Stephen Pierce

Stephen Pierce enjoys a varied career as a teacher, performer, presenter, adjudicator, and researcher. At the University of Southern California (USC) Thornton School of Music, Dr. Pierce teaches piano, piano pedagogy, and keyboard literature, while overseeing the secondary piano program. He also teaches piano privately in Pasadena, CA. His students range from age 8 to adult and have won awards at the regional, state, and national levels. Dr. Pierce previously taught at the University of Northern Colorado, and Oberlin Conservatory. He is a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), and an RCM Academic Ambassador.

Dr. Pierce has won awards for his playing including second prize and two special prizes at the UNISA National Piano Competition in South Africa. He has also received awards for his teaching including the D.J. Rhoode Overseas Scholarship for Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Africa. In addition, his performances have been broadcast on South African television and radio.

A regular speaker at national and state events, Dr. Pierce has presented at conferences such as the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National conference, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP). He has published in journals such as American Music Teacher, Clavier Companion, and The South African Music Teacher, as well as on the RCM Teacher Portal. At present, Dr. Pierce serves as editor of CAPMT Connect journal.

Dr. Pierce earned undergraduate degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Pretoria in South Africa where he was honored with the medal for academic excellence, two licentiates of music from the University of South Africa, and graduate degrees in Piano Performance with a cognate in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music (CCM). His mentors include Joseph Stanford, Frank Weinstock, and Michelle Conda.