Jane Magrath composer

Jane Magrath is well known as an author, clinician, and pianist. Her book The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature has become a classic reference work for pianists throughout the United States. Dr. Magrath's work in the area of the standard classical teaching literature has been central to the revival of interest in this music throughout the country. She currently has more than 50 volumes published with Alfred Music Publishing, and her music editions are used widely throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Magrath is frequently in demand as a clinician and teacher, and during the last 20 years she has performed and given presentations in more than 40 states (including Alaska), and on four continents. Her workshops and master classes have drawn international acclaim. Dr. Magrath has served as Piano Coordinator for National Conventions of Music Teachers National Association and given presentations at MTNA National Conventions, the European Piano Teachers Association Conference, the International Society for Music Education, the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy, the World Piano Pedagogy Conference and at many state MTNA conventions. Her articles have appeared in the major piano journals.

Dr. Magrath was named the first recipient of the MTNA/Frances Clark Keyboard Pedagogy Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Piano Pedagogy. For many years, she contributed New Music Reviews to Clavier magazine and she currently serves as an editor for the Piano Pedagogy Forum. Dr. Magrath has had regular columns in American Music Teacher Magazine and Clavier Companion. She is most at home working in the studio and classroom with students, and collaborating with faculty colleagues and area teachers.

A native of South Carolina, Dr. Magrath received her education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at Wesleyan College, and was the first person to receive the D.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Northwestern University. The University of Oklahoma presented her with the Regents' Award for Superior Teaching, as well as the Associates' Distinguished Lectureship Award on two occasions and the Rinsland Award for Excellence in Educational Research. Currently, Dr. Magrath is Regents' Professor and holds the Grant Endowed Chair in Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma, where she was named Rothbaum Presidential Professor of Excellence in the Arts and serves as Director of Piano Pedagogy. Her students have won numerous prizes and competitions.