Lamont piano students join a community dedicated to serious artistic commitment, where pianists are challenged to refine their craft in a focused and supportive environment. The department is vibrant and collaborative, where pianists challenge and support one another in pursuit of artistic excellence. Guided by Professors Stephanie Cheng, Steven Mayer, and Emily Book McGree, students engage in intensive private lessons, chamber music, performance class, large ensembles, and masterclasses with renowned guest artists. In Lamont’s piano department, students celebrate each other’s successes and push one another to reach new artistic heights.

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Audition Requirements

Piano Auditions

Studying Piano at Lamont

Lamont offers an exceptional environment for pianists, combining individualized instruction with world-class resources and performance opportunities. As an All-Steinway School, Lamont provides dedicated Steinway practice rooms for piano majors, ensuring every student practices and performs on the highest-quality instruments.

With intentionally small studio sizes, pianists receive highly personalized guidance and frequent opportunities to perform. Weekly performance classes, departmental recitals, chamber recitals, and masterclasses with renowned guest artists like Sir Stephen Hough, Olga Kern, and Gilbert Kalish enrich the learning experience and prepare students for the stage.

Piano students at Lamont also engage in a variety of collaborative experiences, including duets, chamber ensembles, and large ensemble performances. Graduate students can enhance their degree with a stackable Pedagogy Certificate, equipping them with practical skills for teaching and building a professional studio. Lamont offers a vibrant and supportive home for pianists to grow as musicians, artists, and individuals. 

25-30 piano students at Lamont

104 Steinway pianos in our building

300+ performance opportunities per year

Faculty

Piano performance students study with Professors Stephanie Cheng or Steven Mayer, award-winning artist-teachers who enjoy international reputations as performers and pedagogues. Students enrolled in piano pedagogy study with Prof. Emily Book McGree, a distinguished pianist, educator, clinician and teacher trainer.

Stephanie Shih-Yu Cheng

Stephanie Cheng

Teaching Associate Professor, Piano

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Steven Mayer with piano in background

Steven Mayer

Professor, Piano

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Emily Book McGree

Emily Book McGree

Adjunct Faculty, Piano Pedagogy

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Piano student performs at Provost Concert

Auditions

Applicants may choose to either audition in person in Denver OR submit a recorded video audition. 

Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. You may indicate your preference for a live or virtual audition on the Lamont application.

Click here to view the current year’s audition dates and the full steps for how to apply.

Audition Repertoire Requirements

Undergraduate (BA, BM, minor)

  • In-Person Audition Requirements
    All auditions are approximately 12 minutes in length. The applicant will choose one of their prepared works to perform. The faculty will choose the second of the prepared works and possibly an additional work as well.
    Undergraduate (BM and BA)

    Twenty minutes of repertoire to include three or four pieces, each from a different period listed below. Concertos are not accepted.

    • Baroque (e.g., two-part invention by Bach)
    • Classical (e.g., Mozart, Haydn, Schubert*, Beethoven* Sonata – one movement)
    • Romantic (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms)
    • Twentieth Century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Schönberg, Bartok, Hindemith)

     

    Undergraduate (Minor)
    • Ten minutes of repertoire consisting of two or more classical-genre pieces or movements
    • All major scales, four octaves
    • Memorization is not required

     

    *Beethoven and Schubert straddled the Classical and Romantic periods. Therefore, it is acceptable to choose pieces by these composers to count for either period, depending on when the piece was written. For example, Schubert's Sonatas are considered Classical, while Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Bagatelles would count as Romantic pieces. 

    Please do not select pieces by the same composer to cover both periods. For example, if you select an early work by Schubert for your Classical piece, do not also select a Schubert work for your Romantic piece.

  • Video Audition Requirements
    Applicants unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit a video audition via the Lamont application. Repertoire may be recorded separately in multiple takes; editing within each take is prohibited.
    Undergraduate (BM and BA)

    Twenty minutes of repertoire to include three or four pieces, each from a different period listed below. Concertos are not accepted.

    • Baroque (e.g., two-part invention by Bach)
    • Classical (e.g., Mozart, Haydn, Schubert*, Beethoven* Sonata – one movement)
    • Romantic (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms)
    • Twentieth Century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Schönberg, Bartok, Hindemith)

     

    Undergraduate (Minor)
    • Ten minutes of repertoire consisting of two or more classical-genre pieces or movements
    • All major scales, four octaves
    • Memorization is not required

     

    *Beethoven and Schubert straddled the Classical and Romantic periods. Therefore, it is acceptable to choose pieces by these composers to count for either period, depending on when the piece was written. For example, Schubert's Sonatas are considered Classical, while Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Bagatelles would count as Romantic pieces. 

