Piano
The Piano is one of the most diverse and popular instruments today. It has the ability to play in any key, at any time, and has been used as a solo, group, and orchestral instrument for hundreds of years.
Our Piano Educators:
Luann Fife, Piano
Along with being the director of the Idaho Music Academy, Luann has been a piano teacher since 1988 and maintains a private piano studio of students who are located throughout the Treasure Valley. She has been a collaborative pianist for all instruments for all ages and abilities including Boise State University, and an active judge for piano festivals throughout the state.
Luann graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Boise State University and will complete the Master of Music with the graduate recital. In addition, she has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The director of Idaho Music Academy: Luann Fife:
Experience:
• Piano teacher since 1988 and maintains a private piano studio of students who are located throughout the Treasure Valley.
• Collaborative pianist for all instruments for all ages and abilities including Boise State University.
• Active judge for piano festivals throughout the state.
Education:
• Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Boise State University and will complete the Master of Music with the graduate recital.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Leadership:
Former State President for the Idaho Federation of Music Clubs, which awards up to $80.000 in scholarships each year. Former President of Sigma Theta Tau, Mu Gamma Chapter, the nursing honor society, for the second term. Church Pianist Chairman for the String Festival for Boise Tuesday Musicale Chairman of the Sonatina Festival for Idaho Music Teacher’s Association.
Jeremy Schrepple, Classic and Jazz Piano
Jeremy knows it’s never too late to play well because he took only two and a half years of formal piano lessons as a kid and did not begin lessons again until age 22. At that time he enrolled at Boise State University as a music composition major. There he also focused on piano performance, played piano in the Boise State Jazz Big Band, composed an orchestral work premiered by the Boise State University Symphony Orchestra, and won the 2005 Boise State Concerto Competition for piano.
After graduating from Boise State he moved to New York City where he earned a Master of Music and Performing Arts at New York University. During that time he scored several movies, played jazz piano, and completed the intensive curriculum at the European American Musical Alliance in Paris during the interim summer.
In 2007 he moved to Los Angeles where he placed third in the T.C.M. Young Film Composers Competition, continued scoring for film, and composed the principal thematic music for the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
He is currently residing in Boise and likes anything music related, especially helping people play piano and compose music well. He loves music mostly for the pure enjoyment it gives and hopes his students will find the same!
Bozena Kinalski
Bozena Kinalski is a piano instructor with over 25 years of experience. She grew up in Poland where she studied piano at the School for the Performing Arts and also was a vocal recording artist. She attended Music Conservatory in Poland where she studied piano pedagogy and later received her degree in Piano Performance from University of Central Oklahoma. She has been teaching in Houston, Oklahoma City and now for the last 15 years in Boise. She is a member of Music Teacher’s National Association and Boise Tuesday Musicale and is a past member of Opera Idaho where she performed as a chorus member and a soloist.
Michael Schwartz
Serving the Boise community as an active teacher, performer, and collaborative pianist, Michael Schwartz began formal music studies at the age of five. In 2007 he completed a Bachelor of Music in piano performance alongside a Bachelor of Arts in music history from the Lionel Hampton School of Music at University of Idaho. Most recently, Michael finished a Master of Music in piano performance from Boise State University in May 2011. Collegiate studio teachers have included Drs. Jay and Sandra Mauchley, Dr. Enrico Elisi, Prof. Mykola Suk, Dr. Anna Kijanowska, and Dr. Del Parkinson. Performance opportunities in master classes have provided for world-class instruction from Nelita True, Jerome Rose, Jerome Lowenthal, Walter Ponce, and Daniel Shapiro. Having developed a profound love and appreciation for classical music, Michael hopes to not only satisfy the curiosities and desires of aspiring musicians and pianists, but to share the limitless and impassioned beauty of this timeless music.
Dr. Svetlana Nagachevskaya-Maddox, Pianist
Email: snagachevskayamaddox@cwidaho.cc
Svetlana came to the United States in 1999 after completing her Master’s degree in Piano Performance at Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow, Russia.
In 2002 she earned her second Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Boise State University (studying with Dr. Del Parkinson).
In December 2009 Svetlana received her Doctorate Degree in Piano Performance at the University of Arizona.
Svetlana made her Carnegie Hall Debut in May of 2009 after winning the First Prize in the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York City. Svetlana was also awarded the First Prize at the prestigious Green Valley Piano Competition in Arizona in 2003; won Concerto Aria Competition and performed Chopin Piano Concerto in F Minor with Boise State Student Orchestra in 2001; became the Northern Division finalist at the prestigious Music Teachers National Association Competition in Portland, Oregon in 2000.
Svetlana was invited to play a solo recital at the 15th Anniversary Chopin Music Festival held at the Chamizal National Memorial Theater in El Paso. This solo recital took place on October 3, 2009 and consisted of works by Chopin, including Nocturne, Mazurkas, B minor Piano Sonata as well as Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
Dr. Nagachevskaya-Maddox was invited to perform at the American Center for Polish Culture in the Kosciuszko Foundation Auditorium in New York City in December 2009.
Dr. Nagachevskaya-Maddox actively collaborates with Boise State University. In spring 2009 and 2011 she was invited to judge the preliminary Concerto Area Competitions; in September 2010 Svetlana was a guest artist in a chamber music recital featuring the Faculty Artists Series.
Dr. Nagachevskaya-Maddox is an Adjunct faculty at the College of Western Idaho teaching Music Appreciation courses. In Fall 2011 Svetlana was invited to teach at Boise State University, substituting for Dr. Del Parkinson. Her duties include teaching Piano Pedagogy course and private piano lessons to graduate and undergraduate Piano Majors. In spring 2011 Svetlana has established her private piano studio at Vista Music Academy.
