Abigail Hodge is a pianist and educator in Northwest Ohio. She has maintained an independent piano studio, teaching both individual and small group lessons, since 2016. 

 

Abigail graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Music Performance (Piano), where she studied piano with Dr. Robert Satterlee and piano pedagogy with Dr. Cole Burger. Additionally, she is a graduate of the Lister-Sink Intensive Training Workshop, and has completed courses in Injury-Preventive Keyboard Technique at Salem College under Dr. Barbara Lister-Sink. 

 

In her teaching, there is a commitment to technical training rooted in sound biomechanics from the beginning, as well as research-based methods in music learning. After a few years of teaching, she recognized pervasive problems that students had in rhythm and note recognition. This led her, after connecting with other like-minded teachers, to dive into study of Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory. As a recipient of the MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grant, she is certified through the Gordon Institute of Music Learning (GIML) in Piano Level 1. Her application of Music Learning Theory (largely building off of Marilyn Lowe’s Music Moves for Piano series) has led to abundant joy, ease and flow in music making in the piano studio. 

 

An active member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), she served as the president of BGSU’s MTNA Collegiate Chapter. Under her leadership, the group organized an annual community piano festival (Falcon Piano Fest), hosted guest pedagogues Dr. Martha Thomas and Dr. William Westney, and developed collaborative commissioning and performing experience between local composers, students and their teachers called Fresh Ink. 

She is currently involved in the local chapter Ohio Music Teachers Associations, and is the 2022-24 president-elect of OhioMTA’s Northwest District. 

 

In her final semester at BGSU, Abigail received a grant from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, and, collaborating with pianist Jonathan de Oliveira, she commissioned Wach ya HAYDN? for solo piano by Mikhail Johnson, which she premiered in July 2020. 

 

Abigail has performed as a soloist and collaborative pianist in such venues as St. Timothy's Episcopal Church (Perrysburg, OH), Wildwood Manor House (Toledo, OH), Wood County Public Library, The Great Gallery (Toledo Museum of Art), The Toledo Club, Kobacker Hall, Bryan Recital Hall, and Aqui Terme (Piedmont, Italy).