About
Dr. Grace Ho
Pianist Grace Ho enjoys an active career as a performer, educator, and arts administrator in Eugene, Oregon.
Acclaimed for her expressive playing and engaging teaching, pianist Grace Ho is “an artist who makes music from the heart and touches her audience with her wonderful sensitivity.”
Dr. Ho has been recognized as “an ideal performer and lecturer, having developed piano performance and pedagogy at the highest level, in combination with a deep scholarly sense and brilliant skills for engaging audiences and students into her passion for the music she is dealing with.” She has presented lecture-recitals for the Oregon Bach Festival and at regional conferences in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
As a teacher, she is sought after for her “wonderful communication with her students,” as well as her ability to “tailor her teaching to each student’s skill proficiency and learning curve.” For over twenty years she has taught piano students of all ages and levels. At the collegiate level, she has eight years of experience as the instructor for courses in piano pedagogy, applied piano, class piano, and music theory. Dr. Ho has frequently served as adjudicator for the Oregon Music Teachers Association and the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Dr. Ho holds a D.M.A. in piano performance and arts administration from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, a Professional Studies Diploma in piano performance from San Francisco Conservatory, a M.M. in piano performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and a B.M. in piano performance from Biola University Conservatory of Music. Her primary teachers include Dean Kramer, Paul Hersh, Menahem Pressler, and Jennie K. Wong.
Currently, Dr. Ho works at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance as Professional Development and Academic Advisor for music graduate students. Starting Fall 2021, Dr. Ho will begin a new role at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance as Instructor of Secondary Piano and Piano Pedagogy.
EDUCATION
D.M.A. Piano Performance and Arts Administration, 2013
University of Oregon
Performance Studies Diploma, Piano Performance, 2009
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
M.M. Piano Performance, 2004
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
B.M. Piano Performance, 2001
Biola University Conservatory of Music
WORK EXPERIENCE
University of Oregon School of Music and Dance (Eugene, OR) 2018–Present
Pro Tem Instructor: Piano Pedagogy, Professional Development, Audience Engagement
Piano Pedagogy (2019 to Present):
– Teach piano pedagogy courses to doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate piano students
– Design curriculum and administer teaching lab workshops
– Observe and provide feedback to students on their practicum teaching
Professional Development & Audience Engagement (2018-Present):
– Teach Professional Development Portfolio course to help students build job materials
– Co-teach the Audience Engagement course to help students build public speaking skills
– Advise students on networking and conference proposals
University of Oregon School of Music and Dance (Eugene, OR) 2014–Present
Professional Development & Academic Advisor
Academic Advising:
– Enrollment and registration management activities
– Oversight of degree requirements
– Individual and group advising, assist students with curricular planning
Professional Development:
– Initiate and administer a program to offer career advising and resources for music and dance students
– Present and coordinate seminars and workshops
– Collaborate with colleagues, campus partners, alumni, and industry professionals to provide professional development resources and opportunities for music and dance students
Eugene Opera (Eugene, OR) 2013–2014
Office Manager
Artistic Operations:
– Administered contracts for artists and production staff
– Acted as primary point-of-contact between Eugene Opera and artists
– Facilitated artist services (travel, home-stay, transportation)
Marketing and Publicity:
– Arranged for press releases to be sent to media list, booked artist appearances for media interviews
– Coordinated publicity photo and video shoots
– Established and executed marketing plan
Development:
– Administrative support for fundraising events, such as the annual auction
– Supervised donor record-keeping
– Supported Board of Directors in fundraising efforts
Office:
– Managed office (correspondence with staff and vendors, processed donations and invoices)
– Provided customer service for patrons, Board of Directors, artistic staff
– Worked with Business Manager to conduct day-to-day operations
Oregon Mozart Players (Eugene, OR) 2012–2014
Associate Executive Director
Marketing:
– Directed marketing and community relations, established and executed marketing plan
– Wrote press releases, facilitated press interviews with media outlets (newspaper, radio)
– Designed graphics for marketing materials (brochures, posters, postcards, event invitations)
Artistic Administration:
– Concert operations (support for pre-concert lectures, post-concert receptions, front of house)
– Worked with Facilities Manager and Stage Manager to arrange logistics
– Served as point-of-contact for guest soloists
Special Events:
– Created, coordinated, and curated house concert series
– Planned and organized donor appreciation events
– Served on Auction Committee to plan, organize, and execute Annual Dinner and Auction
Outreach:
– Organized chamber music series in local retirement communities
– Served on Education Committee
– Implemented Oregon Mozart Players’ first annual Young Soloist Competition
University of Oregon School of Music and Dance (Eugene, OR) 2009–2013
Graduate Teaching Fellow: Applied Piano, Class Piano
– Taught piano lessons and master classes to undergrad and grad music and non-music majors
– Developed syllabus and course structure for class piano
– Helped coordinate secondary piano program
Amabile School of Music (San Francisco, CA) 2008–2009
Instructor: Applied Piano
– Taught private piano lessons to students of all ages and levels
– Adjudicated for Certificate of Merit (Music Teachers Association of California)
University of San Diego (San Diego, CA) 2006–2008
Lecturer: Music Theory, Applied Piano, Chamber Music
– Instructor for Fundamentals of Music Theory
– Taught private piano lessons and coached chamber music ensembles
