Piano at U.H. Manoa

It is an exciting time in the piano department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; with two new faculty at the helm, piano at U.H. has been invigorated and is headed in new directions. The Music Department offers the B.M., B.A., and M.M. degrees in piano. Studying piano at the undergraduate level can open the door to various studies at the graduate level and to a number of careers in music, the music business, and other fields. The Music Department offers pianists a solid preparation for professional performing as soloists and collaborators, and for private teaching and/or college-level teaching. Piano students can also opt for the broad liberal arts degree, or for programs that prepare for teaching music in elementary and secondary schools. Students have the opportunity to perform in weekly studio classes in Orvis Auditorium and in area recitals that occur 3-4 times per semester.

Active performers can also compete to play a concerto with the University Symphony Orchestra. Piano students in pedagogy classes have opportunities to connect with local teachers in Honolulu's active piano-teaching scene and are encouraged to become members of the Hawaii Music Teachers Association to participate in their annual convention. In addition to piano studies, the music programs at U.H. provide a solid background in music theory, history, and other music subjects of interest to the student. Notable are the opportunities to participate in a variety of ethnic ensembles. The non-piano and collaborative piano classes bring pianists together with singers, string players, wind and brass players, and percussionists.