Piano
Education
Rachel received her BM in Piano Performance and MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Michigan and a DM in Piano Performance with minors in Music Education and a Certificate in Preparing Educators of students with Autism from Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music.
Rachel is also an alum of The Colburn School, Pre-College (Los Angeles, CA) and our very own Levine Music (Washington DC).
Teaching Experience
Rachel as taught as an associate instructor and a piano faculty group class instructor at Indiana University, a graduate student instructor, master class teacher, adjudicator, and private instructor at the University of Michigan, a private instructor at Stafford Music Academy, and a private instructor for the P.A.L.S. Program with the Aspen Music Festival and School. Rachel has also been a private studio instructor since 2012, where she teaches weekly private lessons to beginners, elementary, intermediate, and advanced students in person and online.
Other Notable Experience
Rachel was the Vice President/Co-Founder and President of the Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) at Indiana University in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 respectively. She was the Co-Founder of two community focused performance series; Keys to the Future in 2020 and Musical Time in 2022. Rachel also hosted and coordinated professional development workshops and Lunch Break Series at IU throughout 2019-2021, and helped to organize the university’s Founder Peer Partnership Program and a six-week lesson initiative titled Music for All.
Teaching Philosophy
“Through music, I engage students in activities that require them to be creative, disciplined, flexible, and work cooperatively with others. I help them explore a wide range of repertoire and have them find their voice in each piece, and learn to express it in their playing. It is important that my students grow both as an artist and a well-rounded person. Therefore, I show my students ways that music relates with other fields, and why it is an important expressive form.
As a teacher, I create an understanding, trusting and inclusive environment with the student. I am interested in a students’ interests outside of piano class or piano lesson because I find it extremely helpful knowing what excites them. Orderly, clear and simple is my approach to teaching. When teaching my students, I find ways to break down hard concepts into simpler forms and develop activities that will challenge them. I attempt to inspire growth in my students by giving them tools: curiosity, open-mindedness, and a thirst for knowledge.”
– Rachel Yu Chen