James Anemone
Piano Faculty
Mr. James Anemone is a pedagogue and classical pianist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He operates Anemone Piano Studio, an award winning private studio, teaching students of all ages. His students have performed in venues in the United States and Europe, such as Carnegie Hall, The Academy of Music, Sala dei Notari (Italy), GC de Lijsterbes (Belgium), Curtis Institute of Music, Ed Landreth Hall and Auditorium (Texas), Roussel Hall (Louisiana), Baruch Performing Arts Center, Armerding Center for Music and Arts, German Society of Philadelphia, West Chester University, Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, Seton Hill University, Immaculata University, Kutztown University, and Neumann University.
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Some of his student's accomplishments include First Place at West Chester University Pre-College Competition, First Prize from Pennsylvania at the Opus Music State Competition, First Prize at Tri-County Youth Festival, First Prize in Charleston International Music Competition, First Prize at Bosendorfer Youth Music Festival, Alternate at PMTA State Competition, Runner up at Harmony for Peace J. Ambassador, Second Place at Chicago International Music Competition, Third Place at Steinway Society Piano Competition (Steinert & Sons), Third Place at XIV Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford CT, Third Prize at Chopin Avenue Piano Competition, Honorable Mention at Cesar Franck International Piano Competition (Brussels), and Fourth Prize in Clara Schumann International Music Competition.
His students have competed and won Concerto Competitions such as York Road Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Concerto Competition and Ambler Symphony Orchestra Scholarship. Additionally, his students have been accepted to and participated in summer festivals such as PianoTexas International Festival & Academy, Chicago International Music Competition and Festival, Music Fest Perugia, New Orleans Piano Institute, West Chester High School Music Institute, and Kutztown University Summer Music Festival.
In addition, Mr. Anemone's students regularly perform and win prizes in competitions such as Elite Music Competition, Little Mozarts Competition, Crescendo International Music Competition,Triumph Music Festival, Golden Key Music Festival, Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival, NBS Celebration of the Arts Competition and Constance Murray Piano Festival. His students have also performed in masterclasses with Norma Fisher, Maria Asteriadou, Carl Cranmer, Charles Abramovic, Young-Ah Tak, Brian Ganz, Jennifer Hayghe, Igor Resnianski, Timothy Blair, Vincent Craig, Terry Klinefelter, Silvanio Reis, Charles Louw, Marvin Blickenstaff, and Candace Chien.
A member of Music Teachers National Association, Mr. Anemone serves as the local chair for Main Line Music Teachers Association’s Dorothy Sutton Performance Festival at West Chester University. In addition, Mr. Anemone served as a faculty member at the Nelly Berman School of Music in Haverford, PA. He also teaches piano for the West Chester University High School Summer Music Institute. From 2021-2023, Mr. Anemone served as an adjunct faculty member in the Vocal and Keyboard department at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. In 2023, he received the Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher Award.
James Anemone received his undergraduate degree in Piano Performance with a minor in Music History from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and a graduate degree in Piano Performance at Temple University. His teachers and inspirational figures include Dr. Igor Resnianski, Candace Chien, Faina Lushtak, Timothy Blair, Joann Kirchner, and Jeffrey Biegel.
Rachel Lee Anemone
Chamber Music Faculty
Rachel Lee is a prize winning classical pianist based in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, The Academy of Music, Roussel Hall, and Madeline Wing Adler Theatre. She has also performed on a live broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM, performing works by J.S. Bach, Shchedrin-Pletnev, and Scriabin. Rachel Lee is a recipient of the Russian Musical Alliance of Philadelphia International Competition (1st Prize), Jacobs Music Steinway Award, Michael Morochko Piano Competition (1st Prize), Crescendo International Competition (1st Prize), Pennsylvania MTNA Young Artists Piano Competition (2nd Prize), Young Classical Virtuosos of Tomorrow International Competition (Silver), and West Chester University Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition (Finalist).
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Rachel has performed in Masterclasses taught by renowned artists including Jennifer Hayghe, Gregory Sioles, Charles Abramovic, Marianna Prjevalskaya, Frank Heneghan, and Kevin Chance. Attending the New Orleans Piano Institute for five years, she also studied with Alan Chow, Faina Lushtak, Shearon Horton, and Constance Carroll, while competing in the annual Solo and Concerto Competitions.
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At West Chester University, Rachel served as President of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter, was an accompanist for the Recital Choir, under the direction of Dr. David DeVenney, and received the Lloyd C. Mitchell Piano Scholarship. Rachel is a music director/organist at Episcopal Church of the Trinity in Coatesville and also accompanies weekly for the Bensalem Korean United Methodist Church. She has been teaching private piano lessons since 2016.
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Rachel studied at the Center for Performing and Fine Arts and at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, with Dr. Igor Resnianski. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in Piano Performance in Spring 2019. She is currently working towards the Doctorate of Musical Arts in Piano Performance with Dr. Abramovic at Temple University, where she also completed her master's degree in Spring 2021. As of Fall 2021, she is serving as an Adjunct Professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
