Leonidas Lagrimas

Biography

Dr. Leonidas Lagrimas serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Western Carolina University. His duties include teaching Applied Piano and coordinating the Class Piano program for the School of Music. An emerging leader in piano pedagogy research, Dr. Lagrimas is a regular contributor to courses and online content for the Frances Clark Center, and he has been a featured clinician for NafME and Music Teachers National Association. He is a frequently invited guest lecturer and masterclass clinician throughout the country and presenter at local, state, regional, and national music conferences. Dr. Lagrimas currently serves as Editor of the North Carolina Music Teacher Association Journal and is a member of the NCMTA Executive Board of Directors.<br><br>Performances in the '22-23 academic year include guest artist recitals at UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Charlotte, Freed-Hardeman University (TN), Elon University, and numerous faculty recitals at WCU. Collaborative piano highlights include performances with Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann, country superstar Lorrie Morgan, and multiple Carnegie Hall appearances. Dr. Lagrimas is a regularly featured performer with the Asheville Area Piano Forum and current pianist with Christ Anglican Church in Cashiers, NC. Active as musical theatre pianist and music director, his recent regional credits include <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 holds National Certification (NCTM) in piano from MTNA and a Ph.D. in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University. He is a founding member and President-Elect of the Virtual Local Music Teachers Association, MTNA's first virtual local chapter, serving western North Carolina. 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<br>The music of Claude Debussy<br>The music of Amy Beach