Piano Pedagogy Alumni Accomplishments

The pedagogy program has graduated a number of students who have gone on to earn doctorates in piano pedagogy and performance at universities such as the University of Oklahoma, Texas Tech University, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, University of Texas at Austin, University of Iowa, Florida State University, University of Kansas, and University of South Carolina, with assistantships offered at all eight schools; one of our graduates earned a Ph.D. in Musicology at the University of Cambridge, and another earned an Artist Certificate and Master of Early Music in Fortepiano at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, Netherlands. Several students have earned additional master’s degrees in performance, collaborative piano, and music theory.

Many of our alumni hold faculty positions (listed below), and several have published articles in such prestigious journals as American Music Teacher, the MTNA E-Journal, and Piano Magazine. In 2017, two graduate students won first place and first runner-up in the Clavier Companion Collegiate Writing Contest in articles written for their graduate pedagogy course.

Recent Publications by Our Alumni

• Boyett, Clara. “It’s All in the Mind: Fostering a Growth Mindset for Optimal Performance.” American Music Teacher (June/July 2018).
• Coie, Hayden. “The Real Children’s Corner.” Clavier Companion (February 2017). First Place Winner, 2017 Clavier Companion Collegiate Writing Contest.
• Coie, Hayden. “’Preparing’ the Piano Studio: Prepared Piano and the Intermediate Student.” American Music Teacher (August/September 2021).
• Hassen, Clara Boyett. “Music Performance Anxiety and the Pre-College Student: The Teacher’s Role in Addressing Performance Anxiety.” MTNA E-Journal (February 2019). Winner, 2020 MTNA E-Journal “Article of the Year” Award.
• Jones, Lynn Worcester. “Repertoire Swaps: Achieving Diversity and Inclusion through an Effective Repertoire Selection Device.” Clavier Companion (Autumn 2020).
• Kim, Sunghun. “Creating Sensory-Friendly Recitals for Music Students with Autism.” American Music Teacher (June/July 2021).
• Phillips-Hutton, Ariana. “Sonic Witnesses: Music, Testimony, and Truth.” Ethnomusicology Forum (July 2021).
• Phillips-Hutton, Ariana, co-editor (with McAuley, Nielsen, and Levinson). Oxford Handbook of Western Music and Philosophy. Oxford, 2020.
• Phillips-Hutton, Ariana. Music Transforming Conflict. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
• Worcester, Lynn. “Campaigning for College Music Study.” American Music Teacher (August/September 2019).
• Worcester, Lynn. “Spencer Myer: An American 21^st Century Pianist.” Clavier Companion (January 2019).

University/College Teaching

• Deborah Martin, BM Performance, 1979
  • Professor and Chair, Music Performance, Ithaca College
• Amy Neal, BM Pedagogy, 1998
  • Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Class Piano, Shorter University, Rome, GA
• Hayden Coie, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2018
  • Adjunct Professor, Southern Nazarene University and Oklahoma Baptist University
• Dan Yu, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2018
  • Professor, Guanxi Normal University, China
• Lynn Worcester Jones, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2012; DMA, University of Oklahoma
  • Chair, Keyboard Department, the University of Tennessee- Chattanooga
  • Previous: University of Northern Iowa and Shorter College 
• Xin Wang, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2015; DMA, Texas Tech University, 2019
  • Faculty of Piano, Zhengzhou University School of Music, China
• Jonathan Gary, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2000
  • Assistant Executive Director of Temple Symphony Orchestra
  • Past Director, Conservatory of Music, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, TX
• Paula Thomas-Lee, B.A. Music / Piano, 1996; M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 1998; D.M.A. Music Education, University of Georgia      
  • Part-time faculty in music education at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA
  • Elementary music specialist in Cobb County Public Schools in Marietta, GA
  • Previous: Piano Faculty, Reinhardt College, Waleska, GA
• Gail Geary Wade, B.M. Piano Pedagogy, 1978; M.M. Music Theory, 1983
  • Music Theory and Area Coordinator, McLennan Community College, Waco, TX
• Ryan Chandler, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2004
  • Adjunct Piano Faculty, East Texas Baptist University, Marshall, TX
• Nayoung Coogle, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2016
  • Adjunct Piano Faculty, Tarrant County College, Fort Worth, TX
• Thomas Harbin, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2015
  • Staff Accompanist, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
• Jonathan Kaan, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2006
  • Adjunct faculty, Mountain View College, Dallas, TX
  • Pianist, Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Carrollton, TX
• Liz Kohl, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2012
  • Yoga for Musicians Instructor, Portland State University, OR
  • Independent piano teacher, Portland, OR
• ​Sara Steele, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2011; currently a DMA student in collaborative piano at the University of North Texas
  • Previous: Faculty Associate in Piano and Opera Theater, Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO
• Michelle Lassiter, B.M. Piano Pedagogy, 2009; M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2011
  • Independent Piano Teacher, Waco, TX
  • Adjunct faculty, Navarro Community College, Corsicana, TX
• Ariana Phillips-Hutton, BM Piano Pedagogy, 2008; Ph.D., University of Cambridge   
  • Affiliated Lecturer in Music, University of Cambridge
  • Bye-Fellow, Homerton College, Cambridge
  • Research Fellow, Mitchell Institute for Global peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University, Belfast
• Zachary Ridgway, B.M. Piano, 2006; M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2009; DMA, University of Texas at Austin
  • Adjunct faculty, Trinity University and Our Lady of the Lake University
• William Travis Worsham, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2015; DMA, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2019
  • Instructor, Wharton County Junior College
• Christina Bowers Mims, B.M. Piano Pedagogy, 1999; M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2001
  • Adjunct faculty, Navarro Community College, Corsicana, TX
• Biliana Dimitrova, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2002
  • Adjunct Piano Faculty, Richland College, Dallas, TX
• Emily Greer Gary, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 2001
  • Piano Faculty and Choral Accompanist, UMHB Conservatory of Music, Belton, TX
• Leisa Arnett, M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 1994
  • previous: Adjunct Instructor of Music, Texarkana Community College, Texarkana, TX
• Ann Combest Chamlee, B.M. Piano, 1969; M.M. Piano Pedagogy and Performance, 1988 (d. 2008)
  • previous Professor and Chairman of the Piano Department, Temple College, Temple, TX

Independent Teachers are located in:

• Texas:
  • Orpheus Academy, Austin, TX
  • Clavier-Werke School of Music, Austin, TX
  • Coppell Conservatory, Dallas, TX
  • Austin, TX
  • Houston, TX
  • Katy, TX
  • McKinney, TX
  • Pflugerville, TX
  • Sugar Land, TX
  • Waco, TX
  • Waxahachie, TX
• Other States:
  • Academy of the Arts, Birmingham, AL
  • Castle Rock, CO
  • Barnhartt, MO
  • Shawnee, OK
  • State College, PA
• International:
  • Vienna
  • Brazil