A Musical Conversation Around The World

Pianist Kimball Gallagher Wows Students at Beijing's Keystone Academy

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Sep 21, 2015, 10:30 ET

BEIJING, Sept. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Students at Keystone Academy would have never imagined that a concert by a world-renowned pianist would begin with improvisations by the students themselves. So, when Kimball Gallagher, New York-based classical pianist and entrepreneur, asked students to come forward for a musical conversation, everyone's hands went up. They were eager to converse with Gallagher, and their own peers, as they took to the piano two at a time conversing in notes and tunes. Soon, the close to 100 students, parents and teachers forgot they were seated around a piano on the stage of the school's grand Performing Arts Center. It assumed a salon-like ambience, which is the signature Gallagher style.

Pianist Kimball Gallagher Wows Students at Beijing's Keystone Academy

Engaging and involving the students was not only a fun introduction to the pianist's performance style, but also a continuation of the Keystone-style experiential learning method, which includes learning by doing and understanding inside and beyond the classroom. Even when students were just watching Gallagher play, they were assigned tasks. For instance, when he performed, Polish composer, Chopin's Black Keys, he asked students to watch out for the one white key that he would play with his right hand. Once again all hands went up at the end of the rendition, as they were eager to tell him which finger hit the white key.

Gallagher's musical conversation also took his audience through Poland, France, Russia, Afghanistan, and even Antarctica, as he introduced a piece of music from each country or continent. Students remained engrossed in the performance, as well as learned the history and meaning behind each of the musical extracts.

But the high note of the afternoon was when Gallagher displayed his creativity and innovation – also traits of any Keystone student – with a session on musical alphabets. He created short impromptu compositions by spelling out the names of students from amongst the audience. In fact, one of his favorite pieces is such a composition by a student – Elham – from the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM). Elham spent time with Gallagher during the pianist's visit there in 2008. He said, "I was so impressed and inspired that Elham composed something so beautiful in just one day, after I taught him about the alphabets of music." Gallagher adds that he was so impressed with Elham that he has played the student's piece at many of his international concerts.

Gallagher not only inspires as a musician, but also as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. The 88 Concert Tour, his brainchild, which began as a house tour within the U.S., soon transformed into a global campaign. This initiative has raised thousands in funds through musical engagement and education in over 30 countries in seven continents. The money has been donated towards many humanitarian causes. It is such inspiration and ambition from around the world that Keystone continues to offer its students. In the academic year 2014-2015 alone, students have had several opportunities through the Keystone Inspiration Series to meet the best in various fields, such as renowned cellist Feng Yao, Chinese educator and scholar Li Jiasheng, Physical Chemist and President of one of the top Liberal Arts colleges in the U.S., Pomona College's Dr. David Oxtoby, and others.

About Keystone Academy

Keystone Academy, in operation since 2014, is located in Beijing, China. It is a non-profit, philanthropic educational venture governed by a board of trustees. The school blends distinctive traditions in eastern, western, and international education, creating a "new world school" that is academically outstanding and a new model of education in China. We learn from and we learn for this enterprising, global community.

www.keystoneacademy.cn

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SOURCE Keystone Academy Beijing