Dr. Joshua Pifer Biography

Dr. Joshua Pifer is Assistant Professor of Piano at Valdosta State University.  Prior coming to Valdosta State University, Dr. Pifer served at Auburn University, Florida State University, Wittenberg University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Festival, and the Orfeo Music Festival in Vipiteno, Italy.  Dr. Pifer’s major teachers were Antoinette Perry, Robert Thomas, and Robert Howat. 

Praised for his “sensitivity,” “color,” and “depth” in performance, Dr. Pifer has appeared in concert in countries on three continents as well as 22 U.S. states.  His first CD, “Alexander Tcherepnin My Favorite Piano Works” (released by Puros Records and co-produced with Chandler Bridges, a Grammy award winning recording engineer) was praised as “full of intensity and commitment” and “brilliant and original.” Dr. Pifer is the founding member of several chamber music ensembles: Plains2 with Dr. Matthew Wood, trombone; The Duo Echo with Jennifer Pifer, oboe; and The Oto Trio with Eleanor Pifer, violin, and Chikuen Kato, Japanese artist.

Dr. Pifer currently serves as President for the Alabama Music Teachers Association and is a strong advocate for increasing professional music opportunities for collegiate students.  Dr. Pifer regularly presents lectures, clinics, and performances at professional conferences; his favorite presentations include “The Piano Music of Alexander Tcherepnin,” “Arm Usage and Injury Prevention in Piano Playing,” and “Teaching Jazz Improvisation, It’s Not That Scary.”  As a pedagogue and performer, Dr. Pifer believes that music is a tool for inspiration.