Chestnut Hill College Music Professor Named as Yamaha Artist/Educator

PHILADELPHIA, PA (09/15/2010)(readMedia)-- Edward J. Strauman, Ph.D., assistant professor of music at Chestnut Hill College has been endorsed by Yamaha as an Artist/Educator. Yamaha only bestows this honor to musicians who represent the elite in their respective field, "who are active, gifted and articulate musicians."

"I am honored to hold the title Yamaha Artist/Educator," says Dr. Strauman. "I am proud to represent the company and advocate for their pianos and keyboards. In addition to manufacturing superior pianos and keyboards, Yamaha educates the public on the positive impact of music on the mind and body through their music and wellness institute. I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the company."

Yamaha chooses artists to endorse based on many factors, including popularity, loyalty to the brand, personality, and talent. Criteria taken into consideration include record sales, television, movie, and video credits, tours, and teaching credentials from university and education systems. Dr. Strauman received this designation after submitting an in-depth application, curriculum vitae of academic experience, recommendations, and recordings of his compositions.

As an ardent music educator, Dr. Strauman has taught in classroom and studio settings, alongside a successful career as a jazz musician and composer. Additional activities include the coordination of concert series, and performing as accompanist for members of the New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Alvin Alley Dance Theater, and the Martha Graham Dance Company. He has also served as an arranger, conductor, and music director in a variety of posts from churches to recording studios.

Strauman has received awards for his work from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Eubie Blake Trust, the American Music Center, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI). Other awards include a Telly for his work on the music for the video, The Book of Confessions, and The Margaret Jory Award from The American Music Center. He has received glowing praise for his recent jazz album, "Just Once More" from The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Sacramento Bee, and DailyMe.com .

Strauman, who resides in South Philadelphia, received his undergraduate degree in music from Temple University, a master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and his Ph.D. from The Steinhardt School of Education at New York University. He has been an assistant professor at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia for the past 6 years, where he teaches music theory, counterpoint and orchestration. He is also the founder of the Jazz Improvisational workshop at the College and has created several new courses, including adding jazz performance as a minor area of study.

About Chestnut Hill College

Chestnut Hill College is a four-year coed Catholic college in the Ignatian tradition that offers a traditional liberal arts undergraduate program as well as accelerated undergraduate degrees, master's and doctoral programs. The College has been rated by US News & World Report as among the best master's universities in the North, as among the best Northeastern colleges by The Princeton Review, and has been classified as selective by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Since 1924, the College has offered a rigorous curriculum that provides students with a broad background in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The goal of Chestnut Hill College has been to prepare students for life's challenges by helping them to grow intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and socially.

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