This page is perpetually under construction as my students continue to achieve great things! I only publish a first initial unless the student has requested a "shout-out" with their full name or the accolade has been published with the student's full name elsewhere, like on a public concert program. When you enroll in Studio DiPaolo, you can choose how (or if) your achievements will be listed on this Hall of Fame page.
March 2026 - Huge congratulations to collaborative partner L., who placed first in her musical theater division at this year's mid-south NATS competition and third in her classical division! She additionally distinguished herself by being one of only two singers to make the finals in both classical and MT categories, which require distinct vocal techniques, making L. a "multi-instrumentalist" at a very high level. Collaborative partner G. also made the finals in her classical category and collaborative partner A. made the semi-finals in both classical and MT categories. Congrats to all that I had the pleasure of performing with this weekend!
July 2025 - Warmest congratulations to historical composition student G., who was accepted to the San Francisco Conservatory's preparatory program in piano performance. The outstanding musicianship you've developed in part through our studies certainly distinguished you among everyone auditioning this year!
March 2025 - Additional congratulations to music theory student D. who, in addition to doing very well in this year's graduate admissions cycle (see below), has had a paper on Liszt's use of Galant schemata accepted to this year's Galant Schema Studies online conference. I expect that your work will contribute significantly to the literature on schema usage in the Romantic-era standard repertoire.
March 2025 - Congratulations to music theory student D., who was accepted, with nearly full funding across the board, to 7 wonderful graduate programs in music theory: UNT, CCM, IU, the University of Oregon, Louisiana State University, the University of Iowa, and Western University (Canada), as well as one waitlist (CUNY). I anticipate that this is the start of a fulfilling career in music theory for you--your work already shows great promise.
July 2024 - Congratulations to historical composition/improvisation student G., who successfully auditioned for a specialized graduate school program in improvisation in Germany! Your skills and potential are obvious to all who listen.
June 2024 - Congratulations to collaborative partners P., S., and E., who won their respective divisions of the Tennessee Music Teachers' Association State Performance Competition!
February 2024 - Congratulations to collaborative partner C., who won the Nashville Symphony's Curb Concerto Competition and may be performing with the Nashville Symphony as a result! It was great to share the Schermerhorn stage with you and help bring out your artistry.
December 2023 - Congratulations to partimento and historical improvisation student S., who conducted several well-received opera performances this month and has been putting those partimento studies to good use in preparing the scores!
August 2023 - Congratulations to composition student C., who has been invited to embark on both a commissioned song cycle composition project and a set of invited concerts as a performer this coming season.
May 2023 - Congratulations to everyone who submitted to the Listening House Studios The Next Big Thing composition/performance competition! Evaluating so many creative and promising compositions was a challenge of the best kind.
May 2023 - Congratulations to all the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association Keystone Composition Competition entrants who submitted this year! It was difficult to choose the winners because so many quality compositions were submitted in each division.
April 2023 - Congratulations to everyone who competed at the OMTA Middle East District Buckeye Auditions and advanced to States! It was a pleasure evaluating such excellent playing.
December 2022 - Congratulations to piano student N. for performing at the CSM Fall Recital and always preparing an impressive variety of repertoire. Your future is bright and I look forward to watching you grow.
October 2022 - Congratulations to partimento student P. for having his string quartet chosen for a quartet reading session at his graduate program! The piece was well received.
May 2022 - Congratulations to piano students L., N., and J. for presenting great performances at the CSM Spring Recitals this year. This marks J's first recital with us, and J's performance featured his own composition, which is particularly notable for a new pianist and recital participant!
May 2022 - Congratulations to historical composition/partimento student W. for winning a commendation at his school concerto competition--with his own composition, a piano concerto in the classical style! Given that classical-style concerti rarely win concerto competitions as a rule (compared to barnstormers from the late Romantic era), this is a particularly exceptional win for W.
April 2022 - Congratulations to everyone who submitted scores for the PMTA Keystone Composition Competition, which I have the pleasure of adjudicating again this year. Best of luck to everyone who is advancing to the MTNA regional division and I hope you find my comments and exercise suggestions helpful!
March 2022 - Congratulations to partimento and historical improvisation student P., who was recently accepted to both Michigan State for graduate work in composition (ETA: he was also awarded a scholarship!) and the EAMA summer 2022 composition and musicianship program in Paris. In addition, he received the top fellowship available for EAMA participants. Enjoy these life-changing experiences!
