Guest Lecture: Too Much of a Good Thing? Oversaturation in the Job Market

Dr. Sarah Rushing, Assistant Professor of Piano at West Texas A&M University, presents “Too Much of a Good Thing? Oversaturation in the Job Market.” 

More students graduate each year with a DMA in Piano Performance than there are available academic jobs. In this lecture designed for current undergraduate and graduate piano majors — but applicable to all music majors — we take a look at the realities of the field and discuss real-world suggestions to set oneself up for professional success. 

Dr. Rushing teaches applied piano, class piano and piano pedagogy at West Texas A&M University. Her commitment to teaching is evidenced through her years of experience teaching private and group piano classes in the community and university settings in Louisiana, New York, Colorado, Virginia and Texas. Rushing has been an active member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) since 2009, serving as a faculty advisor, local competitions coordinator, adjudicator and presenter for state and national conferences. 

As a performer, Rushing enjoys playing music off the beaten path and has appeared in competitions and recitals throughout the US. In 2013, she was featured on American Public Media’s “Performance Today.” Other radio appearances include a live broadcast on KGNU in Boulder, CO. Rushing enjoys collaborating with colleagues and has recently been engaged with the North American Saxophone Alliance, the College Music Society, the National Flute Association and the Flute New Music Consortium. 

Before moving to Texas in 2020, Rushing was an Instructor of Piano at Virginia Tech. She completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Colorado Boulder, received the Masters of Music in Piano Performance degree from Ithaca College and the Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance degree from Louisiana State University. When not teaching and performing, Rushing enjoys hiking, running and the great outdoors, which has taken her to numerous summits in the US and abroad, including 19 mountains above 14,000 feet in Colorado and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Address

435 Newell Dr.
Gainesville

Phone

352-392-0223

Website

Music Building Room 101 (MUB 101) Website