Dr. Sonya Schumann builds intentional ecosystems where people, programs and values are interconnected and can thrive. “I don’t just teach piano,” says the San Diego State University Lecturer of Piano, “I orchestrate environments in which students, teachers and institutions can support one another meaningfully.”

Schumann’s college students benefit from her curriculum, which focuses on piano teaching, collaboration and work-study programs, but she also teaches students as young as 4 years. In the Piano Academy at the SDSU Community Music School, a pre-college program that provides students from age 4 to 18 conservatory-level instruction, students learn an appreciation of classical music, teamwork and discipline through individual and group piano instruction. Schumann serves as Coordinator and spearheads all activities at the Piano Academy, which has grown from 14 students to more than 70. “I oversee the placement of each piano student and ensure that each one is fit with a teacher who matches their energy and needs, as well as create a tiered system to pair them in group classes appropriate for their level and age,” Schumann explains.

In addition, she has cultivated relationships between the region’s largest artistic institutions and the Community Music School, “creating exclusive masterclass opportunities, lectures, free concert tickets and special back-stage passes for our young students,” Schumann says excitedly. “I’ve been able to facilitate these options between groups such as the San Diego Symphony and La Jolla Music Society, or with individual luminaries such as Emanuel Ax, Leif Ove Andsnes and more. These unique events are the kind that can inspire a lifetime of love and dedication to music!”

At San Diego State University, Schumann has spearheaded online learning and teaching through its award-winning Course Design Institute. She was one of its earliest Peer Mentors and has assisted dozens of her colleagues in multiple fields — to pivot from in-person instruction to online pedagogy during the pandemic, and now to create unique online courses. “Because of the need for quality online instruction, the California State University system created a certification system with which to guarantee online courses were providing effective online teaching and learning,” Schumann explains. “Because I was one of a handful of faculty at SDSU already training others to use these rubrics and metrics, my online History of Rock was the first wave of online SDSU courses to be evaluated and certified!”

Schumann’s work is not limited to the SDSU campus. In the summer of 2020, she co-founded Keys to Inclusion, a consortium of six colleges and universities that work to expand the current body of piano repertoire to include works by American composers with diverse voices. “Now in our sixth year, we have grown beyond online lectures to include in-person workshops, new commissions by living American composers and invitations to present on national stages such as the College Music Society National Conference, Music Teachers National Association Conference, the George Walker Context Conference at Eastman and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy,” she explains.

She also is the Chair of AmateurPianists, a not-for-profit based in San Diego that hosts the triennial San Diego International Piano Competition & Festival for Outstanding Amateurs. “Unlike collegiate or professional competitions, ours creates space for the adult amateur to pursue their passion for learning, experiencing, performing and competing, regardless of their profession or background,” Schumann says. “AmateurPianists also presents year-round curated community concerts and masterclasses, enabling free access to piano music and music exploration for all.”

Schumann is dedicated to projects that support justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity, which led her to co-found Piano Theatre with her sister, Elizabeth, who is a concert pianist, educator and interdisciplinary artist. This organization brings “classical music to a nexus with art, theater and technology,” she explains. “Following a successful $40,000 fundraising campaign, PT released an educator-focused interactive e-book app called Piano Carnival. Created in close consultation with a national team of educators, the app and companion website incorporate music-based lesson plans that are freely available and currently in use nationally by K-12 teachers.”