Ms. Shandra Love is a classical piano lessons teacher who began piano and flute studies at the age of eight. Ms. Love obtained Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Certification in Piano and is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music through MTNA.
Ms. Love graduated from UCLA with a BA in flute performance in 1994 and had the opportunity to perform PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION by Modest Mussorgsky in the American Youth Symphony Orchestra in Santa Barbara under the baton of Zubin Mehta. The American Youth Symphony was directed by Zubin Mehta's father, Mehli Mehta, who has since passed away. Both father and son were iconic conductors.
Shandra Love obtained an MM in Piano Pedagogy and Performance from George Mason University in 2011. Ms. Love recently graduated from Salem College in May 2023 with a second MM degree in injury preventive keyboard technique. She learned the principles of
CO-CONTRACTION and how to enagage her entire body in piano playing.
Ms. Shandra Love currently teaches a few piano students online and has submitted students for the National Guild of Piano Teachers auditions from 2011 to present. She has been teaching piano for the past twenty-two years. Her past teachers have included Moacir Santos from Brazil who collaborated with renowned jazz singer, Sarah Vaughan. Also, Paul Pitman, Andrey Kasparov, Anna Balakerskaia, Joanne Haroutounian, Julie Hahn and Barbara Lister-Sink.
Her expansive musical knowledge and extensive educational background are an asset to any student fortunate enough to work with her. Ms. Love is passionate, dedicated and committed to providing piano lessons and being a piano accompanist to students and musicians in Winston-Salem (27103, 27104), Wake Forest University area (27109), Greensboro (27408, 27410, 27455), Clemmons (27012), Lewisville (27023) High Point (27262, 27265) Kernersville (27284, 27285), Statesville (28625, 28677) Salisbury (28144), Charlotte (Myers Park and Eastover) in Mecklenburg County Concord, Huntersville, Gastonia, Davidson, Lake Norman, Durham and Raleigh in North Carolina.
In 2004, Ms. Love was awarded a $900 Teacher Enrichment Grant from the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) to further her teaching career.
Ms. Love is experienced as a soloist, chamber musician and piano accompanist. In 2003 and 2005, she accompanied several members of the United States Continental Army Band in a special chamber series, which included her former spouse, a trombone and euphonium player.
In summer 2007, she won a full piano scholarship to perform at the Las Vegas Music Festival. Ms. Love performed in master classes and received lessons with James Giles from Northwestern University and Dr. Mykola Suk from the University of Nevada, Los Vegas.
Ms. Love attended PianoSummer- SUNY New Paltz in 2009, and participated in master classes, recitals and received lessons from Vladimir Feltsman, Susan Starr and a host of master teachers from Rice University, Arizona State University, and Mannes School of Music.
Ms. Love has attended numerous music festivals for flute including, Idyllwild Summer Arts Academy, Brevard Music Center, Oberlin Flute Festival, Skidmore Flute Festival and Marrowstone Music Festival
She has also served as an adjudicator for the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Spring Festival held in Manassas and Falls Church, Virginia.
Ms. Love was selected to participate by audition in the 2013 Washington International Piano Festival held at Catholic University in Washington DC. She performed in a master class with Brian Ganz and was selected by audition to perform at the Kennedy Center on
August 2, 2013.
Here is a link to the
video
(scroll to 28:32 to view Ms. Love)
In 2020, Ms. Love decided to acquire additional skills in injury preventive keyboard technique and retrained in the Lister-Sink method at Salem College. She completed a Graduate Certificate program in injury preventive keyboard technique in 2021. Ms. Shandra Love continued retraining her piano skills in pursuit of a piano technique that incorporated the use of biomechanics and
efficient muscle use. As part of the Masters of Music program at Salem College, Ms. Love also took organ lessons for one year with Dr. Timothy Olsen. Dr. Olsen focused on applying the Lister-Sink method to pedal and manual technique.
Ms. Love holds professional membership in the National Guild of Piano Teachers (NGPT) , Music Teachers National Association, Greensboro Music Teachers Association (GMTA) and currently serves on the Board of Judges for NGPT.
Of note, Ms. Love was featured in the Loudoun Times Mirror on November 6, 2013. Here is the
link to read the article:
http://www.loudountimes.com/news/article/shandra_love_hitting_a_high_note898
