Pianist, Composer
A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Amy Aberg McLelland is an award-winning pianist whose playing has been described as "ravishing ....with a wonderful variety of tone colors and nuance of interpretation." McLelland performs in both solo and collaborative recitals and has appeared on Public Television and Public Radio and as a soloist with symphonies and other large chamber groups and as an official MTNA piano accompanist. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships and won many piano competitions such as the MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition, HSO Young Artist Competition, AMTA State Winners Circle, Louise McAllister Scholarship, Luke A. and Mary M. Wood Scholarship, Hindman Foundation Fellowship, MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grant.
"Your Liszt was ravishing … a wonderful variety of tone colors and nuance of interpretation … a good ear for color.” --- Review of a television performance by Amy McLelland Trained as a classical pianist, reviewers hail her as an expert on Mozart, and indeed she was chosen among 100s of pianists to perform for Imogen Cooper (featured on the soundtrack for the movie Amadeus) in Spivey Hall. However, McLelland enjoys playing all styles of music, from Chopin to Shearing, Rachmaninoff to Rhabee, Bach to blues improv, and her own original compositions which often have a Barber meets B-52s meets Bartok feel. Or not.
McLelland is also in demand as a pianist for receptions and cocktail piano.
One of her most recent chamber concerts featured her own compositions. Here is one of the selections (violinist, Daniel Szasz, cellist, Warren Samples).
And the complete set of 10 Postcards:
As a church pianist she has also composed anthems, congregational responses, liturgical music, and solos such as "The Beatitudes" performed by Kristy Nix at St. Mary's of the Highlands.
McLelland also enjoys arranging and of course had to made a nod to one of her alma maters . . .
All said and done, her favorite composer is JS Bach.
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Teacher, Lecturer
For over 30 years McLelland has taught students of all ages and levels of advancement in colleges and her private studio. Her students are the recipients of numerous awards and regularly receive the highest ratings in competitions and festivals. She has served on the music faculties of William Carey College, Mississippi College, taught piano at Alabama School of Fine Arts, and at the Taubman and Golandsky Piano Summer Symposiums at Princeton University, NJ, Amherst College, MA, and Williams College, MA. McLelland is an expert in injury prevention and healthy, ergonomic motion at the piano. Past president of the Birmingham Music Teachers Association, McLelland has been a long-standing member and officer in numerous professional organizations. Her students have been chosen as winners in local, state, and regional competitions and have received scholarships as music majors.
In demand as an adjudicator and clinician, McLelland regularly presents lectures on the Taubman Approach which instructs pianists in the art of coordinate movement, encouraging healthy motions that “maximize physiologically sound arm and hand position.” (Dr. Frank Bunn, Harvard Medical School). The Taubman Approach is a groundbreaking analysis of the mostly invisible motions that function underneath a virtuoso technique and has helped pianists from all over the world overcome technical limitations, improve tone production and other components of expressive playing, as well as cure playing-related injuries. (Golandsky Institute).
McLelland has helped numerous pianists and organists overcome technical limitation and playing-related injuries. The pain and numbness in my hands is completely gone now! I thought there was no hope of ever playing again and I can't thank you enough for giving music back to me. I'm so thankful to be out of pain and I can honestly say that my playing has improved from before my injury. I'm most impressed with the quality of sound now -- it used to be so thin and now it's full and rich and warm. Also, I never would have believed piano playing could feel so easy. I was raised to believe that tension and effort was required but I've learned that, actually, piano playing can feel absolutely delicious and effortless in the body. I highly, highly recommend this approach [Taubman Approach] to all pianists and musicians. You are an amazing teacher!" -- Formerly injured pianist, after retraining in the Taubman Approach at McLelland Piano “I’m so proud of you! [Your students] sound great and their hands look wonderful. You’re such a good teacher and fine musician, Amy, and that really comes across. Congratulations to you and [your students] too." --- John Bloomfield, faculty chair of the Golandsky Piano Institute, NYC “I just want you to know how much we appreciate the fact that you do these extra competitions for your students. We appreciate the sacrifice you make to work on your day off, to prepare the students, and just the hassle factor that goes in to going the extra mile in challenging these kids. As always, I’m so glad you are our teacher!” -- Parent of 5th grade students |