Piano
Solo and Collaborative
Our piano faculty consists of some of the finest performers and teachers in the country. To their credit are concert appearances in major cities from San Francisco to New York, and as far away as Hong Kong, Warsaw, Paris, Buenos Aires and Rome. As active performers they have won numerous awards and have served as adjudicators in national and international competitions.
The aim of the piano faculty is to develop the artistic personality of each individual student, regardless of degree emphasis. In addition to performance, piano majors have a wide variety of opportunities, including studio classes, chamber music coaching, piano ensemble and instrumental / vocal accompanying. Class and private instruction in classical piano are an integral part of all Duquesne music programs, providing every student with a working knowledge of the instrument, which enhances the total educational experience.
In 2001, Duquesne University became an “All Steinway” school by taking delivery of 68 beautiful new Steinway pianos, which are the choice of 98% of the world’s concert artists.
Jazz Piano
Students who pursue jazz piano are afforded many opportunities to hone their skills through performances in big bands, combos, and recitals. Mastery of the tenets of jazz piano also creates the ability to play other styles of music. Many of our jazz piano students and alumni have successful careers performing all over the world in jazz, rock, or various forms of popular music.
Duquesne students enjoy a thriving, vibrant jazz scene in Pittsburgh. Home to jazz legends like Erroll Garner, Art Blakey, and Billy Strayhorn, the city also boasts a wide range of cultural amenities and performance venues including the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.
Organ and Sacred Music
The sacred music courses are ecumenical and emphasize both the musical and spiritual development of each student. Courses emphasize a high level of training in a variety of liturgical aspects, including organ, choral directing, cantoring, lectoring, and internships. Areas such as sacred music repertoire, history, scripture and liturgical planning are also covered.
Students practice and perform on eight organs on the Duquesne campus and often present recitals on concert-quality instruments throughout the Pittsburgh area, including Calvary Episcopal Church (1963 Casavant, four manuals), Church of the Ascension (1980 Austin, four manuals), St. Paul's Cathedral (1962 Beckerath, four manuals, mechanical action), Heinz Chapel of the University of Pittsburgh (1971 Moeller, four manuals), Christ Methodist Church (1987 Casavant, three manuals), and First Presbyterian Church (1988 Casavant, four manuals).
In addition to the rigorous coursework for the Bachelor of Music in Performance degree, courses such Hymnody, Liturgics, Development of Christian Worship, Sacred Solo and Choral Literature, Practicum, Organ Pedagogy, and Service Playing are available as electives for organ majors. These courses, offered on a rotating basis over a two-year period, may be taken to further prepare students for careers in sacred music.
Graduate Students
We are proud to offer highly competitive Graduate Performance Awards and Assistantships that can cover up to 100% of tuition.
Questions About Studying Keyboards?
Contact the Keyboard and Sacred Music Area Coordinator.
Assistant Professor of Piano Adjunct Professor of Piano; Keyboard & Sacred Music Area Coordinator Dean; Jack W. Geltz Distinguished Piano Chair; Professor of Piano Adjunct Professor of Jazz Piano Adjunct Professor of Jazz Piano Adjunct Professor of Piano Adjunct Professor of Music Education Adjunct Professor of Music Education Professor of Organ and Sacred MusicClassical Piano Faculty
Kevin Lee Sun
Anoush Tchakarian
David Allen Wehr
Jazz Piano Faculty
Ronald Bickel
Max Leake
Group Piano Faculty
Mary Lynne Bennett
Shawn Funk
Laura Reynolds
Organ and Sacred Music Faculty
Ann Labounsky
Upcoming Keyboard Events
Uptown Jazz Series: Retrospective - Concert 4
PERFORMERS:
Trumpet: JD Chaisson
Trombone: Jeff Bush
Saxophone: Mike Tomaro
Piano: Max Leake
Guitar: Eric Susoeff
Bass: Paul Thompson
Drums: Tom Wendt
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
The Dean's List - Concert III: The Voice(s)
Pre-concert Discussion with Dr. Benjamin Binder at 2:30 p.m.
Master Class: Gerald Lee, piano
Gerald Lee is Professor of Piano at West Liberty University (West Liberty, West Virginia), where he has been a full-time faculty member since 2002. Dr. Lee earned three piano performance degrees: Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts from Illinois Wesleyan University, the Ja
Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Workshop, and Jazz Vocal Ensemble
Mike Tomaro, Jeff Bush, and Kelley Krepin DeFade, directors
Admission
$10 Suggested Donation (at the door)
The Dean's List - Concert IV: Prokofieff Plus
Pre-concert Discussion with Barbara Nissman at 7:00 p.m.
Keyboard Facilities
The Mary Pappert School of Music has dedicated spaces for practicing classical and jazz piano as well as organ.
DU Chapel:
Room 314 (Organ Teaching Studio):
Room 107:
Room 206:
Room 216:
Room 2O:
Room 2P:
Organ Stop Lists
The Jazz Studio is equipped with a drumset, baby grand piano, guitar/bass amps, and a digital piano/synth workstation that is used for private instruction and small combo rehearsals.
Piano Major Practice Rooms
If your applied instrument is piano, you will be granted access to a suite of practice rooms equipped with Steinway baby grand pianos. In addition, one of the piano major practice rooms includes two pianos. The piano practice rooms often double as rehearsal spaces for accompanied instrumental or vocal works. Accompanists and students in the collaborative piano program often use these spaces to prepare for student recitals.