Kent, Ohio – The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Le will join the Piano Division beginning in the Fall 2019 semester. Dr. Le comes to Kent State from Hope College in Holland, Mich., where he has served on the piano faculty for 14 years and was the 2016 recipient of the Steinway and Sons Top Teaching Award. He and his wife, violinist Jennifer Walvoord, are also the Artistic Directors of the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck.
“Dr. Le brings exceptional entrepreneurial energy to the School of Music,” said Dr. Jane Dressler, Interim Director of the School of Music. “He is a consummate artist, well-known for both his performances and creative programming.”
Andrew “Drew” Le, a Steinway Artist, earned his D.M.A. from The Juilliard School as a student of and teaching assistant to renowned pianist Jerome Lowenthal. Before attending Juilliard, Drew studied piano performance at the Interlochen Center for the Arts and, later, at the University of Michigan. His teachers have included Hien Le, Vivian Kleinhuizen, Rich Ridenour, Victoria Mushkatkol, Arthur Greene, Philippe Bianconi, and John Perry. Long committed to the art of training young musicians, his doctoral document explored the pedagogical lineage of Jerome Lowenthal's teachers. He has also mentored and taught young musicians at Interlochen, Gilmore Piano Camp, the Gilmore Foundation's KeysFest and at Friends Music Camp. Hailed in performance as “an impressive tour-de-force...a plenitude of poetic nuance,” Drew is the 2004 winner of the prestigious Hilton Head International Piano Competition and released his debut album in 2013 on the Blue Griffin label.
“Dr. Le’s dynamic qualities as a performer and teacher will enrich our community; our students will greatly benefit from his experience as a committed and effective pedagogue,” said Dr. Donna Lee, Coordinator of the Piano Division. “I am delighted to have Dr. Le as a colleague, and look forward to working with him to create a most vibrant and inspiring Piano Division.”
In addition to his work as a pianist and teacher, Drew is also an avid photographer, currently as a member of Sony’s Pro Imaging Support and as a former Getty Images Artist. His work has been on display at exhibitions throughout Western Michigan.
Learn more about the Piano Division
About the School of Music
The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State University, nestled in beautiful and vibrant Kent, Ohio, is one of the most distinguished schools of music in the Midwest. For over 100 years, the School of Music has nurtured the next generation of music educators, performing artists and scholars. We offer some of the most comprehensive and innovative degree programs in the country, with an emphasis on experiential learning, quality scholarship and immersive technical training. Students enrolled in our programs can expect a warm and supportive environment where fostering professional growth and personal development is a priority. Our graduates have gone on to have successful careers in music education, music performance, scholarly research, higher education and administration.
During the summer, the School of Music hosts the Kent Blossom Music Festival in cooperation with The Cleveland Orchestra and Blossom Music Center. The festival is regarded as one of the premier centers for professional music training for young artists in the United States. Now entering its 51st season in 2019, the festival continues its now half-century legacy of helping to launch the careers of young artists with alumni holding positions of prominence in many of the world’s finest orchestras, chamber ensembles and educational institutions.
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