Integrating Vocal Singing into Piano Teaching: A Guidebook for Piano Students at Quzhou Senior High School

Background and Aim: Incorporating singing into piano teaching enhances musical expression and ear training, helping students internalize melodies and develop a stronger sense of pitch. It also improves phrasing, dynamics, and overall musicality, making their piano playing more expressive and natural. This study investigated the integration of vocal techniques into piano pedagogy to improve the performance skills of high school students. The objectives were to: (1) gather expert knowledge on vocal singing and piano performance; (2) develop a piano teaching guide; (3) implement the guide in a classroom setting; and (4) evaluate its effectiveness. Materials and Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed. Qualitative data were gathered through a literature review and semi-structured interviews with vocal and piano experts. Quantitative data were collected from a sample of 20 first-year music students at Quzhou Senior High School, drawn from a population of 60 piano majors in Quzhou City. Data collection instruments included Likert-scale questionnaires, semi-structured interview guides, and performance assessments (pre- and post-intervention). Results: Expert interviews revealed significant overlap between vocal and piano techniques, supporting the feasibility of integrating them. A teaching guide was developed based on the literature review and expert recommendations. The guide was implemented in an 18-week piano course (one hour per week). The data collected through pre- and post-class questionnaires, student classroom observation records, and performance tests, as well as interviews with experts, indicate that this teaching method is highly effective and is very well appreciated and recognized by students. Conclusion: The integration of vocal techniques into piano instruction significantly improved student performance. This study demonstrates the potential of this approach to enhance piano pedagogy and suggests further research to explore its broader applicability.