Awarded an academic and music scholarship, Cheryl received her Bachelors degree in piano performance at Texas Christian University (TCU) under the tutelage of Dr. Tamás Ungár. In 2005, she attended the Varna International Piano Master Class and was chosen to perform the first movement of Schumann’s piano concerto with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra.   She graduated from TCU with academic and musical honors in 2006. 

 

Cheryl continued her piano studies at the University of North Texas with Dr. Steven Harlos and professor Adam Wodnicki.  As a Teaching Fellow, Cheryl taught private piano lessons and group piano classes.  She also taught students of varying ages and skill levels at UNT’s Community Music School.  Cheryl returned to her home state of Alabama to perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Baldwin Pops Band in 2007.  She received her Masters degree in piano performance from UNT in 2008, with an emphasis in pedagogy.

 

This April, Cheryl is receiving her DMA from FSU, where she studies with Dr. Read Gainsford, and also teaches class piano. She recently placed second in FSU's Annual Competitive Festival.

 

Cheryl has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist, and has had master classes and lessons with notable pianists Arbo Valdma, Veda Kaplinsky, and Jan Kadlubiski.  

 

During her ten years in Texas, Cheryl taught at several music schools in the DFW area, including Southlake Music Academy.  She joined TCU’s Piano Preparatory faculty in 2012 and taught there until she moved to Florida in the summer of 2013. 

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Cheryl currently accompanies the choir at St. Louis Catholic Church, and teaches from her home studio in Tallahassee, where she also enjoys writing and playing her violin, as well as planning trips to anywhere remotely tropical!  If you'll notice throughout this site, one of her weaknesses is taking pictures of tropical flowers.