December 2021 - Congratulations to piano students L. and N., who participated in their first-ever school-wide recitals at CSM! You both played beautifully and made us all proud, and I expect many more great performances in the future.
August 2021 - Congratulations to music theory student G., who earned the second-highest exam score in the incoming 2021 cohort on her doctoral music theory and aural skills entrance exams this fall! Enjoy that extra free time!
December 2020 - Congratulations to the young composers who participated in the Carrollton, TX MTA Composition Competition, which I had the pleasure of adjudicating for the second time. I hope you've found my comments and suggestions useful in your growth as composers!
November 2020 - Congratulations to piano students R. and N., who performed in their first-ever piano recitals at my in-person studios this fall! You both performed with poise and authority and I expect many more fine performances in the future.
July 2020 - Congratulations to former music theory student H., who recently published a book on Franz Liszt! While we didn't work together on the book's contents, I had the pleasure of hearing about the preliminary research and analysis that would eventually go into the book. I know I'll find it useful in my collaborative piano pursuits as well!
June 2020 - Congratulations to everyone who entered and advanced in the PMTA Keystone Composition Competition! I enjoyed adjudicating your entries and look forward to seeing how your composition pursuits advance in the future. The results will be out soon.
August 2019 - Music theory student L. successfully tested out of her graduate written theory review course requirement at her new university, where she's on a full performance and TA scholarship. Congratulations and enjoy that extra free time!
April 2019 - Congratulations to piano student J., who successfully passed her piano proficiency exam for her master's program at IU! Due to her diligent practice and our work together, the examiners specifically congratulated her on her excellent preparation.
December 2018 - Congratulations to piano student B., who successfully passed her piano proficiency exam for her master's program at IU! The excellent work she put in will also serve her well as she prepares to teach pre-college music courses in the schools that will include some keyboard instruction, too.
March 2018 - Piano student Clara S. was featured in a Brown County Parks fundraising concert with acclaimed young violinist Maria S. I had the pleasure of coaching them both as they prepared this concert program, which featured music by Copland, Brahms, and W. G. Still. Congratulations!
February 2018 - Congratulations to music theory student C. on passing her doctoral minor field exam in music theory at IU!
March 2026 - Huge congratulations to collaborative partner L., who placed first in her musical theater division at this year's mid-south NATS competition and third in her classical division! She additionally distinguished herself by being one of only two singers to make the finals in both classical and MT categories, which require distinct vocal techniques, making L. a "multi-instrumentalist" at a very high level. Collaborative partner G. also made the finals in her classical category and collaborative partner A. made the semi-finals in both classical and MT categories. Congrats to all that I had the pleasure of performing with this weekend!
July 2025 - Warmest congratulations to historical composition student G., who was accepted to the San Francisco Conservatory's preparatory program in piano performance. The outstanding musicianship you've developed in part through our studies certainly distinguished you among everyone auditioning this year!
March 2025 - Additional congratulations to music theory student D. who, in addition to doing very well in this year's graduate admissions cycle (see below), has had a paper on Liszt's use of Galant schemata accepted to this year's Galant Schema Studies online conference. I expect that your work will contribute significantly to the literature on schema usage in the Romantic-era standard repertoire.
March 2025 - Congratulations to music theory student D., who was accepted, with nearly full funding across the board, to 7 wonderful graduate programs in music theory: UNT, CCM, IU, the University of Oregon, Louisiana State University, the University of Iowa, and Western University (Canada), as well as one waitlist (CUNY). I anticipate that this is the start of a fulfilling career in music theory for you--your work already shows great promise.
July 2024 - Congratulations to historical composition/improvisation student G., who successfully auditioned for a specialized graduate school program in improvisation in Germany! Your skills and potential are obvious to all who listen.
June 2024 - Congratulations to collaborative partners P., S., and E., who won their respective divisions of the Tennessee Music Teachers' Association State Performance Competition!
February 2024 - Congratulations to collaborative partner C., who won the Nashville Symphony's Curb Concerto Competition and may be performing with the Nashville Symphony as a result! It was great to share the Schermerhorn stage with you and help bring out your artistry.
December 2023 - Congratulations to partimento and historical improvisation student S., who conducted several well-received opera performances this month and has been putting those partimento studies to good use in preparing the scores!
August 2023 - Congratulations to composition student C., who has been invited to embark on both a commissioned song cycle composition project and a set of invited concerts as a performer this coming season.
