Howard Spindler

Howard Spindler is a Piano Instructor at the Eastman Community Music School (ECMS), part of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. He has served on faculty since joining the Eastman Preparatory Department (later renamed ECMS), teaching piano, chamber music coaching, and classroom instruction across both Community School and Collegiate Division programs. His administrative leadership includes serving as Interim Director of ECMS (2000-2003) and Interim Associate Dean (2016-17).

His academic credentials feature a BA in Music and German from Oberlin College, an MA in Musicology from Eastman School of Music, and an Artist Diploma in Solo Piano and Accompanying from Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany. His pedagogical lineage includes studies with Paul Badura-Skoda, Cecile Genhart, and Maria Luisa Faini for piano, and John Celentano for chamber music.

Spindler specializes in innovative piano pedagogy with emphasis on Dalcroze Eurythmics (holding Advanced Certification from the Institute for Jacques-Dalcroze Education), curriculum development integrating improvisation and ear-playing techniques, and folk song education. His initiatives include producing the educational resource Eastman Folk Sing (2006), a curated folk song collection for community music instruction.

His accolades include:

• Musician of the Year award from Rochester Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon (2011)
• Jack L. Frank Award for outstanding teaching at ECMS

As an active educator, Spindler mentors students in performance and pedagogy while developing curriculum frameworks. He extends his expertise through guest clinician roles at Eastman's Collegiate Division and regular teaching engagements at Rochester's Hochstein School.

His professional activities encompass chamber music performance, accompanying, and advancing Dalcroze-based rhythmic movement education through ECMS classes and community workshops.