(Japan/USA)
Joshua Pifer, Lecturer at the Auburn University, formerly of Florida State University, Wittenberg University and Miami University,the California Institute of the Arts, C. S. U. Long Beach, University of Southern California. Mr. Pifer has performed solo recitals in France, Japan, El Salvador and throughout the United States. He has also collaborated with world renown flutist Carol Wincenc and many professional singers and instrumentalists such as: Randall Bills, Mari Opaz-Muni, David Leung, Deloise Lima, Thomas Otten, Erica Lazarow, Thomas Kennedy, Mark Smarelli, to name a few. He is a founding member of the Oto Trio, including internationally acclaimed artist Chikuen Kato, renown for exploring the interconnections between the Japanese arts of Sumie (black ink painting), shodo (calligraphy), and ikebana (flower arrangement), and the music of Japanese composers. Mr. Pifer has commissioned and premiered works by 21st Century composers Andre Cormier, Justin Aftab, Gary Shields, Andrea Clearfield.
He regularly presents master classes, lectures, and recitals at academic institutions and professional organizations including The National Conservatory of San Salvador, University of California Santa Barbara, California State University Long Beach, Louisiana State University, University of North Florida, Stetson University, the MTAC, the FSMTNA, Classical Encounters Recital Series, the Springfield Museum of Art, and the William S. Hart Museum.
Mr. Pifer has actively served as an adjudicator for over 20 competitions and festivals throughout California and San Salvador, ran a successful private studio in Santa Clarita , California for 10 years and many of his students have won many competitions, and been accepted as both undergraduate and graduate students at such universities as: University of California Santa Barbara, University of Southern California, Ohio State University, Arizona State University, Miami University, C. S. U. Long Beach, and many others. Besides teaching solo, collaborative, class piano, jazz improvisation, and composition, Mr. Pifer’s specialties include piano pedagogy with a focus in injury prevention, and the music of Alexander Tcherepnin and late Beethoven. Joshua has also served as a choral conductor and organist for several churches, and taught general music at elementary schools.
Mr. Pifer completed his Bachelors in pre-medicine, piano, and organ at the Wittenberg University, Masters in piano at Miami University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Southern California with honors. His major teachers have been Antoinette Perry, Stewart Gordon, Dennis Thurmond, Robert Thomas, Donald Busarow, Magen Solomon, Sharon Lavery, and Robert Howat.
