Faculty
The Piano Division at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music provides an array of educational opportunities for the aspiring musician, ranging from three undergraduate degrees through the Master of Music in Piano. Students receive top quality training from our committed faculty and staff.
The Piano Division caters not only to the diverse background of our students, but to the variety of their goals as well. Our graduate program is unique in offering emphasis in the areas of solo piano, chamber music, and pedagogy. Many of our students have gone on to continue their studies at prestigious institutions.
The Piano Division is proud to introduce the Teaching Institute Program, a program which provides piano Piano Majors an opportunity to teach students from the Kent community under the skillful guidance of the piano faculty. The Kent Keyboard Series is another exciting program, which brings distinguished performing artists and pedagogues such as Ann Schein to campus.
The piano faculty at Kent state is committed to excellence and is dedicated to the journey each student takes in becoming a musician. We invite you to visit us to learn more about the program. For more information, please contact Dr. Donna Lee, coordinator of Piano Division at dlee3@kent.edu.
Undergraduate Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance is designed for the advanced player interested in intensive study of piano repertoire and technique leading towards graduate school and careers in performance and/or college teaching. Audition requirements: three pieces of contrasting style periods, one of which is a classical sonata movement. All works should be memorized.
Bachelor of Music in Education is a comprehensive degree leading to state certification in elementary and secondary school music. Students may choose either choral/general or instrument emphasis while continuing to develop both practical and artistic skills in piano. Audition requirements: Three pieces of contrasting style periods, one of which should be memorized.
Bachelor of Arts in Music is intended for the serious piano student who desires music study within the context of a broad based liberal arts education. Students in this degree program often have diverse academic interests and have the option of choosing from over 70 available minors. Audition requirements: Two pieces of contrasting styles, one of which should be memorized.
Instruments
Pianos
More than half of the 64 pianos at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music are grands, and overall there is an approximately even split between Steinways and Baldwins. In the fall of 1998, the school took delivery of a beautiful new Steinway D in the Ludwig Recital Hall, for a total of five concert grands. There are currently four Steinway D's and one Baldwin SD10 at the school, including one in each of the practice rooms designated for piano majors only. The piano studios each have two grands, every classroom has one and every practice room at the school is equipped with a grand or an upright. The pianos are all kept in good order by our full-time, on-site piano technician.
Harpsichords
For the study of Baroque and Classical period music, the school has two harpsichords. Our concert instrument is an 8' French double, built by Willard Martin of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1989. Patterned after a 1720 model double-manual, the Martin features a three-position transposing keyboard (A=440, 415 and 392), has a wonderful tone and touch, and is available for rehearsals and performances in the Ludwig Recital Hall. Also available is a 6' single made by John Challis of Detroit, Michigan.