May 2023 - Congratulations to everyone who submitted to the Listening House Studios The Next Big Thing composition/performance competition! Evaluating so many creative and promising compositions was a challenge of the best kind.
May 2023 - Congratulations to all the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association Keystone Composition Competition entrants who submitted this year! It was difficult to choose the winners because so many quality compositions were submitted in each division.
April 2023 - Congratulations to everyone who competed at the OMTA Middle East District Buckeye Auditions and advanced to States! It was a pleasure evaluating such excellent playing.
December 2022 - Congratulations to piano student N. for performing at the CSM Fall Recital and always preparing an impressive variety of repertoire. Your future is bright and I look forward to watching you grow.
October 2022 - Congratulations to partimento student P. for having his string quartet chosen for a quartet reading session at his graduate program! The piece was well received.
May 2022 - Congratulations to piano students L., N., and J. for presenting great performances at the CSM Spring Recitals this year. This marks J's first recital with us, and J's performance featured his own composition, which is particularly notable for a new pianist and recital participant!
May 2022 - Congratulations to historical composition/partimento student W. for winning a commendation at his school concerto competition--with his own composition, a piano concerto in the classical style! Given that classical-style concerti rarely win concerto competitions as a rule (compared to barnstormers from the late Romantic era), this is a particularly exceptional win for W.
April 2022 - Congratulations to everyone who submitted scores for the PMTA Keystone Composition Competition, which I have the pleasure of adjudicating again this year. Best of luck to everyone who is advancing to the MTNA regional division and I hope you find my comments and exercise suggestions helpful!
March 2022 - Congratulations to partimento and historical improvisation student P., who was recently accepted to both Michigan State for graduate work in composition (ETA: he was also awarded a scholarship!) and the EAMA summer 2022 composition and musicianship program in Paris. In addition, he received the top fellowship available for EAMA participants. Enjoy these life-changing experiences!
December 2021 - Congratulations to piano students L. and N., who participated in their first-ever school-wide recitals at CSM! You both played beautifully and made us all proud, and I expect many more great performances in the future.
August 2021 - Congratulations to music theory student G., who earned the second-highest exam score in the incoming 2021 cohort on her doctoral music theory and aural skills entrance exams this fall! Enjoy that extra free time!
December 2020 - Congratulations to the young composers who participated in the Carrollton, TX MTA Composition Competition, which I had the pleasure of adjudicating for the second time. I hope you've found my comments and suggestions useful in your growth as composers!
November 2020 - Congratulations to piano students R. and N., who performed in their first-ever piano recitals at my in-person studios this fall! You both performed with poise and authority and I expect many more fine performances in the future.
July 2020 - Congratulations to former music theory student H., who recently published a book on Franz Liszt! While we didn't work together on the book's contents, I had the pleasure of hearing about the preliminary research and analysis that would eventually go into the book. I know I'll find it useful in my collaborative piano pursuits as well!
June 2020 - Congratulations to everyone who entered and advanced in the PMTA Keystone Composition Competition! I enjoyed adjudicating your entries and look forward to seeing how your composition pursuits advance in the future. The results will be out soon.
August 2019 - Music theory student L. successfully tested out of her graduate written theory review course requirement at her new university, where she's on a full performance and TA scholarship. Congratulations and enjoy that extra free time!
April 2019 - Congratulations to piano student J., who successfully passed her piano proficiency exam for her master's program at IU! Due to her diligent practice and our work together, the examiners specifically congratulated her on her excellent preparation.
December 2018 - Congratulations to piano student B., who successfully passed her piano proficiency exam for her master's program at IU! The excellent work she put in will also serve her well as she prepares to teach pre-college music courses in the schools that will include some keyboard instruction, too.
March 2018 - Piano student Clara S. was featured in a Brown County Parks fundraising concert with acclaimed young violinist Maria S. I had the pleasure of coaching them both as they prepared this concert program, which featured music by Copland, Brahms, and W. G. Still. Congratulations!
February 2018 - Congratulations to music theory student C. on passing her doctoral minor field exam in music theory at IU!
Quick Links:
Home | About | Tuition/Info | FAQ | Piano | Theory | Partimento | Composition | Accompanying | Consulting for Teachers | Media | Shop | Contact/Enroll
Home | About | Tuition/Info | FAQ | Piano | Theory | Partimento | Composition | Accompanying | Consulting for Teachers | Media | Shop | Contact/Enroll
