About the Authors of Music for Little Mozarts

Christine H. Barden

An internationally recognized authority on early childhood music, Christine H. Barden is a co-author of Alfred's Music for Little Mozarts preschool piano method. She is currently an independent piano teacher in Reno, Nevada, where she teaches numerous prize-winning students in piano and composition, in addition to Music for Little Mozarts preschool classes.

A graduate with a degree in piano performance from San Francisco State University, Christine studied with Vladimir Brenner, piano soloist for the NBC Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she spent four years studying, performing, and teaching in Europe.

Christine was one of the first teachers from the United States to study with Yamaha Music Foundation instructors in Japan. She subsequently served as a national staff member with Yamaha for 17 years. Her responsibilities included Director of Curriculum and National Chief Instructor for the Yamaha Music Education System.

A popular clinician, Christine has presented workshops for piano teachers at professional conferences throughout the United States, as well as in England, Norway and Singapore. Her published music with Alfred includes the Music for Little Mozarts course and several charming piano solos including the National Federation of Music Club's Junior Festival selection, "Etude Toccata." 

Gayle Kowalchyk

As Keyboard Editor for Supplementary Piano Publications (1988-present) for Alfred Publishing, Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk selects and edits music for the supplementary piano catalog. She holds degrees from Ohio University (piano performance, 1977), Northwestern University (piano performance and pedagogy, 1979) and an Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University (piano pedagogy, 1989).

Dr. Kowalchyk was formerly on the faculty of Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, where she coordinated the class piano program, directed the piano preparatory program and taught graduate piano pedagogy. During the summers of 1979-1982 she taught class piano and piano ensemble at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. She has also taught piano pedagogy and class piano at Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, and the University of Oklahoma, Norman.

A frequent clinician and adjudicator, Dr. Kowalchyk has presented sessions for national conventions of the Music Teachers National Association and the Music Educators National Conference, as well as for the National Group Piano Symposium, the National Piano Teachers Institute, the International Pedagogy Workshops, the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy and the World Piano Pedagogy Conference. She is a consulting editor for Clavier magazine.

With her husband, Dr. E. L. Lancaster, she is the co-author of more than 275 educational piano books, including Alfred's Premier Piano Course, which they have co-authored with Dennis Alexander, Victoria McArthur and Martha Mier.

From 1981 until 1996 Dr. Kowalchyk and her husband taught students of all ages at their independent piano studio in Norman, Oklahoma. She now lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and two children, where she works full-time on writing and editing projects for Alfred.

E.L. Lancaster

Dr. E. L. Lancaster is Vice President and Keyboard Editor-in-Chief of Alfred Publishing. He draws upon his teaching experience, ranging from pre-school students through doctoral candidates, to direct the Alfred keyboard catalog. Dr. Lancaster holds degrees from Murray (KY) State University, the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

From 1979 until 1998, Dr. Lancaster was Professor of Music at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, where he taught courses in piano pedagogy and coordinated the group piano program. Dr. Lancaster established the masters and doctoral programs in piano pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma in 1980 and served as Major Professor for more than 50 doctoral dissertations in that field. He taught pre-college students in the Piano Pedagogy Laboratory Program, combining group and private instruction. In addition, from 1981 to 1996, he and his wife, Dr. Gayle Kowalchyk, operated a large independent piano studio in Norman, Oklahoma.

Dr. Lancaster has served as National Chairman of Group Piano and National Chairman of Student Chapters for MTNA. He has held offices in the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, including Chair of the Administration/Pedagogy Liaison Committee. Dr. Lancaster has received numerous teaching awards from the University of Oklahoma, including the Regents Award for Superior Teaching (1984), Associated Distinguished Lectureship (1987), Provost's Outstanding Academic Advising Award (1996), and Outstanding Faculty Award in the College of Fine Arts (1996). In 1991 he was awarded a David Ross Boyd Professorship, named in honor of the first OU president, given to faculty members who excel in teaching, counseling and guiding students.

Dr. Lancaster has presented workshops for teachers throughout the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. He is the author or co-author of more than 350 publications designed for students of all ages. Dr. Lancaster is a regular writer for the "Questions and Answers" column for Clavier Companion magazine and also serves as a consulting editor. He now lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife and their two children, Kelsey and Chase.