Keyboard

The collegiate piano faculty consists of professors Heather Conner, Derek Hartman, Craig Nies, and Sun-A Park.

Piano majors may request professors Conner, Hartman, Nies, or Park for solo piano study. Requests for a studio teacher are honored if teaching loads and studio space allow.

Heather Conner: solo piano, chamber music, and piano performance class

Derek Hartman: solo piano, chamber music, piano performance class, and harpsichord

Craig Nies: solo piano, piano performance class, piano literature

Sun-A Park: solo piano, piano pedagogy, accelerated keyboard harmony, piano performance class

Students interested in studying the pipe organ at Blair are encouraged to enroll in secondary lessons or to complete a minor field of study in organ performance. Students are instructed by a Blair professor, using the school's two pipe organ: the main recital instrument, located in the Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall, Dobson Op. 92; and a Holtkamp organ in a practice room dedicated for use only by organ and harpsichord students. 

Organ students study a wide range of repertoire, spanning the 16th century through today, and learn about a variety of historical styles and techniques. Students interested in learning more about liturgical organ playing and anthem accompaniment, including continuo practice, are encouraged to enroll, as the course can be adapted to suit the needs and intentions of organ students.

Students interested in studying the harpsichord at Blair are encouraged to enroll in secondary lessons or to complete a minor field of study in harpsichord performance. Students will be instructed by a Blair professor, using the school's three harpsichords. Teaching and performances usually utilize a Fisk instrument based on an 18th century design by Pascal Taskin, but students also have access to an instrument built by Willard Martin after Blanchet and a harpsichord by Glenn Giutarri inspired by Flemish designs. 

Students study a wide range of repertoire from various national styles studying solo pieces, but continuo playing can be incorporated into lessons for those interested students. Pianists, and Collaborative Pianists, especially, are encouraged to enroll in harpsichord lessons, as the skills cultivated in this course will prove indispensable to their careers. For those interested in playing Baroque music on the piano, the techniques developed at the harpsichord inform piano playing-and it is vital, and often eye opening, to better understand how the composition sounded to its composer and how the acoustical and mechanical properties of the harpsichord informed the composition itself.