Faculty

Profile

A deeply committed educator, whose unique pedagogical skills make her in high demand in the New York City area, Pao's individualized approach to piano instruction reflects the richness of her musical experience. Trained in the Kodaly, Orff–Schulwerk, and Suzuki methods, as well as classical piano pedagogy, Pao's teaching is also informed by her diverse musical and intellectual background. In addition to a Master of Music Education degree (University of North Texas) with emphasis on piano pedagogy and studies in Alexander Technique (Julliard), Pao has a second Master of Education degree, with emphasis on cognitive systems (University of North Texas); she has designed several computer education games for teaching children music.

Pao's students reach a high level of excellence at an early age, over the years, her students have won various piano competitions. Many of them has performed in prestigious New York City venues, including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall, and at area events, such as the Princeton Festival and TED Conferences.

An active clinician, Pao gives workshops in New York City and its surrounding vicinity, including presentations at New York's Piano Teacher Congress and at Connecticut College. Her international teaching experience includes serving on the faculty of Interharmony International Music Festival in Arcidosso, Italy where she also gives master classes, and given private instruction in Taipei, Taiwan.

As an advocate for music education for young children, Pao is the founder of Morningside Gardens Little Musicians, a community-based performance program for children on Manhattan's Upper West Side. At The Riverside Church, where Pao also teaches Sunday School, Pao is the director of the Riverside Church Children Youth Fellowship's Afternoon at the Orchestra program, a program that promotes music for children.

Pao is a certified Steinway Educational Partner and a Founding Teacher of the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement program. As the Second Vice-President and Treasurer on the Executive Board of the Piano Teacher Congress of New York, Pao currently also serves as the co-chair of the incentive recital program for the PTC organization. Pao is a member of the piano faculty of The New School's Mannes College of Music Preparatory Division (Manhattan), where her responsibilities have included Liaison for the Program for the Very Young.