PIANO

Graduates of MSM with piano performance degrees have distinguished themselves in national and international competitions and established major careers as teachers and performers across the globe. Whether ultimately becoming professors at major universities or competing internationally with remarkable success, our alumni’s pianistic roots were cultivated through nurturing, yet rigorous training, exceptionally artistic teaching and total immersion in the art. Students enjoy abundant performance opportunities on campus, as well as a myriad of options for concertizing and competing in Houston’s thriving performing arts scene and beyond. 

The Moores School regards musical collaboration as a foundational experience, and the Keyboard Collaborative Arts Area highlights the perspective that integrating collaborative skills into keyboard education is essential for success in the profession.  Available at the MM and DMA levels, our collaborative piano degrees produce graduates well equipped to excel in all dimensions of the profession—as solo performers, collaborators with instrumental or vocal recitalists, choral accompanists, vocal coaches, and collegiate faculty or staff accompanists.

The DMA in Piano Performance with specialization in Collaborative Piano equips our doctoral graduates to excel in both solo performance and collaborative work and to teach these concepts to students of all levels. Incorporating solo playing into the collaborative degree enables us to change the perception that a pianist is exclusively a soloist or an accompanist. We offer courses in all aspects of instrumental and vocal collaboration.

Under the guidance of our experienced, award-winning faculty, piano pedagogy students are immersed in a setting that fosters growth through innovative, creative teaching opportunities and the development of proven teaching skills. The program places a high priority on developing teaching competency for all ages and levels of students by exploring and implementing the latest educational research. Students hone their pedagogical craft by working one-on-one with our faculty in our laboratory-like atmosphere, through internships within the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Art’s Community Arts Academy, and by participating in Houston’s vibrant piano teaching community. Teaching assistantships are also available to expand our students’ hands-on experiences. Our graduates consistently go on to have successful careers as professors, independent teachers, and community music school directors.