Dr. Paulo Steinberg

Dr. Paulo Steinberg

540-568-6977

Professor, Piano

I am sure you have taken detours when traveling. Some were mandatory – when, for example, the main road was closed – but many were voluntary: you wanted to take the scenic route to just enjoy the view. In any case, that detour affected your future, one way or another. In fact, that detour might have eventually become your main path.

My own journey was like this. When I started taking lessons, little did I know that piano would become my career. I did try computer science in college, which I believed to be my main path. But I realized very quickly that, based on my low final grades, my plan would not work out. Therefore, what I thought to be my main path became a quick detour. And the detour (learning piano for fun) became my main path.

While pursuing my graduate degrees, I took other detours (learning harpsichord, pipe organ, piano tuning, and conducting). While pursuing my doctoral degree at Indiana University, my piano professor, Evelyne Brancart, inspired me to write my doctoral document on piano technique. Then, my research on Brazilian music also took me on another journey that resulted on the release of my CD album Alma Brasileira [Brazilian Soul] and on a year-long recital tour to promote it in 10 countries. And more recently, I started learning how to play the harp. Each of those detours helped shape me as a musician, taught me how to adjust to all types of teaching situations, and how to be flexible. Therefore, the detours I took helped me become a better teacher!

Each of my students is on a path, too. And I am grateful to witness their journeys, to help them find their passion (or detours), to show them different angles and approaches on piano technique, and to work with them on a big range of the piano repertoire, including Brazilian music. My goal is to provide each student with tools on how to learn, how to develop, and how to become a well-round musician, no matter where his or her path leads them.

Dr. Paulo Steinberg has performed as a soloist and as a collaborative pianist across the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe. In the spring of 2017, he undertook a European recital tour stretching from the U.K. to Latvia including Ireland, Scotland, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, and Sweden.  

He holds Piano Performance degrees from Conservatório “Carlos Gomes” and Universidade de Sāo Paulo in Brazil, Arizona State University (M.M) and Indiana University (D.M.). His main piano teachers are: Carlos Yansen, Paulo Gori, Gilberto Tinetti, and Evelyne Brancart.

Steinberg often serves as an adjudicator in competitions, and offers master classes, lectures, workshops and performances in the U.S. and abroad. His summer projects normally include teaching at the Saarburg Chamber Music Summer Festival in Germany and traveling around Europe, Brazil and/or Canada. His research interests focus on piano technique and Brazilian music.

Besides his love for teaching and performing, Steinberg has served in several administrative positions, most recently as president of the Virginia Music Teachers Association.

Four CD albums have been released recently: The Recital Clarinetist in collaboration with clarinetist Dr. Janice Minor; Duos in collaboration with clarinetist Dr. Sarunas Jankauskas; Time, Place, Spirit in collaboration with flutist Dr. Beth Chandler; and his solo CD album Alma Brasileira. For more information, go to www.paulosteinberg.com or follow him on Instagram (@paulosteinberg).