Piano Area Events

GUEST ARTIST MASTERCLASSES AND RESIDENCIES

The Hugh Hodgson School of Music Piano Department maintains an ambitious schedule of guest artists and masterclasses and enjoys a collaborative relationship with the UGA Performing Arts Center whose world-class visiting performers frequently give presentations for our students.

Recent Masterclass Artists include:

Pianists: Anderson & Roe Piano Duo, Chopin Competition Gold Medalist Yulianna Avdeeva, Stephen Hough, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Orli Shaham, Wu Han, and a special two-day residency with legendary artist and pedagogue Mikhail Voskresensky who worked with our students in both masterclass and private lessons

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ROBERT G. EDGE UNDERGRADUATE COMPETITION

Undergraduate students receive special consideration for masterclasses and other opportunities. Additionally, since 2021, the piano area holds the Robert G. Edge Undergraduate Piano Competition, with five to six winners and honorable mention awardees receiving a scholarship supplement. The next Edge Competition will take place in Spring 2026 in Edge Recital Hall.

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UGA PIANO DAY

Open to all; high school pianists (grades 9-12) have the opportunity to participate in masterclasses.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music
Admission FREE; registration required for masterclass participation

UGA Piano Day is geared towards high school pianists who are considering a music major in college but all students, teachers, and parents are welcome to observe. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and engage with UGA piano faculty and students, participate in master classes, learn about performance and practice techniques, develop their repertoire or audition material, and more!

For more information, visit the Piano Day page and contact Dr. Alan Woo with any questions.

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SHOWCASE AT STEINWAY HALL IN NEW YORK CITY

The Hugh Hodgson School of Music is an all-Steinway school, and the Piano Department enjoys a close collaboration with Steinway. Since 2019, several piano students have received the opportunity to share a recital at Steinway Hall in New York City.  This year's New York concert, featuring our top graduate and undergraduate students, took place on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Please contact Dr. Liza Stepanova if you are interested in attending in the future. We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 

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PIANO SYMPOSIUM

The Piano Area also hosts the FREE biannual UGA Piano Symposium, which features renowned presenters with a special focus on preparing students for successful performances in recitals, festivals, and competitions. In addition to lectures and masterclasses, the symposium often includes live teaching demonstrations with typical students at different stages of development. The 2024 Symposium featured presenter, internationally acclaimed pianist and pedagogue Yong-Hi Moon (Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University). The next Symposium will take place in January 2026. Please contact Dr. Grace Huang for more information.

 

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CHAMBER MUSIC ATHENS NATIONAL FESTIVAL

The biannual Chamber Music Athens festival presents ample opportunities for piano students to collaborate in chamber music ensembles, enjoy masterclasses with world-class musicians, and perform in showcase recitals. The next Chamber Music Festival will take place in May 2026. Please contact Dr. Liza Stepanova for more information.

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PIANO EXTRAVAGANZA

Every 2-3 years, the piano area holds a large-scale concert in the Hodgson Concert Hall at the UGA Performing Arts Center with five Steinway pianos on stage, in acknowledgement of our special relationship with Steinway. Read about one such concerts on the Steinway page: "Celestial Steinways Shine Above The Skies of Athens" and watch our students play an arrangement of the Star-Spangled Banner for five pianos:

 

 

 

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