Dr. Amy Simpson

Dr. Amy M. Simpson holds a DMA in Piano Performance from West Virginia University and an MM in Piano Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Dr. Peter Amstutz and Mr. Ralph Zitterbart, respectively. She has taught privately in her Murrysville, PA home for some 30 years. Her students have won competitions, become professional musicians, or simply enjoyed learning to play the piano.

Dr. Simpson is a former winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society audition with a chamber partner from the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra. Recently she performed Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Edgewood Symphony in Pittsburgh. In April 2023 she will perform Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 with the Westminster College (PA) orchestra where she once played her undergraduate senior recital.

While raising two children, Dr. Simpson served as an accompanist and Adjunct Instructor for various local colleges and universities. Alongside her private teaching, she served two Pittsburgh area Presbyterian Churches as a church musician.

As part of her long-time work in the PCUSA, Dr. Simpson has performed in jazz worship services with music from the group, Presbybop. She began jazz studies with David Budway and continues to study with Dr. James Miltenberger. Currently, Dr. Simpson serves as an Adjunct Instructor at WVU, and spends time speaking on the topic of music practice, memorization, and performance based on her dissertation in current neuro-science research. Her dissertation won two WVU Creative Arts research awards.