UWSP - Music Department

Keyboard Studies at UWSP

The piano faculty at UWSP consists of active performers and dedicated teachers who offer students a wealth of expertise. They are committed to helping individuals develop their talents and prepare for a successful career. With a low teacher to student ratio, piano students benefit from the exceptional attention they receive in a dynamic environment. UWSP is also unique in that it provides a diverse offering of both classical and jazz studies in piano. Please contact the keyboard area for additional information about the program or to arrange a sample lesson at mroseman@uwsp.edu

Piano Faculty

Keyboard Faculty

Michael Keller Teaches Abbey Davis

Curriculum

The piano area at UWSP provides a curriculum that fosters individualized attention and develops the full potential of each student. A variety of courses in piano pedagogy, piano literature, accompanying and chamber music is available to suit students’ career goals. In addition to a wide breadth of course offerings, all piano majors receive weekly lessons and regularly perform in weekly studio classes. These sessions provide an opportunity for informal performance and discussion on various performance practice topics.

Performance and Educational Opportunities

Piano students enjoy many additional performance opportunities through weekly student Colloquia, chamber music, and collaborative work with vocalists and instrumentalists in the department. Each year the UWSP Performing Arts Series and the Central Wisconsin Symphony bring outstanding performers to campus. Frequently students are given the opportunity to perform for these artists in a master class situation.

For those interested in private teaching as a career, piano students have the unique opportunity to gain practical experience as teachers through the UWSP Continuing Education Division music program. The piano pedagogy course offering also involves invaluable student teaching experience and a mentoring partnership with local teachers in the area.

Facilities

With the opening of the Noel Fine Arts Center in 2005, UWSP offers exceptional practice facilities and instruments for student use. Piano majors have access to four grand piano practice rooms in addition to new uprights in the remaining 30 practice rooms in the NFAC. Other performance and classroom spaces house well-maintained Yamaha and Steinway grand pianos. In 2006 the department acquired a new Steinway D concert grand piano for Michelsen Hall that is used for faculty and piano student recitals.

Degrees Offered:

Audition Information

  • Perform three prepared pieces (at least one for memory) in contrasting style: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, and Twentieth Century.
  • Audition repertoire on piano should be equal to the performance level required for Class A solos on the Wisconsin School Music Association's State Contest list. See sample repertoire below.
  • Provide information regarding technical background such as scales, arpeggios and repertoire previously studied.
  • Auditions may include sightreading.

Information on setting up an audition - please click here

Sample Repertoire

Bach, J.S.
Inventions and Sinfonias; Preludes and Fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Books I & II
Mozart
Sonatas; Rondo in D major, K. 485, Fantasy in d minor, K. 397
Haydn
Sonatas
Beethoven
Bagatelles; Sonatas
Chopin
Preludes, Op. 28; Nocturnes; Waltzes
Mendelssohn
Songs Without Words
Schubert
Impromptus
Schumann
Aufschwung from Fantasiestucke Op. 12
Debussy
Children's Corner; Pour le Piano; select Preludes; Arabesques
Bartok
Rumanian Folk Dances; Allegro Barbaro; Sonatina
Copland
Cat and the Mouse; Four Piano Blues
Gershwin
Preludes
Ginastera
Twelve American Preludes; Rondo on Argentine Children's Folk Tunes, Op. 19