MEET Dr. Wanxiang Qiu

Dr. Wanxiang Qiu is a dedicated pianist and educator who brings refined performance skills and a student-centered teaching style to every lesson. She currently serves as Piano Instructor at the University of St. Thomas, where she guides students across diverse levels and musical backgrounds.

She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Houston, with a minor in Piano Pedagogy that deeply shapes her teaching. She also holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and an Artist Diploma in Harpsichord Performance from Montclair State University. Her training reflects a strong connection to both modern and historical repertoire, always paired with a commitment to effective, inspiring instruction.

As a performer, Dr. Qiu maintains an active career with solo and chamber recitals across China, the United States, and Italy, including international festivals and university series. She is especially passionate about community outreach, offering performances at senior-living communities to share the beauty of classical piano with wider audiences.

Dr. Qiu brings rich teaching experience from university and pre-college settings, including group piano classes for music and non-music majors, as well as private lessons at the University of Houston and the University of St. Thomas. She tailors each lesson to the student’s unique learning style, emphasizing fun, engaging activities that spark interest and motivation. She focuses on building comprehensive musicianship—through technique, sight-reading, listening, and smart practice habits—to help students grow in confidence, independence, and long-term musical enjoyment.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Master’s in violin performance and pedagogy from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where he taught violin to students of all ages and directed string orchestras at middle schools in Colorado and Texas.

During his Master’s, Payton broadened his horizons—becoming proficient on piano, composing virtuosic concert etudes for violin, and developing a love for songwriting. He has since moved to Austin to collaborate with fellow creators, work with his brother on their first record, score his first short film, and develop a new musical inspired by George Orwell’s 1984.

Payton teaches because music is a powerful form of self-expression—often the way we communicate when words fall short. He loves witnessing students become truly absorbed in a performance, reaching incremental goals, and most importantly, cultivating their individual artistry. Rather than showing every detail, he equips students with the tools to accomplish anything on their own, celebrating small victories along the way so they can have fun, grow confident, and express themselves freely through music.

Social Media:

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wanxiangqiu-z2f