Dr. Frank Kuhny is dedicated to educating aspiring young pianists in an encouraging environment. His piano students succeed musically and academically by learning many skills such as determination, goal achievement, public presentation, and discernment. All of Dr. Kuhny’s students enjoy performing, and those who choose to enter competitions excel. He recently returned to the Chicago area after teaching piano at Florida A&M University in Florida and running a successful private piano studio in Tallahassee. Dr. Kuhny is also a dedicated liturgical (church) musician performing both piano and pipe organ at the cathedral level. He has successfully led choral musicians and large congregations for 15 years. Dr. Kuhny additionally enjoys work as a piano technician, working to optimize each piano’s sound and touch.
Dr. Kuhny graduated from Florida State University with a Doctor of Music in Piano Performance in May 2020. He studied piano with Dr. Ian Hobson, “a musician of tremendous versatility who has earned an international reputation as a pianist, conductor, and educator.” You can find information about Dr. Hobson here. Dr. Kuhny earned his Master of Music in Piano Performance and Literature degree at the University of Illinois, also with Dr. Hobson. He earned Bachelor’s degrees in both Piano Performance and Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. While there, he studied piano with Drs. John Blacklow and Daniel Schlosberg. Pre-college, Dr. Kuhny formed a firm piano foundation with the famous Chicago piano pedagogue, Mr. John Reglin. Dr. Kuhny started piano at the age of three using the Suzuki (ear-training) method.
Dr. Frank Kuhny studied organ during his graduate study at the University of Illinois with Dr. Dana Robinson. In Tallahassee, he studied organ at Florida State University and then with Dr. Michael Calhoun. He has performed on pipe organs in Florida and across the Midwest.
Dr. Frank Kuhny has performed piano across the United States and in Europe. As a student, he was chosen to perform in many masterclasses, which is an honor reserved for highly prepared students. These masterclass performances featured professors and concert pianists from major universities and conservatories around the world.
Dr. Kuhny teaches advanced and competitive students as well as beginners. He is frequently chosen by other teachers to mentor and coach pianists in preparation for competitions and college admissions. His students succeed through a combination of advanced technique, inspiring musical expression, and careful selection of repertoire. For beginning students, Dr. Kuhny guides musical families in their choice of ear-training first (Suzuki) or reading first (traditional) methods. Dr. Kuhny has been certified to teach all levels of Suzuki piano, books 1-7, for ten years during which he has taught scores of students. He also studied a full year of traditional piano pedagogy while at the University of Illinois under Dr. Christos Tsitsaros.