Meredith Stemen
Dr. Meredith Stemen is an accomplished pianist whose musical roots run deep to her hometown of Pensacola, Florida. She is consistently recognized for her exceptional command of the keyboard, exquisite musical sensitivity, and a vibrant collaborative spirit that shines through her work. In addition to maintaining an active performance schedule, Meredith currently serves as the Community Engagement Administrator for the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. This role oversees the PSO's Beyond the Stage program, which brings free performances by PSO musicians to clinical, community, and education partners in the Pensacola area.
Meredith recently debuted as a soloist with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and joined the Pensacola Opera's roster of studio artists for the 2024-25 season. At Pensacola Opera, Meredith served as music director for the company's education outreach tour, rehearsal pianist for Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, and rehearsal pianist/continuo for Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. She was selected as a collaborative piano fellow for the Opera Theater and VocalARTS program at the Aspen Music Festival under the direction of Renee Fleming and Patrick Summers. Meredith earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in collaborative piano under the guidance of Ana María Otamendi at Louisiana State University, with an additional minor in arts administration. Meredith's time at LSU was marked by significant accomplishments, including her extensive work with the LSU Chamber Singers and Contemporary New Music Ensemble, her role as music director for Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona, and her contribution as a repétiteur and coach for the world premiere of Hannah Rice’s opera Seneca Falls as part of the first Operability micro-opera festival. Meredith performed recitals with numerous guest artists, including Paul Groves, Peter Cooper, and Frank Morelli. Meredith has taught both undergraduate and graduate level students in secondary and applied piano, collaborative piano, and lyric diction. She has held instructor positions at Louisiana State University, the University of Florida, and the University of West Florida. Her commitment to education and mentorship has been further demonstrated through her role as a vocal coach for the high school opera program at Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she also contributed her expertise as a choral pianist to the World Youth Honors Choir and Interlochen Singers. Meredith’s research on Liszt’s William Tell Lieder was selected for presentation at LSU’s inaugural graduate research conference in April 2023 and she also presented at the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts Research Expo. She was recently invited to lead her session “Practical Applications of Mindfulness for Musicians” at the Florida State Music Teachers Association annual conference and has also presented several papers on the vocal works of Ricky Ian Gordon. Meredith holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the University of West Florida, where she received the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award in music. Additional awards for both solo and collaborative performances include first place in the UWF Student Scholars Symposium Concerto Competition and the UWF Collaborative Piano Competition, and finalist in the Catholic University of America International Piano Competition. Alongside her colleagues Brandon Hendrickson and Carlos Santelli, Meredith recently recorded an album of lieder by Franz Liszt and Josephine Lang which is scheduled for future release.