    Please do not select pieces by the same composer to cover both periods. For example, if you select an early work by Schubert for your Classical piece, do not also select a Schubert work for your Romantic piece.

Graduate (MM, certificate, pedagogy, AD)

  • In-Person Audition Requirements
    All auditions are approximately 18 minutes in length. The applicant will choose one of their prepared works to perform. The faculty will choose the second of the prepared works and possibly an additional work as well.
    Graduate (MM)

    Applicants should prepare a solo recital program of at least 40 minutes of repertoire. Prelude & Fugue and sonata should be complete; concertos are not accepted. Music selections should include:

    • A major work from the Baroque period (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Rameau, etc.)
    • A major work from the Classical period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Haydn, Mozart, etc.)
    • A major work from the Romantic period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Schumann, etc.)
    • A major work from the 20th century, memorization optional (e.g., Bartok, Hindemith, Schönberg, Copland, Barber, Gottschalk, Beach, etc.)

    *Beethoven and Schubert straddled the Classical and Romantic periods. Therefore, it is acceptable to choose pieces by these composers to count for either period, depending on when the piece was written. For example, Schubert's Sonatas are considered Classical, while Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Bagatelles would count as Romantic pieces. 

    Please do not select pieces by the same composer to cover both periods. For example, if you select an early work by Schubert for your Classical piece, do not also select a Schubert work for your Romantic piece.

     

    Graduate (certificate in performance)

    Applicants should prepare at least 40 minutes of repertoire of the classical genre. 

     

    Pedagogy (Certificate)
    • Twenty-five minutes of music consisting of two or more contrasting works or movements from any time period or combination of time periods. Repertoire selections are allowed from the same time period as long as the pieces demonstrate contrasting styles and are by different composers.
    • A research paper related to music education/pedagogy (as per undergraduate work) or an article (1000-2000 words) related to the field
    • A 20-minute video of teaching
    • An interview with the piano pedagogy faculty


    Review Requirements for Artist Diploma

  • Video Audition Requirements
    Applicants unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit a video audition via the Lamont application. Repertoire may be recorded separately in multiple takes; editing within each take is prohibited.
    Graduate (MM)

    Applicants should prepare a solo recital program of at least 40 minutes of repertoire. Prelude & Fugue and sonata should be complete; concertos are not accepted. Music selections should include:

    • A major work from the Baroque period (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Rameau, etc.)
    • A major work from the Classical period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Haydn, Mozart, etc.)
    • A major work from the Romantic period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Schumann, etc.)
    • A major work from the 20th century, memorization optional (e.g., Bartok, Hindemith, Schönberg, Copland, Barber, Gottschalk, Beach, etc.)

    *Beethoven and Schubert straddled the Classical and Romantic periods. Therefore, it is acceptable to choose pieces by these composers to count for either period, depending on when the piece was written. For example, Schubert's Sonatas are considered Classical, while Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Bagatelles would count as Romantic pieces. 

    Please do not select pieces by the same composer to cover both periods. For example, if you select an early work by Schubert for your Classical piece, do not also select a Schubert work for your Romantic piece.

     

    Graduate (certificate in performance)

    Applicants should prepare at least 40 minutes of repertoire of the classical genre. 

     

    Pedagogy (Certificate)
    • Twenty-five minutes of music consisting of two or more contrasting works or movements from any time period or combination of time periods. Repertoire selections are allowed from the same time period as long as the pieces demonstrate contrasting styles and are by different composers.
    • A research paper related to music education/pedagogy (as per undergraduate work) or an article (1000-2000 words) related to the field
    • A 20-minute video of teaching
    • Virtual applicants will also be scheduled for an interview with the piano pedagogy faculty


    Review Requirements for Artist Diploma

     

Life After Lamont

Notable Piano Alumni

Lamont students have worked with some of the most prestigious music organizations in the world. Alumni have performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Wolf Trap, Vancouver Symphony, Broadway, the West End, and San Francisco Opera. Lamont composers have premiered works at Carnegie Hall and the Monterey Jazz Festival, and conductors have led orchestras from Brazil to Hungary. Graduates of our Musicology and music theory programs hold posts at prestigious institutions nationwide. And our recording and production students have launched careers in Hollywood, editing soundtracks for films like Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

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    Joshua Sawicki - AD 2015

    Pianist, Colorado Symphony Orchestra

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    Laura Georgiev - BM 2020

    First Prize winner Grand Prize Virtuoso competition

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    James Wehe - BM, PC 2020

    Founder, Premier Music Academy

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    Mallory Bernstein - AD 2015

    Executive Director, Education Through Music Colorado

CTA pattern (books, scales, etc)

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    Dr. Steven Mayer and piano student Hao Zhang 

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