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  • Doctorate of Musical Arts, University of Washington.

  • Master of Piano Performance & Piano Pedagogy, Michigan State University.

  • Bachelor of Music, Northwestern University.

Dr. Amanda Harris

General Piano Studies  |  Advanced Classical Studies

Amanda Harris, a western Washington native, grew up in a musical household. While her mom and all three of her brothers played string instruments, she wanted to play the piano; at the age of eight, she started private lessons. After high school, Amanda moved to the Chicago area to study music and German at Northwestern University. Included in her education was a year of study abroad in Germany, as well as a trip to Indonesia to perform on a concert tour with fellow piano students. She received her masters degrees in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy at Michigan State University, where she also spent time working in the Piano Technology Department, learning to regulate and do minor repairs on pianos. In addition to teaching, she frequently accompanies in the greater Seattle area and is the current president of the Eastside Chapter of the Music Teacher's Association. 

As a teacher, Amanda strives to give her students the tools needed to learn music independently. She believes that music making is incredibly personal, and tries to let every student find their own voice at the piano. At the same time, she aims to help everybody find the correct physical approach to the instrument, as proper form is essential to expressive music making and maintaining an injury-free musical experience. For her, one of the most rewarding aspects of being a pianist is the ability to play a variety of musical styles, explore the sounds that composers from different countries and eras have created, and find the music that speaks to her the strongest (her favorite is music from the early 20th century!).