Jennifer McCabe - Piano
Currently a collaborative pianist at North Park and DePaul Universities, Jennifer McCabe has been described as “the new Gerald Moore” and “an infinitely sympathetic pianist.” An Associated Artist with Working in Concert, she has performed with organizations such as The Kennedy Center, Northwestern University, Music Institute of Chicago, NATS, Bellissima Opera, Sinfonietta Bel Canto. Pianist for the world premiere staged performance of Chicago composer
Philip Seward’s operetta “High Fidelity” at the Royal George Theater, she was also the pianist for the world premiere of the operatic quartet “Transcendence” by David Shenton and Christine Steyer. Jennifer was vocal coach, pianist, and conductor for North Park University’s 2023 opera production of “Buried Alive” which was awarded second place in its division by the National Opera Association.
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She has performed with Nisanne Howell of the CSO, Chicago-area university faculty and Lyric Opera and Grant Park chorus members. She has played in master classes and educational settings for Renee Fleming, Katelyn Lee, Ramsey Lewis, Elizabeth Futral, Jane Bunnell, composer Libby Larsen and Michael Ehrman. Notably, Jennifer was pianist/coach for the Merit School of Music’s ground-breaking “Renee Fleming Voice Initiative” working with teens in its first two years and pianist for their first ever virtual master class, documented in the Chicago Tribune by arts critic John von Rhein.
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Jennifer’s contributions as managing director, pianist and board member of Opera on Tap Chicago were hailed by Anne Hiatt (founder of Opera on Tap USA) as “...top notch…crucial to the Chapter’s survival and success.” An in-demand private piano teacher for over 25 years, Jennifer frequently contributes her time to underserved communities as a piano teacher and adjudicator. In her work as a ChiArts Teaching Artist, Jennifer was praised by world renowned pianist and teacher Ramsey Lewis as “a wonderful teacher!” Additionally, Jennifer’s students have been accepted into prestigious collegiate music programs and have attended distinguished summer programs at Interlochen, University of Illinois, and Blue Lake.
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As a result of her dedication to arts education, Jennifer was the recipient of “Best of Chicago 2019” for Harmony Piano Studio and a Sycamore Music Boosters Legacy Award Recipient in 2020 where she was an inductee into the Music Hall of Fame at Sycamore High School for her lifetime contributions to music. A 1995 graduate of Northern Illinois University with a BA in piano, she also completed additional graduate studies at NIU and MTSU in piano performance and education. Jennifer has studied voice, acting, writing, clarinet, saxophone, steel pan, organ, guitar, piano tuning, and composition.
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Jennifer’s greatest passion is fostering a love of music in her students and audiences through her teaching and performing. Music is life.
To learn more about Jennifer, visit her websites:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/harmonypianostudio
http://harmonypianostudio.com