Piano Area

Man looking a musical score while playing electric piano

About

Piano majors at McGill are part of a dynamic area taught by a remarkable team of teachers. Well known as both soloists and chamber musicians, comfortable in a wide range of stylistic periods, the piano faculty includes prizewinners from major competitions, committed, experienced teachers who have worked previously in multiple institutions, and performers who remain active both as recording artists as well as on the international concert stage.

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Training involves all aspects of a professional career, and focuses on the solo repertoire for undergraduate required exams. Graduate students have the opportunity to specialize in solo, chamber music, or collaborative arts. Integral to the success of our programs is a wide range of chamber music offerings: options include Song Interpretation, Mixed Ensemble, 4-hand/2-piano collaborations, Studio Accompaniment, collaboration with composers in the Digital Composition Studio, and participation as a keyboard player in larger ensembles (Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Contemporary Ensemble). We also encourage that our students benefit from hands on experience in performance practice on original instruments with our colleagues in Early Music (Harpsichord and Fortepiano). Finally, a unique piano seminar is offered to graduate and third-year undergraduate students, where many specific topics usually not discussed in a formal lesson's context can be explored collectively across individual studios.

Performance opportunities are ample both within and outside of the school: weekly Piano Tuesday recitals in our small hall, regular Student Soloist concerts in the larger halls, studio classes, public studio recitals, two annual concerto competitions, and visiting master classes. Our successful Dorothy Morton Visiting Artist Series has brought in many esteemed pianists including Menahem Pressler, Peter Frankl and Gilbert Kalish.

We are proud of the success of our students who have been prizewinners in competitions at the national and international levels and who have gone on to perform and teach at many post-secondary institutions.

 

For admissions information, see our Undergraduate Admissions and Graduate Admissions webpages.

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