Keyboard

The piano program at Georgia Southern University serves the needs and interests of pianists in a variety of ways. Members of the piano faculty are specialists in various areas, including performance, pedagogy, collaborative performance, and group teaching. Students audition for permission to enroll in private instruction.

Music majors declaring piano as their primary instrument may pursue the Bachelor or Master of Music degree in Performance, Music Education, or Composition. Students seeking a Bachelor of Arts or Minor in Music may also fulfill degree requirements in part through private piano instruction.

Studies in Accompanying, Piano Literature, and Pedagogy round out the pianist’s experience. Students develop collaborative playing skills in a supervised setting. Piano Literature courses offer students the opportunity to explore the wealth of music written for the instrument while gaining understanding about various performance practices, styles, and composers. The Piano Pedagogy program prepares students for piano teaching by providing the tools necessary to work with students of various age groups, backgrounds, and levels of difficulty. Students also have access to a Yamaha Disklavier, an instrument that integrates digital technology with a traditional acoustic piano.

Though designed for music majors, non-music majors with little or no background in piano may request permission to enroll in Group Piano classes. While the ability to read music is strongly recommended for participation in these classes, no prior keyboard experience is necessary. These classes meet in a 16-station state-of-the-art piano lab that offers many options for creative activity. Students may work both individually and in groups during class. All keyboards feature a vast array of sequenced sounds, rhythm patterns, and accompaniment styles. Built in disk drives also allow students to record multiple tracks and save their creations on floppy disks or flash drives.

If you want to hone your skills as a soloist, collaborative performer, accompanist, private or group teacher, clinician or composer –– with piano as your primary instrument ––  you’ve come to the place to let your talent soar. 

You may want to pursue the Bachelor of Music or Master of Music degree in Performance, Music Education, or Composition. Or perhaps you’re a student seeking a Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry or Minor in Music, then you’ve come to the right place! You may also fulfill degree requirements in part through private piano instruction at the Gretsch School of Music.

You’ll study a well-rounded curriculum. Studies in accompanying, piano literature, and piano pedagogy round out the student pianist’s experiences. 

Music majors who choose piano as their primary instrument will develop collaborative playing skills in a supervised setting, both by performing with other pianists and by serving as accompanists for other music majors.

Piano literature courses offer students the opportunity to explore the wealth of music written for the instrument while gaining understanding about various performance practices, styles and composers. 

Courses in piano pedagogy prepare students for careers in piano teaching—both privately and in group settings—by providing you with the ability to work with students of various age groups, backgrounds and levels of difficulty.

Keyboard and Piano Faculty

Members of the piano faculty are specialists that have performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall and European venues, won numerous awards and recorded widely. They have expertise in performance, pedagogy, collaborative performance and much more. 

Questions? Contact Us!

Last updated: 11/30/2023