Judy Hyland
Judy Hyland Judy Hyland, originally from Bradford, Illinois, graduated cum laude from St. Ambrose with B.A. degrees in both Music and Modern Languages. She subsequently received the M.Mus degree from the University of Iowa, studying with Kerry Grippe. Judy holds the National Music Teachers Association’s Permanent National Professional Certification in both Piano and Music Theory. In August , 2007 she was accepted into the College Board of Practical Examiners with the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Canada, as one of its 300 members throughout the US and Canada. Judy was also selected as instructor for the Yamaha “Passport to Music” keyboard program aboard the Crystal Symphony cruise ship, traveling to Norway, Denmark, Russia, Finland, and Sweden in June, 2008.
Maintaining an independent studio in the Quad Cities for over 25 years, Judy teaches piano, music theory, and composition to students of all ages and ability levels, both privately and in groups. She taught at Marycrest International University before joining the St. Ambrose music faculty in 1994. At SAU Judy teaches piano, class piano, and music theory.
Ms. Hyland holds offices in several music organizations including Federated Music Teachers Association, Iowa Federation of Music Clubs, Quad City Music Teachers Association, and the Iowa Music Teachers Association, and is an active member of National Federation of Music Clubs, National Music Teachers Association, PACE (Promoting the Arts in Catholic Education), National Piano Foundation, and Piano for a Richer Life. She is a member of American Association of University Professors and serves as Secretary for the SAU-AAUP Chapter. She founded Quad City Music Teachers Association in 1989 and also co-founded their annual Monster Concert, a keyboard ensemble workshop and performance featuring Quad City area pianists. She has adjudicated auditions, festivals, competitions, and practical piano examinations in the Midwest and Canada, and has served as a clinician, speaker, and performer for local, state, and national programs and conferences. She is a founding member of the "Digital Dames", a 5-member keyboard ensemble that performs on 5 Yamaha Clavinova digital pianos, and has performed with Friends of Chamber as well as with her SAU music department and area piano teacher colleagues.
Judy authored and received numerous grants from the Iowa Arts Council, the Quad City Arts Council, the Moline Foundation, and the Bechtel Foundation, among others, for collaborative arts projects and for her work in composing/arranging new material for the "Digital Dames". Several of Judy’s arrangements for keyboard ensemble were premiered at the National Music Teachers National Convention in Minneapolis in March, 2000. In her capacity as Treasurer for local music organizations, Judy sought and successfully established 501(c )(3) IRS non-profit status for both organizations. Several of Judy’s articles have been published in the Iowa Music Teacher, Sounding Board, NFMC Music Clubs Magazine, and The American Music Teacher.