Blair School of Music Chancellor’s Chair of Piano Heather Conner has received the prestigious designation of being named to the Steinway & Sons Music Teacher Hall of Fame. She was recently inducted at Steinway’s historic factory in New York City, in ceremonies celebrating the work of North America’s most committed and passionate music educators. Conner was nominated fr the honor by Robert Klingbiel, regional director of institutional sales for the Nashville Steinway Piano Gallery.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized by Steinway as a teacher inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said Conner. “I was fortunate to study with a few legends of piano teaching who I think of every day. My hope is that their legacy continues to be passed on to my own students. It was so exciting to see my name on the wall in the neighborhood where the Steinway tradition began.”
Originally from Lancaster, Pa., Heather Conner is an award-winning musician, recording artist and educator who has enthralled audiences across the country and around the world. She has performed in numerous prestigious venues as a soloist and has been awarded grand prizes at national and international competitions. Her students have also been prize winners at national and regional MTNA competitions, with several being accepted as scholarship students at leading U.S. graduate music programs.
Connor holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, a Master of Music from the Yale University School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute.
A cohort of 66 teachers from the United States and Canada were inducted in the fall ceremonies. Teachers were selected for this award for their outstanding instruction and leadership in acoustic piano education and their commitment to teaching in their community for over a decade. Each teacher inducted into the Hall of Fame is part of the Steinway Teacher & Educational Partner Program (STEP) and was nominated by a Steinway & Sons showroom in the teacher’s home region. The teachers’ names are now displayed on a commemorative display wall inside the iconic factory.
About Steinway & Sons:
Since 1853, Steinway pianos have set an uncompromising standard for sound, touch, beauty, and value. Because of a dedication to continuous improvement, today’s Steinway remains the choice of 9 out of 10 concert artists, and it is the preferred piano of countless musicians, professional and amateur, throughout the world.
