Texas Tech University Keyboard Area

09/05/2026

ALUMNA SPOTLIGHT: Congratulations to recent graduate, Dr. Claire (Hanwen) Yan on her recent faculty appointment at Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Department of Music!

🎶 Welcome, Dr. Claire Yan!

The SWOSU Music Department is excited to welcome Dr. Claire Yan to the faculty as our new Collaborative Pianist & Piano Instructor! 🎹💙

Dr. Yan brings an impressive background in collaborative performance, piano pedagogy, and higher education teaching. Prior to joining SWOSU, she served as a Teaching Assistant at the Texas Tech University School of Music, working as a collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and keyboard instructor.

An active performer, Dr. Yan has appeared as an international guest soloist with the Tarnów Chamber Orchestra in Poland and has performed solo and chamber recitals throughout the United States and China. Her research explores piano pedagogy, body awareness, and Body Mapping, and she has presented her work at the International Piano Pedagogy Association Conference in Shanghai and the national conference of the College Music Society.

A dedicated educator, clinician, and adjudicator, Dr. Yan is passionate about developing young musicians. She also serves on the faculty of the Oklahoma Conservatory of Music and has taught with the Texas Tech University Orchestra Camp and Oklahoma City University’s Performing Arts Academy.

🎓 Dr. Yan holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy from Texas Tech University, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Oklahoma City University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Minzu University of China. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association and the College Music Society.

Please join us in giving Dr. Claire Yan a warm SWOSU welcome! We are thrilled to have her artistry, expertise, and passion for music and teaching as part of the SWOSU Music family! 💙🎶

09/02/2026

Last month, Artur Mikhlin, student of Prof. Daniel del Pino, earned First Prize in Solo and Concerto categories at the Ponce Project International Piano Competition in Houston. Congratulations, Artur!

09/01/2026

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Congratulations to three TTU grads who have recently acquired new professional positions:

Dr. Ąndrey Guerrero joined the faculty at Wayland Baptist University as Adjunct Instructor of Music.

Dr. Ting Ting Goh is a new Assistant Professor of Practice at Texas Tech's Talkington College of Visual And Performing Arts.

Dr. Adam Smith is a Professional Development Specialist at the Center for Teaching & Learning at Kent State University.

Keep doing great things!

If you're a grad and have news you'd like to share, please DM us with details! We'd love to celebrate you and your accomplishments!

08/29/2026

Our keyboard area faculty and students are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Giyong Ahn as our new Assistant Professor of Practice in Collaborative Piano.

Giyong Ahn, a native of South Korea, is a pianist and chamber musician who has performed extensively as both a soloist and collaborative pianist.

As a chamber musician, Ahn has performed at venues and series including the Sempre Chamber Music Series, Oak Branch Concert Series, and WFHB, and has appeared as a faculty artist at the Austin Chamber Music Center. His summer engagements have included the Music Academy of the West and the Colorado College Summer Music Festival, where he served as a Collaborative Piano Fellow. He has also served as the official collaborative pianist for major events such as the American Single Reed Summit and the International Society of Bassists Double Bass Competition.

Ahn's collaborative work extends beyond traditional chamber music to contemporary repertoire and new music. He has worked closely with prominent living composers and has participated in festivals and conferences including the Festival of Contemporary Artists in Music, the Society of Composers Conference, and the CWU New Music Festival. He also served as pianist for the University of Texas New Music Ensemble and Wind Ensemble, collaborating with internationally recognized composers and performers.

Ahn is deeply committed to mentoring young musicians and remains active as a clinician and adjudicator. He has served on the faculty of the Austin Chamber Music Center Workshop, coaching the Young Artist Division and performing as a faculty artist. Prior to joining Texas Tech University, he served as Collaborative Piano Faculty at Central Washington University.

Ahn earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Collaborative Piano from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Colette Valentine. He also holds a Performance Diploma from Indiana University, where he studied with Anne Epperson; a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Gregory Allen; and a Bachelor of Music degree from Kyungwon University in South Korea, where he studied with Seunghye Choi.

Welcome, Dr. Ahn!

08/29/2026

Congratulations to TTU graduate and longtime Professor of Music at South Plains College, Dr. Hye-Gyung Ji for being named the 2026 Pre-College Teacher of the Year by Texas Music Teachers Association!

"Why Do I Love Teaching?"

TMTA is proud to spotlight the recipients of our Teacher of the Year awards, the highest recognition in Texas for pedagogical achievement. We hope that these short quips offer inspiration for your lessons as the academic year begins!

2026 Pre-College Teacher of the Year: Dr. Hye-Gyung Ji

08/03/2026

Congratulations to TTU graduates Dr. Ting Ting Goh and Dr. Priyeshni Peiris Perera for being awarded Community Impact Grants from the Frances Clark Center. We're proud of the work you do to foster music education and participation in your communities!

05/16/2026

Commencement weekends are such a joyful time and this one was no different as we celebrated our most recent graduates. We're incredibly proud of each of them and their accomplishments and wish them only the best as they embark on their next adventures, whether here or elsewhere. Congratulations, graduates! Go do great things!

Yuwei Jiang (DMA, Performance)
Diego Lizaola Moyron (MM, Performance)
Yijie Liu (DMA, Performance)
Elias Manzo Hernandez (MM, Performance)
Hanwen Yan (DMA, Pedagogy)
Xinlin You (MM, Pedagogy)
Chenrui Zhang (DMA, Performance)

05/08/2026

A few weeks late but what a joy it was to welcome Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung for a visit earlier this semester. Each provided our students with sensitive and responsive teaching during their masterclasses and the duo ended their stay in Lubbock with a stupendous 4-hand performance. This couple is truly a collaborative powerhouse and we can't wait to have them back!

05/03/2026

Congratulations, Elias!

Congratulations to pianist Elías Manzo, the 2026 Texas Tech School of Music Concerto Competition winner! 🎵

Elías delivered an exceptional performance of Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major. As the winner, he will have the honor of performing with the University Symphony Orchestra in the 2026-2027 academic year.

We'd also like to recognize the outstanding performances of each competitor, our wonderful judges, and the faculty and staff who make an event like this possible.

Wreck 'em!