uky.edu
Alan Hersh
Professor of Piano
Degrees:
DMus Indiana University 1971
MM Manhattan School of Music 1962
BM Manhattan School of Music 1960
Research Areas:
Performance, music history
At UK since: 1986
Phone number: 859-257-8169
Email: ahersh@uky.edu
Alan Hersh joined the faculty as a Professor of Music in 1986 and served for a time as Director of the UK School of Music. An active pianist, Dr. Hersh has concertized extensively throughout the United States and appeared as piano soloist with numerous chamber groups and orchestras including the Lexington Philharmonic, the Quad Cities Symphony, and the Manhattan Orchestra. Recent solo recitals have taken him to West Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, California, and Minnesota. He currently has three CD's in print: THE PIANIST'S SONGBOOK, I AND II; and Bach's GOLDBERG VARIATIONS, and is completing a book about pianists and piano performance.
Dr. Hersh has taught courses in Piano Literature, Piano Pedagogy, and Music History, and recently, a seminar for the UK Honor's Program titled Music in Society: The Pianist's Perspective, a course in critical theory and its application to arts criticism. His performance repertoire extends from the music of J. S. Bach through the 20th century, with special emphasis upon music of the 19th century. His research interests, in addition to performance, include reading in critical theory, aesthetics, and the philosophy of music, and he has written several articles in these areas.
Dr. Hersh regularly directs graduate theses, and recent projects have included The Two Piano Music of William Bolcom, a sampling of Piano Repertoire from 1950 to the Present and The Solo Piano Music of Lowell Lieberman.
Dr. Hersh received his DMus degree with High Honors from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1971 where he studied with Sidney Foster and held an Edwards Fellowship for advanced study. He also is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and a recipient of Manhattan's Harold Bauer Award. He has served on the faculties of Central Connecticut State University, Slippery Rock (Pa) University, and Augustana College (Ill).