About Dr. Anna Siampani
Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Doctoral Degree in Somatics and Biomechanics for Optimal Performance: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Master’s in Piano Performance and Pedagogy: Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor’s in Piano Performance and Music Education: University of Macedonia, Department of Music Science and Art, Greece
A native of Greece, Dr. Anna Siampani is a pianist, educator, clinician, and music researcher.
A recipient of numerous prizes in solo and chamber music competitions and exhibitions, she has appeared in solo and collaborative recitals in Greece, Austria, China and around the US. Among others, Dr. Siampani has performed in the first PanHellenic Piano Festival, as well as in European Transnational Programs. She appeared as a soloist in the program “Youth in Action” in cooperation with the Hellenic Culture Foundation in Berlin. In the U.S., she has appeared as a masterclass participant in the prestigious Gilmore music festival, in Michigan, in 2018. In the same year, she made her debut appearance in Beijing, China, honoring Debussy’s centennial anniversary, presenting solo and duo recitals, workshops and lectures in music academies, public schools, and music salons. Since 2020, Dr. Siampani is honored to present her research projects, collaborating with Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz, as well as with the Ionian University in Corfu, Greece, and the Kalomiris’s Archives in Athens, Greece, among others.
In addition to her graduate degrees in Piano Pedagogy, Dr. Siampani completed doctoral studies in somatics, biomechanics and body awareness for optimal performance. Her four research projects: “Pianolates: From the Mat to the Bench! A Guide for Physical and Mental Warm-Ups,” “Bodies in Tune! Reaching your Optimal Performance beyond Physical Practice, “Pelvis: The Secret Ingredient of Your Technique!” and “Flow with the Score: A Whole Body-Mind Approach to Musical Interpretation through Laban Movement Analysis,” emphasize the importance of body awareness and mind-body connection during practicing, aiming towards organic, vigorous, and balanced performances.
Her research has been presented at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), the Music Teachers National Association-National Conference(MTNA-NC), the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Piano Pedagogy Symposium (MTNA-CPPS),The California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT), the New York State Music Teachers Association (NYSMTA), the Wisconsin Music Teachers Association(WMTA), the Madison Area Music Educators Association (MAMEA), as well as in many College Music Society State and Regional Conferences. In 2022, Dr. Siampani was invited as a guest teacher/artist to teach at the Academy of Continuing Music Education in Greece, addressing graduate students and professionals in the field.
In addition, Dr. Siampani continues her performance and research on diverse and innovative Greek keyboard repertoire, aiming to engage students and audiences via lecture recitals and conferences. Her master’s thesis “Manos Hadjidakis: His Piano Works as Winds of Change within and beyond the Greek Borders” explores the piano works of Manos Hadjidakis, analyzing the composer’s musical language, his influences and aesthetic principles in modern Greek music. Her dissertation thesis focuses on performance and analysis of the complete piano works of Manolis Kalomiris, who is seen as the father of Greek National music. In 2023, Dr. Siampani was invited as a clinician in the national conference on Kalomiris’s Music Heritage in the Athens Megaron, in Greece, where she presented her research featuring solo works by the composer. In the same year, she was invited as an Erasmus scholar for two lecture-recital presentations in the Music University of Iasi, Romania, teaching graduate and undergraduate students.
Dr. Siampani has been awarded multiple honors and scholarships for her performance and academic achievements throughout her career. She is a three-time recipient of the Superb Academic Achievement Scholarship and the First Award of Academic Excellence by the State Scholarship Foundation in Greece. For her artistic work, she has been honored with the prestigious Lilian Voudouri and Alexander Onassis Foundation scholarships from Greece. Dr. Siampani completed her masters and doctoral degrees with full scholarships, while serving as an assistant in the piano pedagogy program. For her outstanding achievements, she was awarded the Collins Fellowship for artistic excellence from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for three consecutive years. Her research has also been supported with funds from the UW-Madison Graduate School, the Arts Institute, and the Associated Students of Madison. In 2019, Dr. Siampani has been awarded the David and Edith Sinaiko Graduate Fellowship for a Woman in the Arts, marking her artistry and achievements in the field.
Dr. Siampani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from the University of Macedonia, Department of Music Science and Art, in Greece. She continued her graduate studies in Piano Performance and Pedagogy in the U.S., getting a double Master’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University, and a double Doctorate Degree in Musical Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with additional studies in somatics, dance, and kinesiology. Her primary teachers include Dr. Jessica Johnson, Dr. Timothy Shafer, and Prof. Uwe Matschke. She has also attended lessons and masterclasses with Richard Goode, Paul Lewis, Colette Valentine, Georgios Hadjinikos, Christos Noulis, Lilia Boyadjieva, Daniele Petralia, and Yuval Admony, to name but a few.
Dr. Siampani joined the faculty at Pacific Piano School in 2019, teaching piano, group piano, somatics, theory, ear training, and music appreciation classes. Since 2020, she has been teaching remotely, adding new group classes for adults. She has been a piano, group piano, and piano pedagogy faculty in colleges, academies, and universities since 2014, as well as a music accompanist since 2009. Prior appointments include faculty positions at the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cabrillo College, the UW-Madison Pedagogy Lab, and the UW-Madison Community Music Lesson Program in the U.S. Since 2013, she has been actively involved with Music Conservatories and Academies in Greece, as a guest artist and clinician.
