ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jacquelyn Karash is the creator of Key Awareness 12-sided Dice & Game, Slider and Spinner, and the Functions First! pages and videos. She is co-creator of Keyawareness Book 1 and the Pizza Wheel.
While living in Oklahoma, she was a vocal accompanist at Oklahoma Christian University (1999-2016), adjunct instructor at the Oklahoma City Community College (2002-2015), and in Rochester, NY, was a private piano and Yamaha Music School instructor. In retirement, she volunteers as church pianist and community choir accompanist.
At the 2006 MTNA National Conference, Ms. Karash presented "May the Fourths Be With You: Communicating Music's Intrinsic Meaning." In 1995 she received a D.H. Baldwin Fellowship Award for the creative use of technology in teaching.
Ms. Karash received her MM in piano performance from the University of Central Oklahoma, a BM in music education from the University of Michigan, and Dalcroze Certification from Ithaca College. Additional education experiences include Piano Wellness Seminars, TCU Cliburn Piano Institute Teachers Programs, Eastman School workshops, and the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop.
David Forbat (NCTM) is co-creator of Key Awareness Book 1 and the Pizza Wheel.
He has been on the piano faculty of the University of Central Oklahoma since 2005. As Professor of Piano, he teaches piano, keyboard ensemble, keyboard functional skills and chamber music. He maintains an active performing schedule as both a solo and collaborative pianist. Former faculty appointments were at Geneva College (PA), the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and William Carey College (MS).
He explores the integration of keyboard learning with moveable-DO solfege, and enjoys composing teaching pieces to support tonal understanding. He has presented numerous teachers' workshops, including local and state chapters of MTNA.
Dr. Forbat holds degrees in piano performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music (DMA), the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (MM), and the University of Sourthern California (BM), where he studied with Ann Schein, Frank Weinstock, and John Perry. His pedagogical development has been shaped by Marienne Uszler (USC) and Hanna Wu Li (CMU).
