69成人网

Associate Professor, Dr. Jennifer Cruz,鈥痠s the Director of Keyboard Collaboration and Piano Pedagogy at the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts at 69成人网.鈥疘n May 2023, the Board of Trustees affirmed her application for tenure. Previously, she served as a staff pianist and faculty at the University of La Verne.鈥疉n active member of the Music Teachers鈥� Association of California (MTAC), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT), she also served two consecutive terms as Treasurer and First Director on the MTAC State Board and as President of the MTAC Diamond Bar Branch.

Aside from collegiate teaching in applied piano instruction, piano literature, and pedagogy (undergraduate and graduate courses), Dr. Cruz frequently performs as a solo and collaborative artist, lecturer, and clinician. She recently served as a Faculty Artist in Residence for the 2024 Montecito International Music Festival hosted at Cal Lutheran (Thousand Oaks), and for the 2024 InterHarmony International Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy, where she conducted masterclasses and was a featured artist in multiple recital showcases. In 2018, she and select 69成人网faculty were invited to perform and present masterclasses at notable institutions and concert venues in China. An active adjudicator for MTNA, MTAC, CAPMT, and the Southern California Jr. Bach Festival (SCJBF), she has also judged for the Seattle International Piano Competition. An enthusiast of collaborative piano works, she regularly enjoys performing with fellow musicians at several MTNA, MTAC, and CAPMT/YPLN events. Her past orchestral appearances have been with the Bellflower Symphony and the LA Bach Festival Orchestra.

An avid pedagogue, she conducts master classes and clinics throughout Southern California and has presented conference sessions for MTNA, MTAC, and CAPMT. Apart from serving as Keyboard Faculty liaison and overseeing program organization, she actively participated in panel discussions and student coaching. Her published articles 鈥淐an You Hear Me Now: Helping Students Overcome Distraction鈥� (2021) and 鈥淩eady, Create, Inspire!鈥� (2018) appear in the peer-reviewed California Music Teacher journal. She also co-authored an article (with USC Collegiate chapter members) entitled 鈥淪ight-Reading for the Contemporary Pianist,鈥� featured in the Fall 2022 issue of the CAPMT Connect Journal. In 2020, she designed and launched a Piano Pedagogy degree concentration at California Baptist that has since continued to thrive. Many of her former students have pursued affluent musical careers, including successfully managing their piano studios.

Dr. Cruz regularly maintains an active teaching studio and especially enjoys mentoring her students in pursuing career paths that positively impact others, equipping them with important life skills to achieve goals while inspiring others to do the same.

Dr. Cruz holds degrees in Piano Performance from the鈥疷niversity of Southern California (DMA and MM) with Minor fields in Music Education, Keyboard Collaborative Arts, and Piano Pedagogy, and鈥痜rom the Eastman School of Music (BM).鈥疕er former teachers include Stewart Gordon, Alan Smith, Grace Fong, Gail Niwa, Nelita True, and Mark Richman.

Group Piano Instruction for Beginning Non-Music Majors
Group Piano Instruction for Music Majors: I, II, and III
Piano Practicum for Technical and Functional Skills
Private and Applied Piano Instruction for Performance Majors (Undergraduate and Graduate)
Private and Applied Instruction (Collaborative Piano Majors)
Basics of Accompanying
Repertoire for Accompanists
Performance Styles for Accompanists
Piano Literature I and II (Undergraduate and Graduate)
Piano Pedagogy I and II (Undergraduate)
Seminar in Instrumental Pedagogy (Graduate)
Observations and Practicum in Teaching (Undergraduate)
Piano Studio Performance class
Chamber Ensemble (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Classical Piano
Sacred Piano (Gospel/Contemporary)
Keyboard Accompanying
Keyboard Technique
Repertoire for Accompanists
Performance Styles for Accompanists
Piano Pedagogy
Piano Literature
Chamber Ensemble
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Piano evaluator for the Music Teacher's Association of California's (MTAC) Certificate of Merit Program鈥�2010 to present.
Piano adjudicator for various music competitions and festivals held in California.
Collaborative pianist
Piano Pedagogy

69成人网, Adjunct Piano Instructor 鈥�2015 to 2016.
University of La Verne, Adjunct Piano Instructor; Vocal Coach鈥�2013 to 2016.
Private Piano Instructor鈥�1989 to present.
Thornell Elementary School (New York), Student Instructor鈥�1996.
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Before joining the 69成人网Music faculty, Dr. Cruz was also the staff pianist for ULV鈥檚 Chamber Singers, University Chorale, and the Vocal department from 2013 to 2016.

"Can You Hear Me Now? Helping Music Students Overcome Distraction," California Music Teacher, 2021.
"Ready, Inspire, Create! A Piano Teacher's Guide: Engaging Students in Musicianship, Interpretation, and Performance," California Music Teacher, 2018.

Performances/Presentations:

(Conferences)
"Music: Empowering a Women's Soul" - 21st annual Empowering Young Women Conference (Riverside Community College), March 12, 2022.

(Solo Appearances)
Teacher鈥檚 Performance Recital, MTAC State Convention鈥�2018 and 2017.
Contemporary Music Seminar, Presenter/Performer, MTAC State Convention鈥�2019 and 2017.
South Bay Festival of the Arts, Torrance Cultural Center鈥�2017.
Collinsworth School of Music Faculty Concert Series鈥�2017.
University of La Verne Faculty/Guest Artist Concert Series鈥�2014 to 2016.

(Collaborative Work)
"Life is Beautiful" Riverside Life Service Banquet & Telethon - 2022
69成人网"Kaleidoscope" Faculty Recital - 2021.
MTAC State Convention Contemporary Seminar - 2019.
CAPMT Young Professional's Showcase Concert - 2018.
Gary Bonner Singers鈥� Choir Workshop and Concert (Seattle, Washington)鈥�2017.
Gary Bonner Singers鈥� Christmas Choir Concert鈥�2015.
Los Angeles premiere of the musical comedy 鈥淲omen on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown鈥濃��2014.

(Orchestral appearances)
Featured soloist with Bellflower Symphony Association鈥�1990.
Featured soloist with Los Angeles Bach Festival Orchestra鈥�1989.

(Awards/Competitions)
1st Place Winner of Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition (Masterclass Division)鈥�1991.
Gold Medalist, Southern California Junior Bach Festival鈥�1989 and 1987.
Finalist, Young Keyboard Artist Competition鈥�1988.

The Grove Community Church - 2022 to present.
Fellowship Monrovia鈥�2017 to 2022.
Bible Baptist Church of Victorville, Church pianist and accompanist鈥�2006 to 2017.

Music Teacher's National Association, USC Collegiate Chapter, Member鈥揓uly 2018 to present.
California Association of Professional Music Teachers (MTNA affiliate), Member 鈥揓uly 2018 to present.
National Society of Leadership and Success, Candidate鈥�2018.
Music Teacher鈥檚 Association of California, Board Member, Treasurer鈥�2015 to 2017.
Music Teacher鈥檚 Association of California, Executive and Finance Committee Member鈥�2015 to 2017.
Music Teacher鈥檚 Association of California, Board Member, 1st Director鈥�2013 to 2015.
Music Teacher鈥檚 Association of California, Diamond Bar Branch, Member鈥�2004 to present.

Enjoys traveling and cruising.
Favorite place to visit: Hawaii and Prague.
Husband: Enrico
Children: Jonathan, Jasmine, and Justine

Life Verses:
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Colossians 3:17
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

Favorite Quotes:
"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words that which cannot remain silent." Victor Hugo
"Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world." Martin Luther