SHREWSBURY – Lisa Leong, a Shrewsbury-based piano educator, has been honored with the 2023 Steinway & Sons Top Teacher Award.
The award is a formal recognition by Steinway & Sons that commends a music educator’s passion, artistry and dedication to students. This annual award is given to piano teachers for outstanding instruction and leadership in music education and for demonstrating an unceasing commitment to their students, helping them fulfill their highest potential as musicians and pianists, according to a news release.
After earning a master’s degree in music from the New England Conservatory of Music, Leong began teaching piano in 1997. She has worked in academic settings – spending time at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology – and has also lived in Texas and New York. Leong moved to the Boston area in 2010, and while she said she loves to perform, she has mainly focused on her work as an educator in the last decade.
Her students range from 5-year-old beginners to 70-year-olds looking to try something new. Leong loves all her students equally.
“Nothing makes me more happy than seeing the light go on in my student’s head. I respect each one of my students as a unique person coming to the table with different skill sets and different interests in different genres. My goal in teaching is to help them connect with the music they’re playing, whether it’s through their lived experiences or emotions,” she told the Community Advocate.
Leong’s piano prowess caught the attention of Newton-based M. Steinert & Sons, the world’s oldest independent Steinway & Sons piano dealer. Founded in 1860, the company is also the oldest continuously operating music retailer and the exclusive regional dealer of Steinway & Sons pianos.
“We are proud to work with some of the finest piano teachers in the region and pleased that Lisa has been recognized for her contribution to the regional piano community,” M. Steinert & Sons President Brendan Murphy said in a statement.
“I think what makes a good teacher is helping the student connect with the music on many different levels – an intellectual level, an emotional level, and an artistic level,” said Leong. “Whether it’s through their playing or just enjoying the regularity of lessons and… enjoying the process. A great teacher keeps that interest going.”
