Dr. Jinnan Liu, NCTM (Nationally Certified Teacher of Music), is a pianist, music educator, and researcher. She currently serves as Director of Piano at the Community School of the Arts and as Adjunct Faculty at the Institute for the Creative Arts High School. Dr. Liu earned her Ph.D. in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy from Louisiana State University. She also holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy from Baylor University and dual Bachelor’s degrees from Nazareth University and Shandong Normal University. Her research interests include peer learning and peer tutoring, student learning effectiveness and motivation, attitudes toward music learning, music accessibility, and the promotion of diverse musical traditions through teaching and digital media.
An active scholar and presenter, Dr. Liu has presented her research at regional, national, and international conferences, including the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Conference, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP), and the International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference. Her articles have been published in the International Journal of Music Education, the MTNA e-Journal, and the NCKP Conference Proceedings. She is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the national music honor society.
In addition to her current teaching and administrative roles, Dr. Liu has served as an editorial assistant for Piano Magazine since 2025. From 2022 to 2026, she served as a Graduate Teacher of Record at Louisiana State University, where she taught group piano and secondary applied piano courses.
As an educator, Dr. Liu is committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and engaging learning environment in which students can develop both musical skills and confidence. She has taught students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, and her students have received awards in local and national piano competitions. Through her teaching, research, and professional service, she seeks to make high-quality music education more accessible while supporting meaningful and effective learning experiences for students.

Jinnan Liu

Full-Time Piano Instructor
Available for Private Lessons
info@csafortsmith.org