• Learn from world-class professionals Dr. Aaron Kruz and Dr. Vivian Anderson.
• Watch 4 talented piano students perform and receive live critiques.
• Gain invaluable tips to enhance your own lessons!

Engaging audiences with his charismatic and moving performances, pianist Aaron Kurz enjoys a burgeoning career. Aaron has soloed with numerous orchestras and across three continents, in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Salle Cortot, and the Palace of Peace and Harmony in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. His performances have been lauded by the press, called both “nuanced musical journeys” (Belgium’s “Le Soir”) and “a lesson in pianism” (England’s “Cambridge Independent”).

Aaron’s playing has also garnered recognition in competitions, winning top prizes in the New
York, Los Angeles, Virginia Waring, and World Piano Teachers Association International Piano Competitions, among others. He holds recent degrees from SFCM (studying with Jon Nakamatsu and Jeremy Denk) and Yale (with Boris Berman), and he is now pursuing his DMA at the University of Texas with Anton Nel. In his spare time, he loves watching sports, reading, and spending time with his friends and fiancée, Vivian.

Known for her imaginative and colorful performances, Dr. Vivian Anderson is emerging as both a performer and teacher with dazzling artistry and intellectual depth. A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, she was surrounded by the arts at a young age and began piano lessons at age five after teaching herself to read music. In August 2024, she started her own private music studio, Animato Piano Academy, where she aims to provide high-quality piano instruction to South Austin students. She also teaches part-time at Clavier-Werke School of Music and St. Andrew’s Epsicopal School. In addition to teaching, Dr. Anderson enjoys performing and speaking about music. She is particularly interested in 20th century music and has done extensive research and performance of piano works by French composer Olivier Messiaen. She is also a very skilled collaborative pianist and loves working with other musicians and artists. Her hobbies outside of music include cooking, reading, crafting, and spending time with friends.

Dr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of
Michigan, a Master of Music in piano performance from Indiana University, and a Doctor of Music in piano performance from Florida State University.