Yolande Witkin: A Pianist, Teacher, and Composer from London, England

 Yolande Witkin: A Pianist, Teacher, and Composer from London, England

I’ve been playing the piano ever since I can remember, says Yolande Witkin, pianist, teacher, and composer from London, England. When I was only 3 years old, my mother would sit me at our family piano and have me bang out random notes while she played Mozart or Beethoven or Chopin—anything she wanted to hear!

Early Studies

Her early studies were with the Royal College of Music in London and shortly after having immigrated to the United States, Yolande Witkin went on to teach piano lessons at various universities in the Washington D.C. area. She was an assistant professor at George Mason University for nine years before she retired from teaching in 2000.

She is best known for her solo piano compositions that have been performed by pianists around the world including herself. Her work has been commissioned by various organizations including the National Association of Negro Musicians (NASA), Women's Philharmonic Association (WPA), National Black Arts Festival (NBAA) and Virginia Interchurch Conference Center (VICC).

Moving to the United States

Witkin is a pianist, teacher, and composer originally from London, England. Her early studies were with the Royal College of Music in London and shortly after having immigrated to the United States, she began teaching piano lessons at the Royal School of Music. She would later go on to teach piano lessons at various schools around Washington DC and Maryland.

Teaching and Performing

I teach piano lessons for students of all ages and abilities. I also perform in a number of venues in the DMV area. I enjoy teaching because it is a rewarding experience to watch someone learn something new! I love performing because it brings me joy to share my music with an audience. For example, this past summer I played at the Summer Splash celebration at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. The event was part of NASA's 50th anniversary commemoration of the first moon landing. When not teaching or performing, you will find me composing new pieces for piano or spending time with friends and family!

Creating New Works

After immigrating to the United States, Yolande started teaching piano lessons in New York City while completing her undergraduate degree at the Manhattan School of Music. After graduating she pursued a Master's degree in Composition at Northwestern University where she studied with George Crumb, Bernard Rands and Chou Wen-chung. She also studied composition privately with Mario Davidovsky. Her doctoral studies were completed at the Eastman School of Music where she studied with Henri Dutilleux, Christopher Rouse and Elie Siegmeister.

Returning to London

After having immigrated to the United States to pursue a degree in music education at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Yolande Witkin began feeling homesick. She started giving piano lessons on Sundays in her home to help make ends meet while she was studying. Word spread quickly about her talent and before she knew it, people were coming from all over the city just for one lesson with her. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance and Education, Ms.