Heather S. Bissell

Bradenton, FL      

Mission:  to provide quality piano, voice, and music education to all ages.  To skillfully coordinate and communicate with faculty, students, parents, and administrative staff at all levels of academic life and development.

Piano Emphasis:  Classical—with intro. to blues, rock, and jazz.  Suzuki & Traditional

Vocal Emphasis:  Classical, Broadway, Pop

Education:  

2019               Practicum Suzuki Institute, Hartt School, CT

2018               Dalcroze Certification Level II, Unit 7 Suzuki, SPA

2017               Dalcroze Certification Level I, Suzuki Units 4 and 6, Colorado & Hartt

2016               Arts Administration Certification (Pending), Boston University

2015               Registered for Suzuki Units 3 and 5, University of Tenn. & Hartt School

2010               MA in Music Education, Kodaly emphasis—Franz Liszt Academy of Music/Kodaly Institute, Budapest, Hungary.  Graduated Summa Cum Laude

2009               Artist Diploma: Kodaly Institute, Kecskemet, HU, Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Valedictorian

2007               Kodaly Summer Institute– Piano Pedagogy, Kecskemet, Hungary

2005-06         Registered Suzuki Units, ECC, 1, 2– Hartt School of Music

2003-05         MM Piano Performance/Pedagogy—Hartt School of Music, CT.  Graduated Summa Cum Laude

1995-00         BM of Dental Science in Hygiene–University of New England, Portland, ME.  Graduated Summa Cum Laude

1993-95         Undergraduate Piano Performance–University of Southern Maine, Gorham, ME.  Minor:  Vocal Performance.

Teaching/Administrative Experience

KDS Integrated Piano Academy

2022–present Founder and Director

Suzuki Institute School of Music, Sarasota FL  

2021-2022 Creator and Director of Suzuki Piano Program, Assistant Dir. of School

Integrative Teaching Strategies 

2019–present Founder and Director 

MA Suzuki Association  

2018-2019     Director MA Suzuki Festival  

2017-2018     Co-director MA Suzuki Festival

National Guild of Piano Teachers

2017-              Adjudicator

North Shore Piano Teachers Guild

2017-2018     Board member, Corresponding Secretary

Winchester Community Music School, Winchester MA 01890

2013-              Director of Suzuki Piano Program.  Suzuki Group Class Professor:  ECC, Units 1-7+

2012-              Piano Dept. Chair, Spearheaded Adult Learner Programming– Adult Musical Soiree.  Implemented Piano Master class Series, Honors recitals, and bi-annual Two-Piano Concert at Steinert and Sons in Boston 

2011-              Director of Summer Piano Festival and Music Reader Presto Program.  Professor Music Theory/Group Keyboard Musicianship/Ear Training.  Core building Exercises for Pianists and Choral Conductor–Festival Chorus

2010-              Piano/Group Keyboard Faculty

Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, Portsmouth NH

2010-2011     Piano Faculty/Early Childhood Music

Kodaly Institute, Kecskemet HU

2010               Presentation: Schubert—His life, the Man and His Choral Works

2008-2010     Graduate Teaching: Solfege Methodology/Choral Conducting

                        Presentation: Brahms and the German Requiem

2008               Presentation: American Folk Music

Hartt School of Music, Univ. of Hartford, West Hartford CT

2007-2008     Suzuki Piano Faculty–Hartt Community Division

2003-2008     Piano Faculty – Community Div. (all ages), Keyboard Lab Collegiate Faculty (sub.)

2003-2005     Teaching Assistantship w/Margreet Francis (Co-chair Piano Dept.)

Private Studio: Piano and Voice, and Music Education: ME, MA, CT

2010-              Private Studio:  Swampscott, MA (age 4-Adults)

1998-2008     Private Studio: Swampscott and Salem, MA, and Avon, CT.

1998               Guest Speaker/Performer—Grade 6-8–Swampscott Middle School

1996               Summer Musical Theater Dance–Old Orchard Beach, ME

1993-1998     Piano Teacher–Southern Maine Region: OOB, Kennebunkport, Gorham, White Rock, and Portland (ages 6-16)

1990-2003     Workshops:  Fundamentals in Theory, Sight Singing & Ear Training, The History of Keyboard Instruments, The Piano—Inside and Out; The Mechanics of Sound, Learning the Instruments of the Orchestra

1993               Summer Piano Faculty at Sebago Music Camp K-8–Sebago, ME

1989-1991     Private Studio Piano (ages 7-12), Founder of  “Heathers Kids” free dance studio–Presque Isle, ME

Professional Experience

2014                           Guest Artist:  Art Exhibit, First Parish Church, Saco, ME

2010-Present             Professional pianist, Collaborator on Concert for Kids Series (“Mozart”, “Bartaok,” “Bartok,” “Little Mook”) Professor, accompanist, studio recording artist, choral conductor WCMS

2008-2010                 Solo Performer, Chamber Music, and Vocal Lesson Collaborator Kodaly Institute of Music, Hungary

2005                           Touring Artist: Hartt Concert Choir, Ed Bolkovac, dir.–Hungary, Austria, Germany, Czech. Republic. (Discography)

2004                           Touring Artist: Hartt, Chamber Singers, Carolina Florez, dir., Barcelona, Benicasim, Peniscola, Velencia, Spain. (Discography)

2001-2003                 Pianist—Christian Science Church, Marblehead, MA

1995-Present             Professional Musician piano/voice–ME, MA, CT                           

1996, 1997                 Professional Actress, Singer, Dancer—Maine State Music Theater (Equity), Brunswick, ME