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    Stephen Pierce

    Professor of Practice


    Stephen Pierce is a leader in the field of piano pedagogy, and enjoys a varied career as a teacher, presenter, performer, researcher, and adjudicator. He serves on the keyboard studies faculty at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music where he oversees the keyboard pedagogy and secondary piano programs and teaches applied piano, and courses in piano pedagogy, and keyboard literature. He is also an Academic Ambassador for the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), an RCM certified teacher, and teaches at Interlochen Arts Camp each summer. 

    As an experienced educator and RCM Certified Teacher, Stephen specializes in training both pianists to perform at their best and piano teachers to deliver the most effective instruction possible. His students range in age from 7 to adult and have won awards for their playing at the local, state, national, and international levels. A well-rounded and comprehensive music curriculum is at the core of Stephen’s teaching practice and he offers a combination of private lessons and group classes to his students. In addition to teaching at USC, Stephen teaches privately in Pasadena, CA.

    A regular speaker and clinician throughout the US and South Africa, Stephen has presented masterclasses, workshops, and lectures at conferences such as the MTNA National Conference, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), as well as for arts entities such as The Gilmore, and the International Piano Professionals Association. His articles, reviews and other written contributions have appeared in journals such as American Music Teacher, Clavier Companion (The Piano Magazine), Piano Pedagogy Forum, The California Music Teacher, CAPMT Connect, and The South African Music Teacher, as well on the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) Online Teacher Portal, RCM Online Piano Teacher courses, and the Yamaha Educator Suite. Stephen also formerly served as editor of CAPMT Connect, the official journal of the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) from 2016–2022.  

    Stephen has performed in the USA, Canada, Czech Republic, and South Africa, and with artists such as Carol Wincenc, and the flutists of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. During his studies in Cincinnati, he performed with the CCM Philharmonia as a result of winning the CCM Piano Concerto Competition. In South Africa, he has performed with orchestras such as the Natal Philharmonic, the National Symphony, and the Chamber Orchestra of South Africa. Stephen has won awards for his playing including second prize and two special prizes at the UNISA National Piano Competition in South Africa. He has also received awards for his teaching including the D.J. Rhoode Overseas Scholarship for Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Africa (UNISA). In addition, his performances have been broadcast on South African television and radio. 

    In 2023, Stephen was honored by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) with an MTNA Foundation Fellow Award. He is currently Collegiate Chapter state chair for the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAMPT) and formerly served as the CAPMT Vice President for Conferences and CAPMT District 9 Director. An experienced and sought-after adjudicator, Stephen is a member of the RCM College of Examiners and has served as a judge for music competitions, festivals, examinations, and eisteddfodau at the local, state, national, and international levels in the United States, Canada, and South Africa.

    Stephen holds master’s and doctoral degrees in piano performance from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM), undergraduate degrees from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and two licentiates of music from the University of South Africa (UNISA). At the University of Pretoria, he graduated as the top student in the Faculty of Humanities and was honored with the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s medal for academic excellence. At CCM, he won the award for teaching excellence for graduate teaching assistants. Stephen’s mentors include Joseph Stanford, Frank Weinstock, and Michelle Conda.


    Professional experience

    Honors, Awards & Competitions:

    • MVP, Savvy Arts Venture Challenge, University of South Carolina
    • Winner, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition
    • Winner, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Chamber Music Competition
    • Award for Teaching Excellence for Graduate Teaching Assistants, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music
    • Second prize and two special prizes, University of South Africa (UNISA) National Piano Competition, South Africa
    • Runner-up, South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) Overseas Scholarship Competition for Keyboard Players
    • Vice-Principal and Chancellor’s Medal for Academic Excellence, University of Pretoria
    • J. Rhoode Overseas Scholarship for Piano Pedagogy, UNISA Overseas Scholarship Competition
    • Winner, Gladwell Music Scholarship Competition
    • Winner, UNISA South African Music Scholarship Competition

    Music Festivals:

    • Piano Faculty, Interlochen Arts Camp
    • Guest Faculty, Colorado International Piano Academy

    Research Interests:

    • Historical Pianists, Editions, and Recordings
    • Learning Styles and Modalities
    • Musician Wellness
    • Piano Technique

    Publications:

    • Articles in CAPMT Connect, Clavier Companion, Piano Pedagogy Forum, and The South African Music Teacher, The California Music Teacher and for The Royal Conservatory of Music
    • CD and DVD reviews in Clavier Companion
    • Book reviews in American Music Teacher and Music Research Forum
    • Other contributions to American Music Teacher and the MTNA e-Journal

    Academic degrees

    Other academic experience:

    • Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy, University of Northern Colorado, 2011-2013
    • Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy, Oberlin Conservatory, 2010-2011
    • Performer’s Licentiate Diploma, University of South Africa, 2002
    • Teacher’s Licentiate Diploma, University of South Africa, 2001
    • Drakensberg Boys Choir School, 1992-1994
    • Master classes given: MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium, University of Cape Town, University of Hawaii Mānoa, Hope College, University of Mount Union, North West University
    • Guest Lectures given: Baylor University, Bowling Green State University, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Hope College, University of Hawaii Mānoa, University of North Texas, University of Oregon, University of Pretoria, Southern Methodist University, Stellenbosch University, Texas Christian University, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point

    Studied with:

    • Frank Weinstock, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (Piano)
    • James Tocco, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (Piano)
    • Joseph Stanford, University of Pretoria (Piano and Piano Pedagogy)
    • Michelle Conda, University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (Piano Pedagogy)
    • June Theron, University of Pretoria (Piano Pedagogy)
    • Wessel van Wyk, University of Pretoria (Piano Pedagogy)