DR. SHIHO SAITO
ACADEMY DIERCTOR
Piano Instructor
Pianist Dr. Shiho Saito is a
distinguished concert pianist and educator. She has appeared as soloist
and chamber musician in concert halls of New York, New Jersey,
California, Colorado, Michigan, Georgia, Maryland, Ohio of United States,
and Tokyo, Yokohama, Morioka of Japan. Her recognition includes the Award
for teaching excellence presented by Music Teachers National Association,
and numerous honors and accolades including the Margaret Rusk
Griffiths/Kleist Music Scholarship, the Sophie Albrecht Piano
Scholarship, the Cleveland Musical Arts Society Scholarship, Esther
Hoffman Prize and Scholarship, and Dr.Benno Lee graduation award from the
City University of New York.
Dr. Saito balances her performance schedule with an active involvement in music education and piano pedagogy. She has served as Artistic Coordinator at Amati Music Festival in New York, and has taught at various music programs, schools and universities including Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory Preparatory Department (OH), Amati Conservatory (NJ), Michigan State University (MI), and Manhattan School of Music Summer program (NY) sponsored by ASCAP and the New York City Board of Education. As an adjudicator and clinician, she is invited to judge piano competitions for young artists as well as give lecture-recitals and master classes for piano teachers’ associations. Her students have graduated to pursue music in one of the leading Universities and Conservatories throughout the United States, and excelled at diverse competitions.
Dr. Shiho Saito holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance from Michigan State University under critically acclaimed pianist, Panayis Lyras. Her doctoral dissertation is entitled “Liszt's Tre Sonetti del Petrarca: Piano Transcriptions and Revisions.” She earned her Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Hunter College of City University of New York and Manhattan School of Music as a pupil of Miyoko Lotto, Arkady Arnov and late Constance Keene. She received Bachelor of Music degree from Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music as a scholarship student of internationally known pianist and lecturer Dr. Robert Mayerovitch.
Teaching Philosophy:
My teaching philosophy emphasizes the individuality of each student. I believe in providing students with the tools and skills that they can use to teach themselves. Through each learning process, I want students to gain a better understanding of self, learn work-efficiency, and expand their artistic personae. Piano learning should be a rewarding, interesting, fulfilling, and exciting process. I am an enthusiastic teacher who believes in creating an environment in which students can learn. Throughout years of extensive teaching experience, I have helped students across a wide spectrum of levels, ages, nationalities, and backgrounds, and I enjoy sharing my experience and musical ideas with students and colleagues.
