Robert Hutchinson, a native of Boonville, Indiana, began his piano studies at age five.  A co-winner of the 1998 Undergraduate Concerto Competition at Ball State University, Hutchinson graduated with a bachelors degree in choral music education with an emphasis in piano.  In January of 1998 he gave a recital at Mukogawa University in Osaka Japan and in 1999 won first prize in the state IMTA piano competition at Depauw University.  The recipient of a Young Artist Award and the co-recipient of the Carol Herriott Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the Muncie Symphony League, Hutchinson studied with Dr. Robert Palmer at Ball State for 5 years.  Traveling to Vienna Austria in the spring of 2000, Hutchinson studied piano with Manfred Wagner-Arzt and in the spring of 2001 performed with the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra in northern Indiana.  

    Serving the Evansville area as a private teacher since august 2001, Hutchinson has also served as an adjudicator for the Federation Music Festival  and the area IMTA competition.  Hutchinson's piano students have been trophy winners in the Key Contest and Award winners in the IMTA competitions.  Earning an education degree has allowed Robert to gain 2 years experience as a classroom teacher at St. Theresa School teaching K-8 Music.  In 2002 Hutchinson Earned Harmony Road Certification and has taught several Harmony Road Piano Classes.  Robert continues to apply his musical skills as the organist, pianist, and choir director at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Henderson, KY as well as area events including weddings and musicals.  

    Hutchinson is a member of the Evansville IMTA Organization.  This organization supports musical growth by holding a competition in the fall and the spring as well as a camp scholarship program.  IMTA/MTNA also holds a state and national convention to help motivate and educate teachers.  Robert believes that it is best to always have a goal for the students to be working toward such as competitions, recitals, camps, or church performances.  Some of his students attended the Goshen Piano Camp last summer as well as the Butler Piano Camp in Indianapolis.

     As a professional music educator, I am always searching for ways to impact more students lives with the joy of music.  I was looking for a way to make learning the piano more convenient, economical, practical and fun.  I have come across many instructional videos, computer programs, and websites, but there are very few opportunities similar to this program.  What got my attention was the fact that students will be able to ask the teacher questions and get immediate feedback on their progress as opposed to prerecorded programs.  The teacher will actually be able to guide the student through the material, focus on problem areas, and skip over material that doesn’t need work.  With no in-person instruction the teacher will actually be able to see and hear the student and comment on their progress using sophisticated audio-video technology.