Nathan Hess, D.M.A.

About Nathan

Dr. Nathan Hess is Professor of Piano in the D’Angelo Department of Music at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he coordinates the piano area, the Faculty Recital Series, and the Roche Guest Artists Series. Hess is active in Music Teachers National Association as president of the local Erie chapter, and he adjudicates frequently throughout the region and East Coast. Hess also acts as an orchestral pianist with the Erie Philharmonic. In 2018, he received an award at Mercyhurst for excellence in faculty scholarship. For nine summers, he taught on the faculty at Rocky Ridge Music in Estes Park, Colorado. For five years, Hess chaired the piano program at the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts in Erie, teaching piano to some of the state's most talented pre-college students. He performed in and produced a set of recordings for the textbook Harmony in Context, published by McGraw-Hill and written by Miguel Roig-Francoli.

Hess has soloed with the Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Chamber Orchestra, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and York Symphony Orchestra, among others. Recent guest recital appearances and masterclasses have included the American Liszt Society Festival; The Americas Society in New York City; College Music Society Northeast Regional Conference; The Second Sunday Recital Series in Binghamton, New York; Bowling Green State University; Duke University; University of Wisconsin Eau Claire; West Chester University; Morgan State University; Randolph College; Duquesne University; and the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania. Hess has performed in chamber music settings with members of orchestras such as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and Buffalo Philharmonic. In addition to teaching and performing, he can be heard on the Centaur label in a recording with flutist Susan Royal and in a recording of Bach arias produced by the International Trumpet Guild.

I enjoy helping students discover the joy of finding their artistic and expressive selves at the piano. I strive to lead them in becoming independent learners and lifelong advocates for music and the arts.