Hellene Hiner - the Author of "Soft Way to Mozart" and Hiner Method

Hellene Hiner (Elena Nikolayeva) was born in Leningrad (currently St. Petersburg, Russia) on February 21, 1961. In 1964, Hiner’s family moved to Ukraine.

With a concentration in piano performance, Hiner graduated from a state music school in Pokrov, Ukraine, in 1976. She continued her piano studies at the university, and in 1980, graduated from Kosenko Music College in Zhitomir, Ukraine, with a Bachelor of piano, music theory and music history. In 1987, she graduated from University of Arts in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with a Master’s degree in musicology, music criticism, music history and music theory—all preparing her to become a music educator.

Since 1980 her main field of study has been music pedagogy, psychology and education. At Hiner’s graduation in 1987, Moscow Conservatory recommended that she publish her thesis “How to Teach Students in Public Schools to Hear and Appreciate Sonatas and Symphonies.”

An image from University of Arts' Encyclopedia about the most notorious graduates from 1917-2017

In 1980, she started her career as a piano/theory teacher in a state music school in Pokrov, Ukraine. During 1987-93, after graduation, she was a teacher in Zaporogiye state music school #2.

After immigration to the USA in 1993, she opened her Music Developmental Program “Little Mozart” in 1995 (Houston, USA). From 1998 to 2001 she worked as a Music Director of Cottage Montessori School system.

Her new findings in teaching music and piano were featured on ABC tv. In 15 minutes on a live talk show, she taught a 7-year-old student chosen at random from the audience to play the piano.

In 2001 she created the software component to her method and the company name was changed to “Do Re Mi Fa Soft.” Using her digital tool, she further developed her system, named “Soft Way to Mozart” or “Soft Mozart.” NBC and CBS channels featured her method and the achievements of her students for their outstanding performances.See all the TV stories here

From 2011 to the present, the company has become Music Vision International, LLC.

The system has been translated into Russian, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Japanese.

Her first publication was made by Moscow Conservatory in the book How to teach Solfeggio in the XXI century in 2006 (Publishing house Classics – 21 ISBN: 5-89817-166-5, Russian Federation).

Her research on the most effective ways of teaching music literacy has been further developed and described in a series of scientific publications made with the leaders in the field of music technology and pedagogy: Irina Gorbunova from Herzen University, Russia, and Michael Zalivadny from St. Petersburg Conservatory, Russia.

Ms. Hiner’s articles on piano pedagogy have been published by several Russian universities in compilations, journals, and conference proceedings. Her article “Computer Way to Mozart” appeared in the book How to Teach Solfeggio in the XXI Century (Moscow, Russia: Moscow Conservatory Publishing House Classics 21, 2006).

Another article focused on an undeserved audience for studying piano: “Inclusive Music Education: The Methodical Recommendations of the System ‘Soft Way to Mozart’ for Children with Special Needs” (St. Petersburg, Russia: Herzen University, 2017).

Three of her articles have been part of a series titled Internet and Digital Space: Post Material Values of Youth, A Child in the Modern World (St. Petersburg, Russia: Herzen University, 2018). These three writings are entitled “The Main Features of Attention Span and the Most Efficient Ways of its Development in Children (‘Soft Way to Mozart’ Music Training Method),” “Motivation as an Important Factor of Successful Teaching of Music on the Piano and Music Recitals Online,” and ”Building Student Self-Respect and ‘Soft Training’ as the Main Principles of Teaching Music with the ‘Soft Mozart’ System.”

She has also collaborated with other authors. With I. Gorbunova, Hiner wrote “Interactive Network Technologies for Training Music in the School of the Digital Century: The Program ‘Soft Way to Mozart’” (Orel, Russia: Oryol State University, 2014). The two authors also presented the paper “Music Computer Technologies and Interactive Network Systems of Learning Music” (Oxford, UK: 190^th VIIER International Conference on Psychology, Language, and Teaching, 2018).

Presenting the invention in Oxford, UK

Hiner and Gorbunova have also published with a third author, M.Zalivadny. Their articles include “About the Value of Mathematical Methods in the Study of Music and Professional Training of Musicians” (St. Petersburg, Russia: St. Petersburg University Consortium, 2015) and “Musical-Computer Technologies as an Information-Translation System in the School of the Digital Century” (Orel, Russia: Oryol State University,2014).

