Limestone Professor Dr. Michael Langer Shares Teaching Approach at N.C. Music Conference

Limestone University Assistant Professor of Piano and Theory Dr. Michael Langer recently gave a presentation at the North Carolina Music Teachers Association annual conference held in Wilmington. “It was an honor to be invited to present at a regional conference and be among the most highly qualified music teachers of North Carolina, and to be warmly welcomed as a newcomer to the South,” Langer said.  “Additionally, it was a privilege to put Limestone University on the map for many of our neighbors just to the north.”

The North Carolina Music Teachers Association is the state affiliate of the Music Teachers National Association, a non-profit organization founded in 1959. Its mission is the advancement of musical knowledge and education through discussion, investigation, performance, publication, and the promotion of the general welfare of music teachers in the state of North Carolina.

In his presentation "Diversified Learning: Incorporating Rote Learning and Improvisation into Class Piano," Langer shared his unique approach to teaching Class Piano in correlation to Aural Skills and Music Theory to music majors at Limestone. This included specific assignments and projects given to freshmen and sophomores that involve learning by ear and creating music in real time.

Langer’s purpose in using these approaches in the classroom is to engage students in different ways, allowing them to reinforce healthy playing techniques, build performance confidence, and use theory they have learned in the past in new and exciting ways.

Langer received both a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Mary. He received a Master of Music from Boise State University, before attaining a Master of Music in Music Theory Pedagogy and a Doctor of Musical Arts for Piano Performance, both from North Dakota State University.

In addition to this latest presentation, Langer has also produced work that reflects the history of American classical piano music. He is a current member of the South Carolina Music Teachers Association and the Greenville Music Teachers Association.