MELISSA MOCOGNI

Growing up in Orlando, there was a piano studio down the street and when I was 7, I began lessons with Miss Porter. She was an incredible teacher and President of the FSMTA, so she entered me in lots of piano competitions, local and state. My senior year in High School I was awarded a scholarship to Rollins College. There I studied with Sylvia Reynolds-Henry and my senior year at Rollins, I won The Most Outstanding Pianist Award. Winning meant I would perform with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. A few years later I was accepted to Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. I studied piano performance with world-renowned accompanist, Laurence Davis and I studied Piano Pedagogy with MTNA’s Frances Larimer. I began teaching piano and Kindermusik at the Music Arts School in Highland Park, IL. Mort and Janice Scheff were both owners and teachers and I learned so much from them. They encouraged me to incorporate new and innovative ideas into my traditional methods which was advice I still use today. While there I also adjudicated piano competitions in neighboring towns as well as work at Ravinia as a page turner where I was able to meet and work with so many accomplished performers. After moving to Jupiter in 2005, I was hired as the Music Teacher at Jupiter Academy and two years later I got a call from Atlantic Arts Academy to join their teaching staff. I happily worked there until 2013 when the school closed. I began my own teaching business and taught piano in peoples homes in Palm Beach County. During that time I also began working with the PBC Public Schools during Solo and Ensemble and I still accompany students for S&E today. As well as teaching piano, I have also successfully coached students who were preparing to audition at Bak and Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Now my career has come full circle and I’m so excited to be back!