in major universities have adopted it as instructional material. Established piano teachers, home school parents are also using this series to keep students on a graduated course that will ensure them of a well-rounded music education. Although The PianoLesson was developed for the independent piano teacher to use within their studio, institutions and individuals have also embraced this series.
A graduate of The University of Mississippi in Music Education, Elise Beckett Russell, has been teaching since 1977. Her emphasis was in piano and voice along with piano pedagogy. From 1977-1980, Elise taught public school, in Tennessee and Louisiana, developing music programs for grades K-12 along with teaching piano and voice, privately. In 1980, she opened a private piano studio in Waveland, Mississippi teaching private and group piano lessons and private voice lessons. During this time, she became very active in the community, organizing a community choir, founding the Waveland/Bay St. Louis Arts Council, acting and direction in the Waveland Players and serving as a youth director at the Main Street Methodist Church Mrs. Russell joined the American College of Musicians and her students began to actively participate in this annual event.
In 1987, Elise and her family moved to Sugar Land, Texas. She joined the National Music Teachers Association, as well as Texas Music Teachers Association and several local music teachers association. She has served in many positions within her local associations. On the state level, Elise has served as an assistant performance contest chairman, Theory Coordinator, Arts Awareness and Advocacy Chairman, elected to the Board of Directors and is currently serving as a TMTA Trustee and the MTNA Foundation Fund Chairman for Texas. She is an adjudicator for the National Guild of Musicians as well as frequently requested judge and clinician for other music organizations.
Elise maintains an active studio where her students participate in a multitude of activities. Several of her former students have gone on to major in music and teach. Among other honors, she has been featured in The Outstanding Young Women of America 1981, Who's Who of American Women 2000 and Who's Who in the World 2004, and subsequent issues.
