February 6, 2022 Piano Concerti performed with UTC Orchestra, Helena Rosa (@ 23 min ) and Charles Geter (@ 34 min )
Collaborative Piano Spring 2023, 80 Fingers Piano Program April 1, 2023, Roland Hayes Concert Hall
Works by Bach, Ravel, Milhaud, Holst, Lavignac, Rachmaninoff, Khatchaturian, Journey, Michael Jackson, and more!
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Piano Studio
The B.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy degree program emphasizes high-performance standards and piano pedagogy coursework and training, setting graduates apart from those earning piano performance-only degrees. The piano pedagogy curriculum prepares talented pianists with a worldly, well-rounded education to teach students of all ages and abilities, allowing them to establish themselves as strong performers and teachers upon graduation.
The four-year program includes disciplined practice, weekly lesson feedback, collaborative ensemble experiences, accompanying training and coaching, and piano literature and pedagogy coursework that will prepare pianists for a variety of careers in the field of piano.
The practice, time-management skills, patience, piano repertoire knowledge, teaching experience and tenacity needed for a successful four years of piano performance and pedagogy study at UTC will serve as building blocks for musical and professional success. UTC is proud to offer the BM in piano performance and pedagogy degree, a forward-looking and applicable degree path for young pianists looking to cultivate a career path that is perfectly suited for them.
Some of my recent graduates featured below majored in the BM in piano performance and others in the BA in music with an emphasis in piano. Other current and recent graduates minored in music composition or are majoring in music education with a secondary emphasis in piano studies. It’s hugely gratifying for me to work with the amazing students at UTC! Please enjoy reading about them below.
Read this article about Helena Rosa, freshman piano performance major at UTC: Helena Rosa's Future Rests on Piano Keys
Charles Geter
Charles Geter is a native of Harrison, Tennessee. He attends The University of Tennessee; where he studies with Dr. Lynn Worcester Jones and will receive a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance in May 2022. Charles has participated in a masterclass with the pianist Spencer Myer, won the UTC Concerto Competition in 2019, and has received a four-year performance grant in 2019 for his scholarly and artistic achievements. In 2021, Charles gave a successful Junior Recital in the spring and performed with the UTC Symphony Orchestra in the fall. He has held the Rivituso Scholarship for the past three years. Charles has been accepted into the Master of Music in piano performance program at the University of Alabama with a full scholarship and assistantship where he will study piano performance with Dr. Kevin Chance.
Clay Cantrell
Clay Cantrell is from Nashville, Tennessee. He has studied with Dr. Lynn Worcester Jones, Janelle Logan, and Tatia Rose. Clay’s favorite composers are Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Clay is a member of the Francis Clark Center and The Tennessee Music Teacher's Association. Clay is also the recipient of the Edmonia Simmons Scholarship. Clay’s hobbies include reading, video games and working out.
Emily Henderson
Emmy Henderson is from Chattanooga, Tennessee. She has studied with Dr. Lynn Worcester Jones, Dr. Sigrid Luther, and Dr. Cahill Smith. She has won scholarships from the Chattanooga Music Club and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she earned her BA in English and Music with an emphasis in piano. Currently on a one-year Fellowship in Counseling, Atlanta, GA
Autumn Skiles
Autumn Skiles is a Chattanooga native. She earned her Bachelor of Art in Music from the University of Tennessee of Chattanooga in 2019. Autumn has enjoyed playing and learning about the piano since she was seven years old and has studied with dedicated teachers including Margy Barber, Hsin-i Guo, Dr. Sigrid Luther, Jenny Parker, and Dr. Lynn Worcester. Autumn has performed with various groups including the UTC Piano Ensemble, UTC Women’s Chorus, Baroque Ensemble, the Chattanooga Music Club, and the Chattanooga Rotary Club. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Dorothy Price Cobb Martin Memorial Scholarship, and in 2018 she directed and accompanied the CSTHEA graduation choir. Autumn, her husband Jack, and their cat Gene reside in Ringgold, Georgia where she teaches from her private piano studio. Accompanist at UTC and Piano Studio Teacher
Jordan Walker is a native of Summerville, Georgia. She earned a B.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Shorter University in 2017, and completed her M.M. at the University of Northern Iowa in 2019. She has studied under accomplished teachers including Dr. Rebekah Jordan-Miller, Dr. Lynn Worcester Jones, Dr. Jerico Vasquez, and Dr. Vakhtang Kodanashvili. Jordan’s lifelong dream has been to inspire a passion for music in people of all backgrounds and ages. She has been pursuing this dream by performing, teaching, and accompanying in the North West Georgia area. In October of 2019, Jordan took over the Pk-5 General Music program at Darlington School in Rome, Georgia where she enriches students lives and continues to pursue her dream. Piano Studio Teacher in Rome, GA
Helena Rosa was born in Front Royal, Virginia, has lived across the east coast, and considers Chattanooga, Tennessee her home. She studies with Dr. Lynn Worcester and has studied with Danielle Jackson. In February 2022 she performed as a soloist with the UTC Symphony Orchestra. Helena is also a violinist in the orchestra and a Brocks Scholar at the UTC Honors College.