A video speech for the Exhibit of scientific achievements of Herzen University (St. Petersburg, Russia, 2018)

Hellene Hiner’s publications:

Publications by Hellene Hiner:

H. Hiner "Computer Path to Mozart." In the book "How to Teach Solfeggio in the 21st Century". Publishing House Klassika - 21. ISBN: 5-89817-166-5, Russia.
I. Gorbunova, M. Zalivadny, H. Hiner "The Importance of Mathematical Methods in Music Studies and Professional Training of Musicians." Publisher: Consortium of St. Petersburg University (St. Petersburg, Russia). ISSN: 2222-5064.
I. Gorbunova, H. Hiner "Interactive Network Technologies for Teaching Music in the Digital Age School: The Soft Way to Mozart Program." Orel State University named after Turgenev (Orel, Russia). ISSN: 1997-9878.
I. Gorbunova, M. Zalivadny, H. Hiner "Music-Computer Technologies as an Information-Translation System in the Digital Age School." Orel State University named after Turgenev (Orel, Russia). ISSN: 1997-9878.
H. Hiner "Inclusive Music Education: Methodological Recommendations for the Soft Mozart System for Children with Special Needs." Publisher: St. Petersburg University named after Herzen (St. Petersburg, Russia). ISBN: 978-5-8064-2358-8.
H. Hiner "Key Features of Attention Concentration and the Most Effective Ways to Develop It in Children (Soft Mozart Music Training Method)." In "Internet and Digital Space: Publication of Material Values of Youth," Series "The Child in the Modern World." St. Petersburg, 2018, Russia. Publisher: Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen. ISBN: 978-5-8064-2519-6.
H. Hiner "Motivation as an Important Factor for Successful Music Teaching on the Example of Piano and Music Concerts on the Internet." In "Internet and Digital Space: Publication of Material Values of Youth," Series "The Child in the Modern World." St. Petersburg, 2018. Publisher: Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen. ISBN: 978-5-8064-2519-6.
H. Hiner "Enhancing Self-Esteem and Soft Learning Principles in Music Teaching through the Soft Mozart System." In "Internet and Digital Space: Publication of Material Values of Youth," Series "The Child in the Modern World." St. Petersburg, 2018. Publisher: Russian State Pedagogical University named after A.I. Herzen.
I. Gorbunova, H. Hiner "Music-Computer Technologies and Interactive Network Systems for Studying Music." II-PLTOXFD-19098-1253, Oxford, UK.
H. Hiner, N. L. Harper "A Millennium, a Medieval Treatise, and a Modern Method of Music Literacy: Guido d’Arezzo, the Micrologus, the Piano, and Soft Mozart™." Piano Journal, Issue 132, April 2024, pp. 21-25. European Piano Teachers’ Association (EPTA).
H. Hiner, N. L. Harper "Vertical Reading: The Soft Mozart™ Way." Piano Journal, Issue 58, May 2022, pp. 28-33. European Piano Teachers’ Association (EPTA).
I. Gorbunova, K. Yu. Plotnikov, H. Hiner "Music-Computer Technologies as an Interactive Network Educational Environment." Herzen State Pedagogical University Bulletin, 2019, No. 1, pp. 175-180.
I. Gorbunova, M. S. Zalivadny, H. Hiner "Music-Computer Technologies as an Information-Translational System in the Digital Age School." Orel State University Bulletin. Series: New Humanities Research, 2014, No. 4 (39), pp. 97-101.
H. Hiner, I. B. Gorbunova "Guido d'Arezzo’s Musical Notation and Their Significance in the Development of Musical Pedagogy through Interactive Digital Technologies in the Digital Age." Proceedings of the 52nd Istanbul International Conference on Education, Marketing, Social Sciences & Humanities (IEMSSH-24), May 13-15, 2024, Istanbul (Turkiye). DOI: 10.17758/URUAE23.UA0524404. Full text
H. Hiner, I. B. Gorbunova "Music Computer Technologies in Music Studies at School of the Digital Age (Aspect of Musical Notation)." Proceedings of the 19th CEBU – Philippines International Conference on Economics, Education, Humanities & Social Sciences (CEEHSS-19), January 29-30, 2019, Cebu, Philippines. DOI: 10.17758/ERPUB3.UH0119404.
H. Hiner, I. B. Gorbunova "Music Computer Technologies and the ‘Soft Way to Mozart’ System." Proceedings of the 19th CEBU – Philippines International Conference on Economics, Education, Humanities & Social Sciences (CEEHSS-19), January 29-30, 2019, Cebu, Philippines. DOI: 10.17758/ERPUB3.UH0119403.