Meet Yamaha Master Educator Phillip Keveren

The fundamental principle behind Keveren’s highly circulated educational piano music is “simple is best.” Striving to understand what students are hoping to feel in each piece, Keveren focuses on the educational experience behind the music he’s writing. To do this, he imagines himself as the student, reflecting on what excited him as a child. He then seeks to provide the student with a clean and clear composition so that musicians feel truthful in their performance.

Keveren regularly works with teachers to bring his unique perspective into how students connect with educational piano music. He dives into the psyche of the student: Why are they there? What are they looking for? What makes them excited and motivated?

Keveren was taught piano in a traditional, classic sense before discovering jazz and pop music. He tells music educators, “I understand what it’s like to feel like a square, and you’re trying to figure out what’s at the core of popular music,” he says.

Discovery is a common theme with Keveren — it wasn’t until college that he was exposed to elements of the music industry, such as composing and arranging, that opened the door to his current career path.

As is often true with creative individuals, Keveren feels the effects of “imposter syndrome,” which allows him to connect to both educators and students in a highly effective manner. Honest and curious, Keveren’s love for the world of keyboard pedagogy is as infectious as it is insightful. His writing continues to stretch the bar of possibility and drive the future of music education forward.

Some of Phillip Keveren’s session titles are: