"The Well-Balanced Pianist offerings are invaluable. What I have learned in three to five days (Colorado and Philadelphia) surpasses a full year of instruction elsewhere, including private study! I strongly recommend to EVERY pianist, of any level of expertise, the intensive, holistic, amazingly supportive environment of the Well-Balanced Pianist."
-- Jan Matson, collaborative pianist and collegiate staff accompanist
Rochester, Minnesota

"I have attended the Well-Balanced Pianist a number of times and I plan to continue to participate in the future. The program gets better and better each year with new ideas and insights. It has helped me grow not only as a pianist but as a teacher. The program has enabled me to solve technical problems more quickly and efficiently for myself as well as my students. You are surrounded by a caring and positive environment where all the participants feel free to share ideas and learn from each other. I highly recommend it to pianists of all levels."
-- Y.C., DMA Piano Performance, pianist and teacher
West Lafayette, Indiana

"This year will mark my third year attending The Well-Balanced Pianist Colorado. My playing has improved dramatically over the past several years, and I owe it all to The Well-Balanced Pianist. They showed me what real piano instruction can and should be; they introduced me to the Taubman Technique; and they made me realize the difference between just playing the piano and making music-and showed me that I could do it (make music!), too. I guarantee that you will learn a lot, improve your piano technique, and have fun and a fabulous time. What more could the pianist-at any level-ask for?! "
-- Mike Koscielski, Cost Analyst, U. S. Navy
El Cajon, California
Repertoire: Schubert Impromptu Op. 142 No. 2, Gershwin Prelude 2, Chopin "Raindrop" Prelude Op. 28 No. 15, Glass Escape!

"I've attended The Well-Balanced Pianist three times, because the information that I get there is always exactly what I need at the time. The program offers such a wide variety of information that I always come away with something applicable and useful to my piano playing. During private lessons I continue to have realizations about my physical self. Here I discover real and objective ways of improving my playing. I find a wealth of new ideas about musical expression in the lectures and group discussions. The variety of activities and interactions have allowed me to learn and grow as a whole person. I notice long-term, continuous growth in my musical abilities and skills. I am now playing and teaching the piano more successfully than I ever would have dreamed possible, thanks to The Well-Balanced Pianist. "
-- Rebecca Olsson, collaborative pianist and teacher
Princeton, New Jersey

"The Well- Balanced Pianist is the best piano program I have been to since I began attending piano camps in 2005. The others were also well run and I learned a lot. Last year I tried the The Well-Balanced Pianist. I loved the integrated approach to all aspects of piano playing. Teresa Dybvig is just a great teacher, so knowledgeable and yet so warm and patient. My playing improved so much in that week that I decided to take weekly lessons from her via webcam. Be aware, she has Eagle Eyes, she can catch everything through that camera!"
-- Kam Au, President, Diagnostic Cytogenetics, Inc.
Seattle, Washington
Repertoire: Bach Prelude XXII, WTC Bk I BWV 867, Chopin Waltz op post 69 no 1, Rachmaninoff Elegy, Ravel Pavane

"All 3 times that I've attended the Well-Balanced Pianist program in Colorado, I have come home with great enthusiasm -- enthusiasm for the progress I made and for a renewed sense of what I am capable of. The fellow participants have always come together with sincere interest and support and end up being a strong force in one another's progress. I really feel that the curriculum and the teachers' approach, with its focus on all aspects of approaching the piano, (from technique and musicianship, to mindset, to memorization, to body awareness, etc.) is what gives me so much to build upon when I come home to my individual practice. There are so MANY new ideas that I hope to integrate into my practice that I find myself wishing I could take more time off work to continue the piano immersion indefinitely."
-- Susan Durler, Audio Engineer and Church Accompanist
Chicago, Illinois
Repertoire: Chopin Berceuse, Op. 57, Haydn Piano Sonata in C Minor, Hob XVI:20, and Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1

"I have attended The Well-Balanced Pianist since it arrived to Colorado in 2006, and before each new session starts I have to wonder, will it be as good as last time? And every time I have to admit that it was better than the previous one. It truly is a well balanced program for pianists who sense not everything is where it should be in their lives as musicians, whether it is from a physical, a musical or even a psychological perspective. And the take away prize? What a terrific group of individuals the program attracts every time and the friends you make!"
-- Gloria Apellániz, Suzuki piano teacher
Golden, Colorado

"What began as a test lesson quickly turned into an "oh my gosh!" experience. After years of accepting the fact that I never would be able to master certain virtuosic techniques in my piano playing, I was overwhelmed with the prospect of doing just that. With the attention and gentle, yet firm, direction given to me by Teresa Dybvig, founder of the Well-Balanced Pianist programs, I rediscovered the real joy of creating music at the keyboard. The hours I had spent drilling certain technique exercises were futile and had me strongly bent on the path to physical injury. As a collaborative pianist I learn and perform 5 to 10 new pieces of repertoire weekly. Since being introduced to the Taubman Approach I spend only a few minutes (versus 90 minutes) each day focusing on balance and alignment and softness of the hand, leaving tons of time to enjoy the real music making.

