Isabel Otero Bowen

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF…

Throughout my several decades of teaching and working as a keyboard editor, I developed a passion for piano literature, curriculum, and a love for educational music publishing. The publications Introducing Etudes, Introducing the Composers, and in particular my new series Introducing Piano Literature are an answer to the most commonly asked question in my piano workshops– “How do I transition my students from methods to literature?” As a teacher, I also desired to have an all-in-one solution–a paced resource that would help me prepare my students and introduce them to the masters. It became my quest to answer this question. I thrived in the process of piloting the books and became immersed in the research. Indeed, it is through teaching that we learn. And it is with joy that I am now able to share my publications with you. It is my hope that the books can also become a valuable guiding post in your studio.

I started a career in music publishing in 2002. I worked for five years as Keyboard Managing Editor for The FJH Music Publishing Company and then for almost ten years as Production Editor for Faber Piano Adventures. During this time, I translated and co-edited the Spanish edition of the Piano Adventures method and contributed to the editing and workshops of both domestic and international editions. I served as a faculty member at Anderson University in SC, where I taught piano pedagogy, class piano, pedagogy literature, and applied piano for eight years. I also have extensive music ministry experience. I currently serve as a pianist for St. George’s Episcopal Church in Anderson, SC, where I happily keep a private studio of over 40 students.

I hold a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance with an emphasis in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina. I grew up in Ecuador, where I also obtained an 11-year advanced degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Antonio Newman National Conservatory of Music. When I graduated from the Conservatory in 1997, I was awarded a full scholarship from the Juan Gabriel Vilaseca Soler Foundation to study piano in the United States. Receiving this extraordinary gift continues to drive and inspire my career as a pedagogue, as well as my commitment to give back to my culture and community. 

I met my husband Ward during our studies at USC. He is a composer and photographer and has worked alongside me in publishing from the beginning. We have two adult children.