Piano

The Stivers School for the Arts Piano Magnet offers serious young pianists in grades 7-12 a unique opportunity to be in an intensive and varied musical program.  Our Piano Magnet has 15 full size, weighed keys Kawai keyboards, a six foot Steinway Grand, two Kawai Grands and two Kawai concert uprights for students use. 

 

Our department cultivates complete musicianship skills, which includes:  piano performance techniques with expressive playing, written theory skill, knowledge of music history, and concert deportment.  Our mission is to foster musical, educational, personal, and social development through solo and group preparation and performance.

 

Students received a private lesson each week from professional pianists on staff.  Those private instructors are Cissy matthews (427-2138) and Bernadette O'Conor.

 

Stivers’ Pianists compete annually at the OMEA (Ohio Music Educator Association ) Competition and the OMTA ( Ohio Music Teachers Association ) Scales Contest at Wright State University.  Stivers’ Pianists perform an average of eight concerts each year across the Miami Valley.  The department presents a winter and a spring concert at the school.

 

Ringing Tigers Handbells 

 

The Ringing Tigers Handbells were formed in 1998 and have become well known for exciting presentations of a variety of music.  The group consists of eighth through twelfth graders who ring a five-octave set of Schulmerich handbells.  The group meets daily to learn music theory, ringing techniques, showmanship, and a great variety of musical styles from classical pieces to the latest pop genres.

 

The Ringing Tigers have been invited five times to perform at the Ohio Music Educator Conference since 1998.  In November of 2003, the AGEHR Committee for Handbells and Handchimes in Music Education presented Stivers’ handbell program the 2003 Exemplary Award for Handbells/Handchimes.  Stivers was one of two nationwide selected for this honor.

 

Each school year, they present 20-30 concerts throughtout the Greater Dayton area.  Starting in 2005, they began touring out of state.  They have had performance tours to:  Toronto and Niagara Falls, Canada, Philadephia area, New York City and the Caribbean.  They have previously performed on a cruise ship “Celebration” and will return to the seas in Spring of 2010 to perform on the cruise ship ”Fascination”.

 

For more information, please contact Royce Edwards-Kenion at rakenion@dps.k12.oh.us.

 

For audition information for Grades 7-8, please go to the 7-8 Audition Information page HERE.

For audition information for Grades 9-12, please go to the 9-12 Audition Information page HERE.

 

For performance information, please see the calendar.