The Virtuoso Pianist Masterclass
The Virtuoso Pianist Masterclass
2025 Panel Topic: Preparing for Competitions
Date: Saturday, Feb. 7th, 2026
Place: Scripps College Performing Arts Center, Claremont, CA 91711
Faculty: Dr. Hao Huang, Dr. Jennie Jung, Dr. Grace Zhao, Dr. Tatiana Thibodeaux
Sponsor: Scripps College
This piano masterclass will focus on how to prepare for competitions to produce consistently dependable piano performances under pressure. The facilities are in the elegant Performing Arts Center of Scripps College of the Claremont University Consortium. The international workshop faculty come from diverse backgrounds, with degrees from Harvard, Juilliard, University of Toronto, Yale School of Music, USC, and Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia.
There will be a maximum of 16 piano students accepted for coaching, eligible ages 12-18.
There is a two-tier process:
Online application form and fee: $35.00
Accepted Virtuoso Pianist masterclass enrolled students $195.00 ($35 application fee credited towards that total)
Please apply online and pay by credit card or for Venmo and Zelle contact Dr. T. Thibodeaux, tthibodeaux@laverne.edu
Preliminary schedule
8:45am-9:20am – optional continental breakfast (Garrison Theater foyer)
9:30am-10:10am – Panel discussion featuring VPMC teachers: “Preparing for Competitions”: from USA, Asian and Russian training and different disciplinary perspectives
(Boone Recital Hall)
10:15am-12:15pm – Public Masterclass, 4 students chosen from online applications – Dr. Hao Huang, Frankel Chair in Music, SCR (BRC)
12:20pm-1:20pm - LUNCH BREAK (Malott Commons, all enrolled students will receive free lunch meal coupon)
1:30pm-3:30pm – Private Masterclasses Thibodeaux, Zhao, Jung, - 4 students each
4:00pm— FINAL STUDENT RECITAL (BRC) – all enrolled VPMC students will perform
Application deadline, December 20, 2025