Piano Lessons with Samantha M.

Samantha Martinez-Brockhus holds a real passion for piano and for teaching music. She is a recipient of the Carol Nott Pedagogy Prize in 2016 from the Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she minored in pedagogy. Later, at the University of Oklahoma, she received a double Masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. Following that, she served as the Applied Piano Teaching Assistant for non-major applied lessons as well as for both music major and non-major class piano instruction at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She was then awarded the Applied Piano Teaching Assistantship to both individual private undergraduate music lessons as well as instruction for non-major class piano for all college students at the University of Minnesota. Past students of hers have participated in MTNA’s Fall Festivals where they have received superior and superior plus ratings, performed in an Honors Recital in Oklahoma, and participate in MMTA’s Comprehensive piano exams. Currently faculty of the City Strings and Piano as a piano teaching artist, Samantha is excited to teach students of all ages.

Samantha has studied pedagogy with Andrea McAlister, Barbara Fast, and Jane Magrath.

Samantha also holds degrees in Piano Performance; she graduated from Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Oberlin College and Conservatory, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Minnesota. She also has received an Artist Certificate from the University of Tennessee,Knoxville.

Samantha’s solo performances stretch from the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria to Miami to the Midwest. As part of Interlochen’s 50th Anniversary Piano Tour, Samantha performed throughout Michigan. Samantha has also participated in the Montecito International Music Festival in California. She has held and participated in a series of concerts at her home in Wisconsin, performed a duo concert in Oklahoma, was the designated violin studio accompanist to Geoffrey Herd and vocal accompanist to Scott Skoog in Knoxville, Tennessee. She has also been featured in and recorded for Gian Afrisando’s music video, “Tangguh”, performed with Minnesota’s Golden Valley Orchestra, and collaborated with visiting artist André Chiang at the University of Minnesota in November 2024.

Throughout the past five summers, Samantha has performed with the Interlochen Arts Academy’s music department, where she has premiered Ben Lohrberg’s junior musical theater production of “Imagine It!”, in 2022, as well as performing with the high school and junior instrumental departments. These past two summers, she performed with their vocal department’s junior choirs, and intermediate choirs and operettas. She has performed in three Gilbert and Sullivan operetta’s: “Pirates of Penzance”, “H.M.S. Pinafore” and “The Gondoliers”, and is eagerly awaiting next year’s production of “Princess Ida”.Samantha has studied piano performance with Belinda Green, Natalia Berdnikova, Mark Davis, Stefanie Jacobs, Eun-Joo Kwak, TJ Lymenstull, Angela Cheng, Jeongwon Ham, Igor Lipinski, Chih-Long Hu, Kyong Kim, and Paul Shaw.

Teaching Philosophy:

My teaching philosophy is based on leading the student to self-discovery, by helping the student to understand and interpret what is written on the page. Playing piano, or any instrument for that matter, helps us to shape who we will become by building character and while enhancing the spirit and feeding the soul. Music instruction promises enormous opportunities for a positive impact on a student’s life. In addition to approaching each teaching experience with my set of tools and personal style, I seek to understand how the student learns best. My main goal is to point them in the right direction as efficiently and effectively as I can. I strive to create a calm atmosphere and safe environment for the students to release the mind from outside distractions and concerns. I often share with students the importance of self-care, whether it’s reading a novel they find engrossing or taking the time for early morning meditation. As a way to help my students–especially of this generation, so pervasively afflicted with anxiety and other challenges in mental health–I seek to find ways to restore the peace and gratification that are so important to pursuing musical performance at the highest level. As a former competitive gymnast, I have found the metaphor of dance to be enormously helpful in my teaching. During lessons, or master classes, I may ask that students physically move to their music, whether it be in the lesson or in private, in hopes that in their preparation, practice, and even performance they are able to derive great inspiration and physical grace at the piano. I strongly encourage meditation, to connect to the inner body as well. Body, mind, and spirit, is what I bring to my own teaching and performance; and this is ultimately what I will pass on to my students. It is important to ask about how my students view spirituality, God, atheism, or other religions. Spirituality also helps to connect us to the spirit of the music, and allows the student to feel freedom in showing their true and deep emotions. Connecting with students during their lesson times, before and after class, and especially in one on one conversations assist in building deeper bonds. Any composer can be used in teaching as developing one's own idea about a story in their own imaginal and spiritual world. A supportive atmosphere where the students feel they are capable, is the ideal environment in which they will thrive. Interactions with students and teachers should therefore be positive ones. Achieving artistic success is definitely rewarding for myself and for the students as well.