Stephany Tiernan

Stephany Tiernan, composer, pianist, author, teacher, educational leader and Steinway Artist has been active in the presentation of new music since the ‘70s.  She is Chair Emerita of the Piano Department and a Professor at Berklee College of Music, the world’s largest independent music college and premier institution for the study of contemporary music.  She has been teaching composition, analysis and piano for over 40 years and has influenced many of the successful composers and pianists of today. She is the author of a book/video on Contemporary Piano Technique, published by Berklee Press/Hal Leonard called Contemporary Technique : Coordinating Breathe, Movement and Sound, developed by Stephany as a continuation of the groundbreaking work of Mme. Margaret Chaloff. This approach to piano technique has been used by thousands of pianists worldwide.

She has performed much of the world’s greatest contemporary piano literature in many of its’ prestigious halls.  Performances have included music by Charles Ives, John Cage, Henry Cowell and many others.  She has performed and recorded much of her own piano music and her works are often inspired by her interest and studies in Irish culture and language.  She has used visual imagery, poetry, ancient sean-nós singing, celtic symbols, festivals, holy places, etc. for her inspiration and has created pieces that connect her to her Irish roots. Her piano compositions, including a piano quintet, are featured on her CD, “Hauntings:Scream of Consciousness”.  Dedicated to the art of improvisation, her collaborations with internationally acclaimed jazz pianist, JoAnne Brackeen, resulted in their widely acclaimed piano duet recording called “Which is Which”, which eliminates the boundaries between classical and jazz piano playing.