Stephanie Shih-Yu Cheng

Stephanie Cheng

Teaching Associate Professor, Piano

What I do

Associate Teaching Professor of Piano; Chair of Keyboard Department

Professional Biography

Critics have applauded that Taiwanese-American pianist Stephanie Shih-yu Cheng plays “eloquently and elegantly…(with) passion and introspection…sensitivity and a finely honed sense of style.” Stephanie has performed at major music centers across the world to critical acclaim, including Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, Opera City Hall of Tokyo, National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and National Concert Hall of Taipei. She has been featured on National Public Radio, WFMT in Chicago, Radio Video Mediterraneo in Italy, Living & Travel Section of msnbc.com, and Nippon Television in Japan and counts Sara Davis Buechner and Leon Fleisher among her collaborators. She can be heard on the Summit label and her solo album Ravel: Masterworks for the Piano is due to be released in spring 2023 on the Centaur label.

Dr. Cheng studied under such luminaries as Gilbert Kalish and Ann Schein, distinguishing herself in several international competitions during her formative years, and receiving the prestigious Prix-Ville de Fontainebleau in France, personally presented to her by Philippe Entremont.

Dr. Cheng served on the faculties of the City University of New York and the Manhattan School of Music Precollege before moving to Kuwait in 2012 to join the newly established Department of Music at the American University of Kuwait, and she quickly gained great renown throughout the Middle East. In 2015, Stephanie returned to the U.S. to join the faculty at the Lamont School of Music of the University of Denver, where she is Chair of the Keyboard Department. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Allied Arts, Inc., a non-profit grant program that supports young artists. Further information and musical offerings are available on www.stephanie-cheng.com.

Stephanie Cheng is a Steinway Artist.

Degree(s)

  • DMA, Piano Performance, Stony Brook University, 2002
  • MM, Piano Performance, Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, 1996
  • BM, Piano Performance, Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, 1993

Professional Affiliations

  • Music Teachers National Association
  • Pi Kappa Lambda