Elizabeth Stoner
About
Elizabeth is a classical pianist, music educator, and historian based in Orlando, Florida. She has 20+ years of performance and competition experience and nearly a decade of teaching experience, both in-person and online. She has taught piano and musicianship skills for non-profit education organizations, private teaching studios, and national music programs. Her vibrant piano studio went fully online in early 2020 and continues to grow, reaching students across the United States and internationally.
Elizabeth's musical lineage can be traced back directly to the great masters of the instrument. She began her formal training at the age of 5 with Ms. Kathy Hann King, making Elizabeth the 5th generation in a line of teachers trained by the famed pedagogue Carl Czerny, and the 6th generation of teachers trained by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The majority of Elizabeth's training has been in the European tradition, training with Russian pianist and pedagogue Mrs. Marina Agrest. As a young pianist, Elizabeth went on to win many Regional and State competitions. She also studied organ with Mark Thomas during this time, performing routinely at The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in historic downtown Charleston, SC, as well as playing concert organ across the United States and Europe.
Her performance and technical ability won her several scholarships, allowing her to study privately with the German pianist Dr. David Gross at Furman University. During her time there, Elizabeth also worked as a church musician, instructed undergraduate group piano courses, and taught children in the Furman Pre-College Keyboard Program. She spent her summers at the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute, studying most notably with Craig Nies (Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt) and Sandra Wright Shen (Concert Pianist). Elizabeth completed her studies at Furman University with a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance.
She then went to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she studied Historical Musicology (Music History and Criticism). Her independent research took her across the United States, studying the role of Ancient music theory among the Avant Garde. Her work earned her a Master of Arts (magna cum laude) in Historical Musicology and a fully-funded post-graduate researcher position. Her research focused on Ancient music theory and she was appointed the Greek/Latin language editor for the Center for the History of Music Theory (CHMTL).
In 2018, Elizabeth moved to Orlando, Florida to be closer to family and to focus on her career in music education and research.
Elizabeth has nearly a decade of private teaching experience with students of all ages and skill levels. She specializes in teaching older beginners and adult students and has a passion for teaching those who want to incorporate classical technique and repertoire as they explore their love of music. She believes that anyone can learn to play the piano, regardless of age, but it takes an experienced teacher to identify what areas the student needs to focus on to grow and become a well-rounded musician.
Her lessons are a thorough balance of practical and theoretical training, which prepares students for a lifetime of musical exploration and continuous development long after their time in lessons has ended.
Elizabeth's teaching method is highly individualized and builds on the student's prior experience while providing direction toward future goals. Recommended texts will depend on the student's interests and technical level.