Self-Employed (Los Angeles, CA; Bloomington, IN; San Diego, CA) 2001–2008
Instructor: Applied Piano
– Taught piano students of all ages and levels
– Managed private piano studio; organized recitals
Performances
Recording Session
January 23, 2021
Solo Recital
April 8, 2018
Click above to watch
Music
Videos
Click above to watch
PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Chamber Music
- “Operatic Geniuses,” Chamber Music Amici, Eugene, OR, February 2019 (Forthcoming)
- Chamber Recital with violinist Sophie Therrell, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, May 2017
- Chamber Recital with violinist Wyatt True, Delgani String Quartet, Eugene, OR, September 2016
- Chamber Recital with violist Clark Spencer, Opera Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, May 2016
- Faculty Concert, USD Summer Chamber Music Festival, San Diego, CA, June 2015
- “Galant Gems,” Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, December 2014
- “Romantic Miniatures,” Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, October 2014
- “German Romantics,” Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, July 2014
- Viola and Piano Recital, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, February 2014
- “Happy Birthday Mozart,” Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, January 2014
- “Fall Fantastics,” Asculta! Woodwind Quintet, Eugene, OR and Salem, OR, October 2013
- House Concert, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, August 2013
- House Concert, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, June 2013
- Doctoral Chamber Recital, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, May 2013
- House Concert, Oregon Mozart Players, Eugene, OR, April 2013
- Doctoral Chamber Recital, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, May 2012
- Chamber Recitals, Hong Kong, January 2008
- Chamber Concerts, USD Summer Chamber Music Festival, San Diego, CA, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Solo
- Solo Piano Recital, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, April 2018
- Solo Piano Recital, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, February 2016
- Solo Piano Recital, First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette, Chicago, IL, January 2016
- Doctoral Piano Recital, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, November 2011
- Recital, American Liszt Society (Oregon Chapter), Eugene, OR, October 2010
- Recital, American Liszt Society (Oregon Chapter), Eugene, OR, October 2009
- Diploma Recital, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, CA, May 2009
- Piano Recital, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, CA, January 2009
- Piano Recital, Hong Kong, January 2008
- Soloist, Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 with the USD Symphony, San Diego, CA, May 2007
- Solo Recitals, San Diego, CA, 2005, 2006, and 2007
- Third Prize at the Bienal de Piano Musica Clasica Formal, Mexicali, Mexico, November 2004
LECTURE-RECITALS
“Performing from the First-Person Perspective: Haydn the Orator and Schubert the Protagonist”
- American Musicological Society (Pacific Northwest Chapter), April 2017
- Oregon Mozart Players (Educational Outreach Program), April 2017
- University of Oregon (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), June 2017
“Operatic Drama and Buffoonery in Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 332”
- Opera Wilmington Symposium, May 2016
- Eugene Opera Ambassadors, May 2016
“Goya/ Goyescas: The Transformation of Art into Music”
- Doctoral Lecture-Recital, University of Oregon, July 2013
- University of Calgary Graduate Music Conference, May 2013
- American Musicological Society (Pacific Northwest Chapter), April 2013
“Of Time and Timelessness: Memory, Nostalgia, and the Imagination”
- Oregon Bach Festival, July 2012
“Recognizing and Performing Rhetoric in the Music of Haydn, Beethoven, and Granados”
- Oregon Bach Festival, July 2011
OTHER PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Early Music
- “Rococo Delights” recital for violin and fortepiano, April 2014
- Fortepiano presentation-performance of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op. 31 No. 1, November 2010
- Fortepiano presentation-performance of Haydn’s Andante con variazioni, February 2010
New Music
- University of Oregon Composers Forum, March 2011
- Eugene Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, November 2010
- University of Oregon Composers Forum, March 2010
Teaching Philosophy
Learning music should be a fun and rewarding experience. Whether teaching a class or one-on-one, I strive to create an inclusive and positive learning environment.
Learning music should be a fun and rewarding experience. Whether teaching a class or one-on-one, I strive to create an inclusive and positive learning environment.
In my teaching, I place an equal emphasis on repertoire and musicianship. My students learn musical expression and artistry through exploration and performance of a wide range of repertoire, and also gain musicianship skills like rhythm, sight-reading, and music theory within the curriculum I create for them.
I invest time to get to know each student so that I can cater to their individual learning styles. By respecting their insight and opinions, I work together with students to create goals and inspire them to have high standards for their own progress and performance.
Dr. Grace Ho
“Grace did an excellent job explaining the intricacies of the instrument, so that the performing student could get a grasp on capturing the technique, poise, and expression needed to play the instrument.”
Applied piano student
University of Oregon
“I am pleased with the instruction I received. Grace recognized immediately what I needed to work on, and her instructions were very easy to relate to and understand.”
Applied piano student
University of Oregon
“Grace is a very patient and exceptional instructor. She really helped learn about preferred music choices and styles for all of her students, including myself. She was always able to give positive feedback, while still including helpful tips for improvement.”
Applied piano student
University of Oregon
“When working with me on a piece, Grace is always clear about what sort of changes she is asking me to make. If necessary, she will gladly explain something several different ways to make sure I understand it.”
Applied piano student
University of Oregon