Pittsburgh Piano Academy

Music lessons for children and adults

ph: 412-475-9192
wang@pghpianoacademy.org

About Us

Dr. Sha Wang Luangkesorn

As the founder and director of Pittsburgh Piano Academy, Dr. Wang has a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati and has been teaching piano professionally for the past 20 years. Dr. Wang was the first prize winner at the 16th International Young Artist Piano Competition, Washington, D.C. and advanced into the Jose Iturbi International Music Competition, the Hilton Head International Piano Competition and the Honens International Piano Competition. In the recent years, she became the winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Major Audition, the 2^nd prize winner of the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in 2009, and the alternate finalist at the 2009 Seattle International Piano Competition. Her New York debut took place at the Peter Norton Symphony Space in Manhattan in spring 2006.

Dr. Wang has performed at the Kosciuszko Foundation Auditorium in NYC in 2009. In 2010, she was also the featured soloist at the Bank of America-Dame Myra Hess Concert Series at the Chicago Cultural Center. The concert was broadcasted on Chicago classical radio station (WFMT 98.7). She was also featured in a concert for the late U.S. President Gerald Ford. As a collaborative pianist, she has performed with artists such as pianist Lang Lang, violinist Kun Dong (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra), soprano Tamara Wilson (Houston Grand Opera) and with members of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

As a theorist and professor, she has presented a theoretical paper at the Royal Music Association Conference in London, U.K. and taught students who have gone on to such schools as the Juilliard School of Music and Yale University School of Music. Dr. Wang’s teachers include Karen Knecht, John Perry, and Richard Fields, Frank Weinstock. Dr. Wang is currently a tenured associate professor at Geneva College, PA. And she is also the director of Geneva College Summer Piano Festival, as well as the chairperson for the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association Senior Solo Competition in 2014. For her official site, please visit: www.shawang.net.

Sha Wang is a Yamaha Artist.

Dr. Hyunjoo Park

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Hyun Joo Park graduated with an Artist Diploma at Duquesne University, Doctorate and Master’s Degrees at Penn State University, and a Bachelor’s Degree with highest honor at Sookmyung Women’s University in Korea. Since her Carnegie Hall debut, she has given recitals in prestigious venues in Korea, France, and the United States. Park holds awards from the Piano Academy of Korea, the Seoul National Orchestra Concerto Competition, the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association Competition, and the American Protégé International Piano and String Competition. She has won concerto competitions at every university she attended. In Pittsburgh, she appeared in numerous recitals with the finest Pittsburgh's musicians both locally and nationally, and was featured on WQED public radio. Currently, she is active as a private teacher and a manager in Pittsburgh Piano Academy, as an accompanist at Duquesne University and the First Presbyterian Church at Bakerstown, and recently served as a judge for the Pittsburgh International Piano Competition.

Ms. Kelia Ingraham

Kelia Ingraham earned her Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance at The Hartt School, and is now pursuing her Masters in Collaborative Piano at Carnegie Mellon University. She has been teaching piano for ten years, previously in Maine and Connecticut. She is an active chamber musician and a promoter of new works

Mr. Ben Meyer

Ben Meyer, master of music performance (guitar) from Duquesne University is a member of the Pittsburgh Classical Guitar Society. As a performer, Meyer played for Duquesne’s new President, Ken Gormley, at a pre-‐dinner reception and performed for members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at a Tea Hour. Meyer has also done some accompanying work, assisting other students on their degree
recitals at Duquesne, as well as playing at various weddings and other events in the Pittsburgh area. In addition to his performances, Meyer is teaching students in all areas of Guitar studies including the Guitar for Music Education and Guitar for Music Therapy classes at
Duquesne University. Most recently, he was given the opportunity to work with the visually impaired community members transcribing their original work and notating it for submission in a music competition.

Mr. Ethan Ludwick

Mr. Ethan Ludwick holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance (piano) and a minor in Englishfrom University of Valley Forge. He has received several awards and honors which include placing in the top ten at the National Fine Arts Festival, receiving the Young Musician’s Award, receiving multiple music scholarships from his alma mater, and performing during the University of Valley Forge’s Baccalaureate service his graduating year. Ethan also received several years of training in guitar and voice while in college. He works with young children on regular basis. Ethan is the newest member of PPA and is looking forward to working with the students.

Dr. Youngju Lee

YoungJu Lee maintains an active career as a concert pianist, collaborative artist and teacher. She is pursuing Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at West Virginia University since Fall 2016. She holds Master’s Degrees from The Hartt School, University of Hartford in CT in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy and GPD in Piano Performance. Before she came to the US in 2008, she earned two Master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Music Education. She had served as a Music Director and Pianist at Greater Springfield Church in MA from 2008 to 2016. She is serving pianist at Lord’s Church in Morgantown and Morgantown Church of Brethren after she moved to Morgantown.

Ms. Shelby Williams

Shelby Williams currently attendsIndiana University of Pennsylvania, where she is working towards a master's in piano performance. She received her Bachelor's degree in piano performance from West Virginia Wesleyan College. Shelby has had a successful career teaching students of various ages; she has run her own studio for several years, and currently teaches for IUP's Community Music School. Shelby enjoys performing and collaborating most. She has directed music and played in pits for several shows at West Virginia Wesleyan College, as well as for theatres in surrounding areas. She is looking forward to teaching at the Pittsburgh Piano Academy, helping students reach their goals and develop a lifelong love for playing piano.

Ms. Sheena Chopra

Sheena Chopra is a mezzo-soprano from Pittsburgh, PA. She has been teaching private voice and piano in the area for the past five years. She receieved her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and her Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance with honors from Duquesne University. She has studied with the Ezio Pinza Council of American Singers of Opera, the Miami Music Festival, Emerald City Opera, and has performed leading roles with the Bel CantantiSummer Music Festival and Undercroft Opera. Her students have participated in the Dorothy Sutton Festival, the piano guild, and have performed in local community plays and on Broadway. Sheena is a member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers and serves as the chair of recitals for the Pittsburgh Music Teachers Association. She has performed with the River City Brass and has sung the National Anthem for a Pirates game. She recently won the Pittsburgh International Voice Competition and will be performing in the winners’ recital at Carnegie Hall.

Dr. Xuelai Wu

A native of China, pianist Xuelai Wu enjoys a multi-faceted career as collaborative pianist, chamber musician, vocal coach, and choral pianist. Her passion and experience for both instrumental and vocal collaboration have led her share the stage with renown artists and young talented musicians. Currently she is the pianist for Arizona Opera's outreach program, OperaTunity, the principal accompanist for the Grammy Award-Winning Phoenix Boys Choir, and collaborative pianist of Glendale Community College. She also has been on staff for many festivals, conferences, and competitions in United States and China, including Interlochen Arts Camp, Tuba and Euphonium International Conference, MTNA competition, Franco American Vocal Academy, China Double Bass Competition, and China National Voice and Opera Competition, among others. Prior to these appointments she has served as collaborative pianist and vocal coach at the Chandler-Gilbert Community College and Beijing Central Conservatory of Music.

Xuelai Wu holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in collaborative piano from Arizona State University, a Master’s degree in collaborative piano from the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM), a Master's degree in vocal accompanying from Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, China, and a Bachelor's degree in Music from Guangzhou South China Normal University, China.

Web Hosting by Yahoo