Ways of formation and development of Piano Department are closely connected with the development of national professional musical education based on the fusion of the best traditions of Russian and Belarusian Piano Art. From the day of founding Belarusian State Conservatory the education of piano skills for the students of all specialties played significant role. From 1932 till 1941 department wasn’t fully formed into independent structural part during that period of time its functions were realized by Special Piano Department. The first teachers for obligatory piano were R.Movshovich, E.Zhiv, G.Bakh, E.Yakhinina, M.Shlapakova, later – L.Kravchenko, N.Solodchenko, O.Fridmo. In 1949 Piano Department was turned into special department of educational process that from 1950 till 1958 was headed by professor G.Petrov. He is all-round musician, teacher, piano accompanist, conductor and soloist. Under his leadership educational, concerto-performing and methodological work is activated, piano teaching programs are developed. These programmes include works of Belarusian composers. In this period graduates of Belarusian State Conservatory (E.Tyrmand, E.Starzhinskaya, A.Kashperova, L.Aizenberg, V.Zenevich, E.Dulevich) and Moscow Conservatory (E.Alterman) joined the department. In 1962 many talented teachers joined Piano Department (S.Borstch, S.Sulskaya, G.Vershinina, A.Ivanova, T.Solovyova, A.Chebanenko, P.Ratner-Pavchinskaya, I.Grandyor, N.Rikhterman etc.). In the 1960-1980s many famous teachers started to work L.Galochkina, G.Kolesnichenko, S.Rudnya-German, R.Novikova, T.Dedik, B.Berger, B.Spektor, S.Varavko.
In different times (1950-1980) the department was headed by I.Tsevataeva, I.Palivoda, A.Danilchuk-Gnatyuk, E.Dulevich, V.Minenkov, V.Zaretsky, V.Kokushkin, A.Khimchenko. Teachers of the department tried to develop methods of teaching piano, enrich pedagogy repertoire, make examination requirements higher, develop performing practice by popularization academic and open concerts of students of the department.
Last two decades (from 1991) the department is headed by amazing teacher, musician, performer, professor B.Spektor. Till present time for many years experienced teachers worked at the department (PhD in Art History Yu.Novosyolova, associate professors M.Akhverdova, B.Berger, senior teachers T.Minyaeva, A.Ivanova, T.Tarutina, N.Klimova, S.Khikhich).
In the present time the base of the department is strong creative pedagogic team that is saving and developing professional and ethic principals of Belarusian Piano school: professor B.Spektor, associate professors O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich, T.Shatskaya, N.Korolchuk, senior teachers I.Kuzovkova, T.Vitorskaya, Yu.Goncharuk, I.Finsky.
Many teachers of the department are laureates and diploma holders of Republican, All-Union, International competitions (B.Spektor, O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich, T.Shatskaya, N.Korolchyuk, T.Vitorskaya, Yu.Gomcharuk, I.Finsky).
Annually students of the department become winners, laureates and diploma holders of various International Piano competitions. For the last decade the department brought up more than 50 laureates and diploma holders of International competitions, many students even won in International competitions. Teachers that trained laureates have certificates of honor, diplomas and gratitude for pedagogic mastery (B.Spektor, O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich, T.Shatskaya, N.Korolchyuk, T.Vitorskaya, Yu.Gomcharuk).
For keeping the high level of students’ interest and activities in learning various composition of piano repertoire, different forms of work in class, there are regularly held department competitions of best performance of classic sonata, piano duets and ensembles, accompanist art, score reading (1998, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2016 and 2018). In 2021 Piano Department of Belarusian State Academy of Music together with Piano Department of Petrozavodsk State Conservatory named after A.Glazunov arranged and held I International competition of piano performers “Karelia-Belarus” for students of secondary and higher music educational establishments. Teachers of the department are invited as jury members of Republican and International competitions: professor B.Spektor – Russia (Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Kazan (Tatarstan)), Kazakhstan (Nur-Sultan(Astana)), Belarus (Minsk), associate professor N.Kirdan – Russia (Moscow), Belarus (Minsk) etc.
For the last two decades educational-methodological and scientific activity of department teachers was significantly enforced. It is confirmed by various educational, scientific editions, articles:
Scientific interest, research initiative, system approach to scientific-practical activity provides the work with it variety. Teachers of the department regularly participate in national and foreign seminars, readings, scientific-practical conferences, symposiums. Till the present time department arranged eight national and one International conference on the issues of piano teaching, all in all more than 50 scientific articles were published by: B.Spektor, Yu.Novosyolova, M.Akhverdova, B.Berger, O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich, T.Schtaskaya, T.Minyaeva, N.Korolchuk, S.Khikhich.
Variety and effectiveness of educational process is supported by high professional creative, dynamic concert performances. Annually there held students concerts. Teachers take part in anniversary concerts (B.Spektor, O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich, T.Schatskaya, N.Korolchuk, S.Khikhich), thematic concerts (T.Schatskaya, N.Korolchuk), music evenings (O.Karaseva, N.Kirdan, I.Telepneva, N.Sazanovich) not only within the academy but also in another concert halls of the city and the Republic. The head of the department successfully performed in China (Nanchang), Canada (Toronto), Belarus (Grodno, Molodechno). Such concerts are really popular among listeners, raise the level of musical education among all the people. From 2008 cultural social-orientated program “Museums and music” is held. Teachers of piano department and their students arrange concerts and educational programs in various museums.
Creative potential of the department covers such types of activities as concerts arrangements for piano (B.Berger), arrangements for voice and piano (N.Korolchuk) used as concert and educational material. Each year department teachers share their knowledge, experience and erudition while working at Professional Development and Staff Retraining Faculty.
In the present time Piano Department is high qualified team capable of keeping up with the times, turning newest tasks of modern musical education into life, make harmonic environment for teaching students. Teachers of the department bring up competent, literate future teachers and performers that have practical skills of playing piano, secrets of mastery, wide repertoire, enrich their musical knowledge with many compositions from the treasure box of Belarusian piano music. The concept of developing learning is the basic of pedagogic activity. Dynamic and all-round development is the main aim of the department
