معرفی
Rachel Heard serves as Associate Professor of Music at Millsaps College, where she teaches piano performance, music theory, and music history while maintaining an active international career as a fortepiano performer and lecturer specializing in period performance practice.
Her academic credentials include:
- Bachelor of Music (B.M.) and Master of Music (M.M.) from The Juilliard School
- Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) from Rutgers University
Professor Heard's research centers on 18th-century keyboard performance, focusing on authentic interpretation through historical techniques. Her expertise in fortepiano practice informs both scholarly presentations at international conferences and pedagogical approaches in the classroom, with particular emphasis on Haydn and J.C. Bach's works as demonstrated in her Naxos recordings.
Her distinguished service includes:
- 2008-09 Millsaps College Outstanding Young Faculty Award
- 2017 Humanities Teaching Award from Mississippi Humanities Council
- 35+ years of active Music Teachers National Association membership
- Mississippi MTNA State President (2008-2010)
Through extensive lecturing at institutions across six continents and leadership in professional organizations, she bridges academic research with practical music pedagogy while maintaining a robust performance schedule.