"My arm muscle tension, elbow tendonitis, shoulder and back pain are gone. Freedom from physical stress has allowed me to listen more acutely to the sound production, ensemble precision, and musical line, gifting to my audience what I hope is a more satisfying, beautiful performance of the music which they came to enjoy."
-- Jan Matson, collaborative pianist and collegiate staff accompanist
Rochester, Minnesota

"Studying the Taubman Approach with Susan Nowicki has helped me learn to play the piano with more efficiency and freedom. This not only helped me overcome my tendonitis, but has increased my technical ability as a pianist. I feel that what I learned will make me a much better musician and teacher."
-- Ashley Johnston, Piano Major
Brigham Young University

"I gained a tremendous amount of kinesthetic awareness of my body in its orientation to the piano from my studies with Ariel Weiss. Her keen and specific direction and focused determination to help me do what I love doing the most has helped me play with more facility and unhampered energy. It was a great honor to work with her, and I have the highest praise for the artistry with which she does her essentially life-changing work."
-- Amy Yang, pianist and graduate student at The Yale School of Music, graduates of The Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School

"Judy Huston understands my body more than anyone else I've encountered."
-- Rebecca Olsson, collaborative pianist and teacher
Princeton, New Jersey

"I began working with Teresa Dybvig because I had pain in my left shoulder, arm and hand. After meeting with numerous medical professionals, I received a diagnosis (thoracic outlet syndrome) but no relief. Because of the pain I experienced from playing the piano, I began to approach the piano feeling frightened and weak. After studying with Terry, I no longer consider myself an injured and fragile person. Not only was Terry able to show me how to make the pain go away, she helped me to feel happy at the piano again. My body and hands feel hearty and capable and my mind and spirit are motivated and confident.

"I have taken lessons with Dr. Dybvig for several years, and recently the majority of our lessons have been web cam lessons. I wasn't sure how this would work at first but soon realized that I couldn't sneak an unhealthy movement past Terry, even if our lessons weren't in person! She has an uncanny ability to see even the slightest of movements. In both webcam lessons and lessons in person, Terry's ultimate goal always seems to be helping me make music not only with healthy movements but also with an informed musical sense. I have worked on a variety of music with Terry, from Baroque to 20th Century and she always offers insightful comments and questions that enhance my musical interpretation and expression. The words that I feel best describe Terry's sense of musical expression are refined, precise and eloquent.

"I have observed her teach lessons to other students and have noted that she is extremely consistent in her teaching. Her support, tremendous knowledgeable and extensive experience are constants in her lessons. I have also observed that Terry is extremely versatile in that she can react quickly and adapt to the different needs and learning styles of her students. It is evident that Terry continuously educates herself, as she is always sharing new ideas and resources with her students.

"To say that Teresa Dybvig has made an impact on my life is inadequate. It is not excessive to say that Terry changed my life. It was extremely scary for me to have constant pain and not be able to find a solution. I was immediately comfortable with Terry. She supports me, challenges me to do my best, and motivates me. She gives me the tools to make healthy movements and beautiful music, and she helps me find the courage to have a positive and happy mindset."
-- Anna Reiser, Piano student, Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

"Susan Nowicki is a superb musician and teacher. I worked with her retraining at the piano for about two years and found that her knowledge of the principals of the Taubman technique is deep and her ability to translate these principals into practical, technical movements at the piano remarkable. She combines an organized, patient approach to learning these complex yet essential movements with a deep sense of the music being addressed and the practical experiences of a seasoned performing artist. Susan was the essential hand which brought me through new stages of control at the piano, when uncertainty and fear threatened to stagnate my developing new skills. I recommend her as a teacher without reservation."
-- Adrienne Sirken, Pianist and Educator
Princeton, New Jersey

"Judy Huston is a phenomenal body practitioner. She has an amazing ability to assess physical problems and offer practical solutions. Her work is very subtle and yet the results are far-reaching. After a session with her, I floated out of the room!"
-- H.H., pianist and college music instructor
Vancouver, Canada

"At a transcontinental distance, Dr. Dybvig has been shockingly illuminating on the webcam. Her ability to address the slightest yet life-altering nuances regarding movement, alignment, and balance is uncanny, whether over cyberspace or in person. The fact that one has to be more responsible with the information at the other end of the webcam is also advantageous; whereas in person she can physically manipulate a student's physical setup, she can only direct over webcam so one has to be more attentive regarding questions and kinesthetic awareness."
-- G.T., pianist and teacher
Norfolk, VA