Keyboard Area
Keyboard at UNO
The Keyboard Area of the School of Music at UNO provides opportunities for students to develop their solo and ensemble skills in a wide variety of performance venues, both on campus and in the community. Students regularly perform in community venues ranging from art galleries such as Gallery 1516 to medical facilities such as the Buffett Cancer Center.
In addition to weekly lessons, piano students are required to attend a performance class where they play on a regular basis and learn about technique, stage presence, practice methods, audition/jury/competition preparation, and essential concepts of piano pedagogy and literature. Students have the opportunity to study organ and play on our double-manual French harpsichord. Our students also learn outside the classroom by attending faculty and guest artist recitals, master classes and lectures, and collaborating with instrumentalists and vocalists in the collaborative piano program.
Since Spring of 2018, Keyboard Area students have taken part in the Keyboard Area Project Recital initiative. Themes and topics of the recitals are selected by students. This project allows for area-wide discussion about important matters regarding keyboard repertoire and help broaden the students' understanding and knowledge of music written for piano, organ, and harpsichord.
Project Recital Topics:
Spring 2017 – Debussy Preludes
Spring 2018 – Women Composers
Fall 2019 – Music for Left Hand
Spring 2020 – Beethoven 250
Fall 2020 – Heritage Recital
Spring 2021 – African-American/Black Music
Fall 2021 – Latin American Music
Spring 2022 – Baroque Music ("Anything But Bach")
Fall 2022 – Women Composers
Spring 2023 – Extended Techniques
Fall 2023 – Nocturnes
Spring 2024 – Nordic Music
How to Apply
Program Requirements:
Audition Requirements
Undergraduate Performance Majors (B.M. Performance)
Prepare two contrasting works chosen from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, and Contemporary periods. All selections should be memorized. You may additionally be asked to sightread a short selection.
Undergraduate Non-Performance Majors (B.M. Music Education; B.A. Music Studies)
Prepare one work chosen from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, or Contemporary periods. All selections should be memorized. You may additionally be asked to sightread a short selection.
Students interested in the Bachelor of Music in Music Education must also submit a short 2-3 minute video. Please watch the following video before you begin: https://youtu.be/sCx-fw8gPqw. The questions and prompts are also listed in written form below.
When completed, please email to Adam Hilt: ahilt@unomaha.edu.
- Introduce yourself , tell us your primary instrument ,and any additional instruments you play. Feel free to tell us any additional information that you would want us to know (e.g., you teach piano; work with youth; enjoy learning languages).
- Why are you interested in music education?
- Name one teacher you respect and why.
- Sing a nursery rhyme/children’s song without accompaniment (one verse only).
Graduate Performance Majors (M.M. Music Performance)
A recital program of at least thirty minutes representing a minimum of three contrasting works chosen from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic and Contemporary periods, demonstrating high levels of technical and musical abilities. The repertoire should include at least one movement of a sonata (piano only). All selections should be memorized. You may additionally be asked to sightread a short selection.
Graduate Non-Performance Majors (M.M. Conducting; M.M. Music Education)
Prepare two contrasting works chosen from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, and Contemporary periods. All selections should be memorized. You may additionally be asked to sightread a short selection.
Collaborative Piano
The Collaborative Piano Area offers pianists a multitude of opportunities to collaborate with musicians and ensembles throughout the School of Music. Students interested in working with vocalists, instrumentalists, choirs or ensembles can choose to begin their collaborative journey at UNO.
Pianists interested in collaborative work are offered a wide range of rewarding musical experiences. Join us in the possibilities of collaborative partnerships and email Professor Stacie Haneline, Coordinator of the Collaborative Piano Area at shaneline@unomaha.edu
Mentoring Program
University of Nebraska at Omaha students who have an interest or passion for teaching piano are encouraged to apply for the fully funded Piano Mentoring Program. Those accepted into the program will work with Professor Stacie Haneline weekly, engaging in curriculum building, pedagogical methods, lesson planning and more while developing the skills to work with piano students. While teaching students at Crash Bang Boom, owned and operated by Ashley Eisenmann, UNO students learn pedagogical methods to support the diversity in their young piano students while developing their own professional portfolios with many opportunities to develop their personal styles of teaching. Student teachers support diverse music integrated with fun technology and games so everyone can enjoy learning piano.
Questions?
Contact Keyboard Area Coordinator, Dr. Kristín Jónína Taylor at kristintaylor@unomaha.edu.