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.
Faculty:
Do You Have Questions? Contact Us!
Dr. David Murray
Phone: 912-478-5019
Email: dsmurray@georgiasouthern.edu
Last updated: 6/27/2022