A Korean woman who after almost 15 years and four degrees from Peabody is a star performer in her native land; a Baltimore alumnus of both Peabody Preparatory and Conservatory whose win at a prestigious world competition has launched a promising solo career; a 19-year-old undergrad who is juggling piano practice, calculus, and engineering for a challenging double major in piano and recording arts.

These are just a few of the modern faces of Peabody's Piano Department, which has been educating keyboard wizards ever since the Conservatory opened for instruction in 1868. In those 140 years, it has earned a reputation as one of the most prestigious music departments in the nation, turning out such talents as Andre Watts, Alon Goldstein, Awadagin Pratt, and Brian Ganz, now a member of the faculty. With an enrollment of more than 100 students (115 in the current year), Piano vies with Voice as the largest department at Peabody.

Ask students what drew them to Peabody or brought them back for advanced degrees and diplomas, and their answer is the same: "My teacher." Clearly, the secret to the department's success is the dedication of its nine-member faculty, led by virtuoso Leon Fleisher, now celebrating his 50th year at Peabody, and department chair Ellen Mack, a veteran of more than 40 years.

Unlike at some conservatories where big name artists teach one or two students and are away most of the time, Peabody's piano faculty is committed to teaching first. That does not mean they are strangers to the stage. Almost all perform regularly in recital, as soloists with orchestras or in chamber music ensembles. But these teachers pride themselves on attending student recitals, showing up en masse for live auditions by prospective students, and giving of their time whenever needed—far beyond the requisite hourlong private lesson and two-hour studio class per student each week.

Here, then, is a glimpse of that special Peabody dynamic, told through the eyes of three students and their mentors.

By Phyllis McIntosh
Photos by Daniel Bedell

	Enough Music to Go Around Eun Jung Shon and Ellen Mack
	Allowing Artistry to Take Over Eric Zuber and Boris Slutsky
	Expressing What's Inside Weichao Xu and Marian Hahn