Preparation For ISSMA Solo & Ensemble Contest

Piano Category

ISSMA Piano: Singular Focus


Our piano students consistently win gold at ISSMA, even in the highest division.

Gillespie Music Studio prepares any student who wishes to enter ISSMA, providing piano instruction specifically focused on the ISSMA solo and ensemble contest. While most public schools do not offer extensive private piano instruction, the piano category of ISSMA remains very popular.

Often students who receive private piano instruction enter the ISSMA solo piano contest through the auspices of the school they attend, even though their private instructor usually is unrelated to the school.

GMS instructor T. H. Gillespie often works with the student to develop a regimen that focuses on ISSMA preparation. This could mean, for example, that some of the normal lesson and practice routine will be put on hold while we focus more heavily on the piece the student will be playing at ISSMA.

We might also alter our normal regimen of drills, focusing on scales and drills that tend to reflect skills required to play the ISSMA piece well.

“T.H. taught me sound classical skills and helped me win gold in the first division at ISSMA. He also taught me improvisational theory and other genres (blues, pop charts). I can now sit down at the piano and have fun.”

Free Trial Lesson For First Time Students

Even though ISSMA traditionally does not require memorization (at least in the lower divisions), we recommend that the student memorize his/her piece a good 3-4 weeks prior to ISSMA. This way, the student experiences what it takes to prepare for a recital, and is better prepared to rise to the challenge of ISSMA.

Generally, students are strongly encouraged to prepare a piece that is close to his/her skill level versus a piece that is well beyond his/her skill level. While tackling a very difficult piece might be a good experience, T. H. recommends that we embark on such projects during regular lessons. For ISSMA, T.H. believes it is better to do an easier piece well than to do a hard piece not so well.

Convenient Location


Serving Carmel, Fishers and Northern Indianapolis, Indiana. Located near the Carmel-Fishers border just south of 116th St (in Wildwood Estates)... 10 minutes from Carmel High School.

Simple Pricing


We offer a free trial lesson for first-time students. You can pick a plan, check availability and sign up in 60 seconds via this website. For all other inquiries, please call (317) 537-7661.

Get In Touch


We offer a free trial lesson for first-time students. You can pick a plan, check availability and sign up in 60 seconds via this website. For all other inquiries, please call (317) 537-7661.