Leonidas Lagrimas

Biography

Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy for the WCU School of Music. His main duties include Applied Piano and coordinating the Class Piano program. An emerging leader in piano pedagogy research, Dr. Lagrimas has been a regular webinar contributor and clinician for the Frances Clark Center, and a featured workshop presenter for NafME and Music Teachers National Association. He is a frequently invited guest lecturer, piano competition judge and masterclass clinician throughout the country and presenter at local, state, regional, and national music conferences for College Music Society, MTNA, NCKP, and NafME. Dr. Lagrimas serves on the editorial board of <i>American Music Teacher,</i> the official journal of MTNA, and also currently serves as Editor of the North Carolina Music Teacher Association (NCMTA) Journal.<br><br>Upcoming performances in the 23-24 year include guest artist recitals at the University of Florida, Appalachian State University, University of Alabama, Mars Hill University, and numerous faculty recitals at WCU. Past collaborative piano highlights include performances with Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann, country superstar Lorrie Morgan, and multiple Carnegie Hall appearances. Dr. Lagrimas currently serves as pianist for Christ Anglican Church in Cashiers, NC and is active throughout the region as a solo and collaborative performer. Active as musical theatre pianist, conductor, and music director, his recent regional credits include <i>The Sondheim Tribute Revue </i>at Waynesville's HART Theatre, <i>Rock of Ages</i> and <i>9 to 5: The Musical </i>for Theatre Tallahassee, <i>In the Heights </i>and <i>American Idiot </i>for New Stage Theatreworks, and <i>Little Shop of Horrors</i><i> </i>for <i>Starring Buffalo!</i> at Shea's 710 Theatre.<br><br>Dr. Lagrimas is the proud recipient of the 2023 Belcher College Faculty Scholarship Award for outstanding scholarly activity and research. He holds National Certification (NCTM) in piano from MTNA and a Ph.D. in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University. Active locally and throughout the state as a piano pedagogue and performer, Dr. Lagrimas serves on the executive boards of NCMTA and the Asheville Area Piano Forum, and also maintains his own private piano studio. His previous full-time faculty appointments include SUNY-Fredonia and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and prior to his doctoral studies he served as a music teacher in the New York City public schools for ten years.

Education

• Ph D, Florida State University, Music Education/Piano Pedagogy
• MA, New York University, Music Education

Teaching Interests

Applied piano<br>Class piano<br>Collaborative piano<br>Piano Pedagogy and Music Education

Research Interests

Class piano curriculum and pedagogy<br>Recreational music making and adult piano pedagogy<br>The music of Claude Debussy<br>The music of Amy Beach<br>The music of Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee