Additional language spoken: Italian

I remember playing with my dolls under my mom’s baby grand piano while she was practicing. I can’t recall my first piano lesson, but I know that music has been a part of my life since I was a baby. My mom was a pianist and piano teacher, my dad loved music and used to play clarinet and guitar for me. I walked with him in my hometown marching band when he was playing bass drum.

I took piano lessons for years with my aunt, and when I was in high school I decided that I wanted to keep fostering my passion for music. I studied piano at Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Milan, Italy, with Cristina Carina and Vincenzo Balzani. Vincenzo pushed me constantly to do my best and when I started teaching my own students, I realized how important it is to have a teacher that trusts you, but never allows you to do less than what you can.

During my years in Milan, I performed widely as a soloist and chamber musician in Italy, France, Germany and Poland. I moved to the United States in 2009 with my husband, Italian composer Gabriele Vanoni. Once in Boston, I continued my studies at Boston University under the guidance of prof. Anthony di Bonaventura and Prof. Linda Jiorle-Nagy, where I earned my Doctor of Musical Arts. During my doctoral years I taught many students from beginner to college level, and I developed a strong interest in studying and experimenting with different ways to help my students foster good piano technique so they could truly learn to express themselves through music.

As a teacher I believe that I’m successful not only when the student can play well, with accurate musicality and technique, but especially when they start enjoying listening to music and truly listening to the music they make, being able to correct or praise themselves. Once a parent came to me and said, “Thank you, because you taught our son and us how to love music.” This is what I wish for my own five children and for each one of my students.

  • Doctor of Musical Arts, Piano Performance- Boston University (2017)
  • Master of Music in Piano Performance, Conservatorio “G. Verdi”, Milano (2009)
  • Bachelor of Music, Conservatorio “G. Verdi”, Milano (2007)
  • Yamaha Music Education Instructor at YMS Boston (until 2021)
  • Music Director at St Clement Parish, Medford (until 2018)
  • Teaching Assistant, Boston University (until 2016)
  • To learn more about me visit https://www.miriamconti.com