The Piano Teachers Congress of New York

The Piano Teachers Congress of New York began its existence as the John M. Williams Club in October of 1926. It was renamed The Piano Teachers Congress in 1928 and incorporated in 1973. The mission of the organization, stated by its first President, Lester B. Major, was “to promote interest in music in the home and community, to study principles of teaching, to discuss problems of the teacher and

to stimulate helpfulness and friendliness among the teachers.” For more than 80 years, the Piano Teachers Congress has grown in size and stature. During this period of time our membership has included a long list of prominent teachers whose students have become well-known both nationally and internationally. Our organization has always moved in step with the time and has presented events that reflect the interest of our current members. However, our goals have always remained the same: to provide performance opportunities not only for students likely to pursue piano music at college or university, but also for those whose ultimate aim is to experience the joy of music-making; and to offer teachers the possibility of learning about the latest developments in the field of piano pedagogy.