Joyeux Music International™ Pedagogy Festival 2026
Celebrating Teachers. Developing Pedagogy.
At the heart of every young musician's development is a teacher. The Joyeux Music International™ Pedagogy Festival recognises the vital contribution of music teachers while creating opportunities for them to continue growing as musicians, educators and reflective practitioners.
Held alongside the International Piano Competition, the Pedagogy Festival extends the experience beyond performance and prizes. Through teacher workshops, guest speakers, masterclasses, pedagogical discussions and professional development sessions, teachers will be invited to explore practical approaches to instrumental teaching, musicianship, repertoire, interpretation and the wider responsibilities of music education.
The JMI Pedagogy Festival is founded on the belief that a teacher's education does not end with a qualification. Effective teaching continues to evolve through study, reflection, observation, performance and engagement with other educators. It therefore seeks to create a meeting place where teachers at different stages of their careers can learn, exchange ideas and discover new pathways for professional development.
Festival Registration Fees
Pedagogy Seminar — S$189 (Single Day)
Pedagogy Talk — S$25 per session
Pedagogy Masterclass — $65 per session, includes pedagogy guidance for exam submission
Full Pedagogy Festival Pass — Special Package fee S$379 (inclusive of masterclass observation on 17-19 Nov, seminars and talks on 24-25 Nov and JMI Gala Winners’ Concert and Pedagogy Concert)
$329 Early Bird (Registration before 20 October 2026)
Festival Calendar & Summary
17-19 November @ Yamaha Music Salon (Thomson Plaza)
With jury-led masterclasses during the JMI Competition , music teachers in the JMPA programme will participate in guided masterclass observation, detail learning outcomes and engage in writing reflections, documenting the depth of their learning experiences as a diploma examination task.
24-25 November @ Capitol Studios, Voices of Singapore
The Festival then moves into the following week, with an intensive two-day programme of seminars and talks with the key topics:
Preparing ABRSM alternative exam pieces of Grades 6 to 8
Preparing for ARSM, LRSM & FRSM Performance Diplomas
Preparing AMusTCL & LMusTCL Theoretical Diplomas
AI in music learning and teaching
Guest Speaker: The Musician Today - Teacher, Performer, Manager
(see Programmes below)
Teach. Learn. Perform. Grow.
The Joyeux Music International™ Pedagogy Festival invites teachers to become part of a developing community committed to excellence in piano teaching and lifelong musical growth.
JMI Pedagogy Festival Concert
26 November @ The Arts House
With competition winners featured in the JMI Gala Winner’s Concert, the JMI Pedagogy Festival Concert will culminate in performances by music teachers appearing in solo and ensemble repertoire — celebrating the teacher not only as educator and mentor, but also glowing with a continuing performance spirit.Performances by teachers in the JMPA progamme, featuring solo, and ensemble repertoire.
Pedagogy Festival Day 1 Programme
Tuesday, 24 November 2026 Capitol Studios, Voices of Singapore
Examination Seminar | 9am–12pm (Part 1) Fee: $189 for both parts of the day
Teachers’ Choice 2027: ABRSM Alternative Piano Exam Pieces, Grades 6–8
This extended pedagogy seminar will explore selected alternative repertoire for Grades 6 to 8, focusing on musical style, interpretation, technical and pedagogical challenges, and approaches to teaching the works effectively. Through score study, live demonstration and discussion, participants will be encouraged to consider repertoire choice not simply from the perspective of examination preparation, but also in relation to the musical and technical development of their students.
Lunch Talk | 1pm–1.45pm
Guest Speaker: Tan Yao Cong
Fee: $25 (Complimentary for the day’s seminar attendees)
The Musician of Today: The Teacher, The Performer, The Organiser
As an examiner, orchestral manager and tuba teacher, Tan Yao Cong shares his experience of building a multifaceted career in music and offers insights into the range of professional opportunities available to musicians in Singapore today. Drawing from his own journey across teaching, performance and arts management, he explores how the modern musician can develop a career that extends beyond any single professional role.
Examination Seminar | 2pm–4pm (Part 2)
Teachers’ Choice 2027: ABRSM Alternative Piano Exam Pieces, Grades 6–8
Continuing from the morning session, the seminar explores the selected repertoire not grade by grade, but across contrasting musical styles and historical periods. This concluding session focuses on works from the Late Romantic and Impressionistic traditions, together with Jazz-influenced repertoire, examining their musical characteristics, interpretative demands and teaching considerations.
Professional Development Talk | 4.15pm - 5pm Fee: $25 (Complimentary for the day’s seminar attendees)
The Next Step: Pathway to the ARSM & LRSM Teaching Diplomas
A professional development talk introducing teachers to the progression towards the ARSM and LRSM Teaching Diplomas. This informative session explores the expectations of diploma-level pedagogical study, including the importance of reflective practice, musicianship and continuing professional development. The session will also introduce structured ABRSM Teaching Diploma training pathways for teachers interested in pursuing these professional qualifications.
Further Study: Priority registration for the March 2027 intake will be available to interested teachers in pursuing the ARSM and LRSM Teaching Diploma programmes offered at Joyeux Music Pedagogy Academy (JMPA) , an ABRSM Authorised Teaching Diploma Center.
Pedagogy Festival Day 2 Programme
Wednesday, 25 November 2026 Capitol Studios, Voices of Singapore
Performance Diploma Seminar | 9am - 12pm, Fee: $189
Preparing for ARSM and LRSM Piano Diplomas
Repertoire, Programming & Performance Expectations. Open to diploma candidates and music teachers, this session explores the broader demands of piano performance diplomas, including repertoire selection, programme design, technical command, musical depth and interpretative standards. The discussion will consider what examiners look for, common reasons performances fall short, and practical ways of achieving stronger examination outcomes. Through examples of interesting and effective repertoire, participants will consider stylistic balance, individual strengths, technical and musical challenges, and the qualities that contribute to a convincing diploma-level performance. Guidance will also be offered on intended or developing programmes, with suggestions for suitable repertoire and possible alternatives.
Lunch Talk | 1pm–1.45pm
Guest Speaker and Programme will be announced soon. Fee: $25 (Complimentary for the day’s seminar attendees)
Theory Diploma Seminar | 2pm - 4pm
Preparing for AMusTCL & LMusTCL Theoretical Diplomas
This 2-hour seminar examines the demands of advanced diploma study in music theory. Teachers and candidates will receive practical guidance on course study and preparation, the selection of set works, analysis approaches and examination techniques required for questions relating to chorale, twentieth-century composition and string quartet writing. The seminar will also address effective study planning and strategies for developing the depth of musical understanding required at diploma level.
Professional Development Talk | 4.15pm - 5pm Fee: $25 (Complimentary for the day’s seminar attendees)
Engaging with AI: Music Teaching in the AI Age
This forward-looking discussion considers the changing role of the music teacher in an increasingly AI-enabled educational environment. The session will explore how emerging technologies can support lesson preparation, research, reflection and professional development, while examining what remains distinctively human in effective music teaching — professional judgement, musicianship, communication, psychological understanding and ethical responsibility.
Further Study: A structured preparation programme commencing in January 2027 will be available for candidates planning towards the November 2027 AMusTCL and LMusTCL examinations.