Piano at YSM
While the Yale School of Music piano program primarily focuses on solo performance, it also places an emphasis on chamber music, accompanying, and teaching. The well-rounded curriculum prepares graduates to make their way in today’s highly competitive music world.
A unique feature of Yale’s piano department is the close collaboration between piano faculty members. Students have regular opportunities to play in master classes and receive supplemental lessons and chamber music coachings from faculty other than their major studio teachers. Additionally, many internationally acclaimed guest artists visit the School as part of the Horowitz Piano Series, giving recitals, lectures, and master classes.
The Yale School of Music is an all-Steinway school, with regularly maintained pianos in all recital halls, studios, and practice rooms.
faculty spotlight
Boris Berman
Degrees + Programs
Master of Music
The two-year master of music (M.M.) degree program is open to students who hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in any major.
Master of Musical Arts
The performance-oriented master of musical arts (M.M.A.) program is designed for students who want to further their education beyond an M.M. degree.
Doctor of Musical Arts
The intensive doctor of musical arts (D.M.A) program is comprised of a two-year residency followed by a three-year period in which candidates launch their professional careers.
Artist Diploma
The highly selective artist diploma (A.D.) program is designed for young artists who demonstrate potential for a major concert career.
Certificate in Performance
The three-year certificate in performance program is designed for performers who do not hold a bachelor’s degree but want to study at the highest level.
B.A./M.M.
The bachelor of arts/master of music (B.A./M.M) program is designed for young instrumentalists also interested in pursuing a liberal arts education.
Master classes
YSM piano students regularly have valuable opportunities to perform in piano master classes given by our internationally renowned faculty and by such visiting artists as Emanuel Ax, Idil Biret, Alfred Brendel, Bruno Canino, Christopher Elton, Leon Fleisher, Richard Goode, Marc-André Hamelin, Angela Hewitt, Anton Kuerti, Ronan O’Hora, Jon Kimura Parker, Roberto Prosseda, Matti Raekallio, Pascal Rogé, Mikhail Rudy, Peter Serkin, Niklas Sivelov, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, and Mikhail Voskresensky among many others.
Typically, master classes take place on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall and are free and open to the YSM community unless otherwise noted.
All master classes can be viewed at https://music.yale.edu/live during the class unless otherwise noted.
Fall 2024
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9/26: Ran Dank, Guest - Eastman School
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10/3: Wei-Yi Yang
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10/10: Jon Nakamatsu, Guest - San Francisco Conservatory
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10/17: Melvin Chen
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10/24: Yoshi Nagai, Guest - San Francisco Conservatory
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10/31 Boris Berman (**in Hendrie ORR**)
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11/7 Alexander Korsantia, Guest - New England Conservatory
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11/14 Sofia Gulyak, Guest - Indiana University/Bloomington (**in Hendrie ORR**)
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11/21 Boris Slutsky
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12/5 Robert Blocker
Spring 2025
- 1/30: Melvin Chen
- 2/6: Wei-Yi Yang
- 2/13: Boris Slutsky
- 3/6: Robert Blocker
- 4/3: Roberto Prosseda
- 4/10: Boris Berman
- 4/17: Denes Várjon *in Hendrie ORR
Boris Berman
Robert Blocker
Melvin Chen
Elizabeth Parisot
Boris Slutsky
Wei-Yi Yang
Alexa Stier ’21MM ’27DMA wins prizes at Messiaen Competition
The draw to and drawbacks of piano competitions
