School of Music
Pianists in the School of Music
Pianists in the School of Music may choose to pursue any of our two-degree programs: Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Performance, or Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Music Education. Additionally, some students choose to minor in music, while the most ambitious students may double major in a non-musical degree. Students are taught by our exceptional piano faculty, all of whom are active performers as well as teachers.
Many of our students successfully compete in local, state, and national competitions and have opportunities for frequent recital performances, both on and off campus. Our students are regularly accepted into notable schools of music for graduate studies.
Certified as an All-Steinway School, the KSU celebrates our relationship with the American piano manufacturer with our annual Steinway Spectacular, featuring faculty, students, and guest artists.
Students participate in weekly lessons, studio classes, piano symposia, on- and off-campus performances and events, chamber music, and our annual concerto competition. Pianists also have the opportunity to perform in our studio recital each semester.
We offer regular masterclasses, conversations, and interviews with guest artists. Recent internationally acclaimed pianists include Jean Yves Thibaudet, Jeremy Denk, Alessio Bax, Yakov Kasman, Simone Dinnerstein, Christopher O’Riley, Markus Groh, and Ian Hobson.
We teach real-world skills such as marketing, setting up a teaching studio, pedagogy (the art and craft of teaching), accompanying, conducting, chart-reading, and an introduction to organ with hands-on experience. In addition to teaching the core of the classical repertoire, we seek to expose the students to a diversity of music, such as music by women and African-American composers.
Our student-led KSU-MTNA chapter regularly presents at the annual GMTA convention, and we have a long-standing partnership with Cobb County Music Teachers Association.
