Whitney Hawker began playing the piano at age six in Japan. Over the years, she studied with many talented teachers who each shared their love of music with her.
Whitney recently became a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. Previous teaching experience includes private and group classes at Weber State University Piano Preparatory Program and Texas Christian University. Whitney co-founded the annual Piano Ensemble Camp held at Texas Christian University each summer. She has run a successful private studio for over ten years. She taught college group piano and private lessons at Weber State University. Now moving to Washington, teaching continues to be her passion as she inspires every student to love music at her private piano studio.
Whitney graduated sum cum laude with a B.M. in Piano Pedagogy studying with Dr. Yu-Jane Yang with full academic and piano scholarships. She graduated with her Masters of Music in Piano Pedagogy from Texas Christian University. There she was awarded a full graduate assistantship and studied under Professor Tomas Ungar and Dr. Ann Gipson, immediate Past President of Music Teacher’s National Association.
Whitney has performed in masterclasses, solo piano recitals, and chamber concerts in Japan, Europe and across the United States. She was honored with the Utah Music Teachers Association Student Teacher of the Year Award in 2009. She performed Ravel’s Concerto in G with the Riverton Metropolitan Orchestra.
Whitney just finished serving as Vice President of the Arlington Music Teacher’s Association from 2014 to 2016. She is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Golden Key Honors Society and the Music Teacher’s National Association (MTNA). She has presented at numerous conferences including Texas Music Teachers Association Conference, Texas Music Educators Association Conference, Utah Music Teachers Association Conference, Music Teachers National Association Conference. Whitney regularly attends the MTNA National Conference as well as the National Keyboard Pedagogy Conference to stay up to date with the latest music, research and methods in piano teaching.