Our own piano man (yes, he brings his own 6-foot grand) introduces composition and creativity in music to students, weaving visual art and literature into a multidisciplinary treatment of the "musical idea."

"Steve Wogaman is an accomplished pianist possessing an easy manner with students. Students were enthralled when he took the piano’s action apart, and demonstrated a grasp of all the concepts woven into this well-crafted program." Bennett Lentczner RealVisions Miami, FL

About the program

In Steve’s educational programs, he invites children to join him in his musical odyssey, bringing the richness of his own musical training and experience to bear on the Arts and Humanities requirements of the Kentucky curriculum. From the basic starting point of the musical idea, students K-12 are introduced to what musical ideas are made of (elements of music), where they come from (some guided improvisation and multi-disciplinary connections), and what composers can do with them (thematic development and form). For instance, one of the pieces in the program was inspired by a poem that Steve reads to the audience, and discusses how that poem influenced the artist to compose the piece. He also takes along an Impressionist painting that illustrates the ideas of the poem and the piano piece, thus tying music with other disciplines across the curriculum.

Availability:	October 2008, March 2009
Costs for programming:	$550 / two programs*
Program format:	Assembly
Audience limit:	250/elementary 300/MS & HS
* Prices above reflect significant subsidy from New Performing Arts' fundraising with arts education supporters statewide and nationally.

About the Artist

Dr. Stephen Wogaman has appeared in solo and chamber recital in the United States, Central America and Europe. He founded New Performing Arts, Inc., Kentucky’s leading musical outreach organization, as his doctoral dissertation project at Indiana University. Currently the President and CEO of the Canton Symphony in Canton, OH, Steve is also the founding pianist of the Whitney Trio, which made a critically acclaimed formal debut in a live broadcast concert at the National Gallery of Art, and has since played at the Phillips Collection in Washington, the Alexandria, VA Lyceum Series, the Bowdoin Music Festival in Brunswick, ME, Bucknell University, the Vassar College Guest Artist Series, the Alabama CityStages Festival and on other concert series in Indiana, North Carolina, Maryland and Colorado. Mr. Wogaman continues his chamber music collaborations with talented colleagues from across the country, appearing at the Schumann Festival at the Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum in July, 2006 with Douglas Webster, baritone, and the Concordia String Quartet.

Graduate of the Eastman School of Music, the University of Louisville and Indiana University (D.M.) Past Indiana University Southeast faculty member and Chair of the Humanities Division at Lees College Former student of Cecile Staub Genhart, Lee Luvisi and Menahem Pressler (Beaux Arts Trio)