The Conservatory is pleased to announce that Dr. Karen Hsiao Savage joins the UMKC Conservatory as Associate Professor of Collaborative Piano, Fall, 2019. Praised as a "tour de force" (Santa Barbara News-Press), for the "breathtaking beauty and pure lyricism" of her playing (Le Soleil, Vancouver), and for her “fearless performance” (The Straits Times, Singapore), Karen Hsiao Savage is currently Associate Professor of collaborative and solo piano at Washington State University. She holds a doctoral degree and two master’s degrees (in collaborative and solo piano) from Juilliard, as well as a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the University of Victoria (Canada). Karen is active internationally as a collaborative pianist, and has performed in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, Merkin Hall, Alice Tully Hall, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's "Inside Chamber Music,” Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore), Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Conservatory, Ho Chi Minh Conservatory (Vietnam), MusiQuest National Piano Festival of India, Aspen Music Festival, and University of British Columbia. Karen’s collaborative performances have been broadcast on internationally syndicated programs on NPR, and on Vietnamese and Chinese public television. Her piano duo 88SQUAREDwith husband Jeffrey, won the Ellis Duo Piano Competition, the Abild Prize in American Music, second prize and a special mention award at Concours Grieg International Piano Competition (Oslo); the duo gave the international premieres of Lowell Liebermann’s Sonata for Two Pianos, recorded Liebermann’s complete two-piano works at the composer’s request, and has been featured in performance at numerous national and state conferences of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and National Federation of Music Clubs. Karen is in high demand as a presenter, adjudicator, and guest teacher for MTNA regional events. Her students have been prizewinners at state and regional competitions, have been offered competitive scholarships and graduate assistantships at major programs across the country, and are active in the field as collaborative pianists and teachers. Karen’s major teachers include Jonathan Feldman, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Margo Garrett, Samuel Sanders, Robin and Winifred Wood, and Edward Parker. She has also studied with Anne Epperson and Robert McDonald.
