Heather Byars
Director
Email:
hbyars@me.com
Phone:
205-253-9671
QUICK FACTS
Name: Heather Byars
Education: BM Piano Performance, MM Piano Performance and Pedagogy
Schools: University of Montevallo, University of Louisville
Teaching Experience: 30+ years
Professional Affiliations: Music Teacher’s National Association, Birmingham Music Teacher’s Association, National Federation of Music Clubs, and Birmingham Metro Music Forum
CONTACT
Email: hbyars@me.com
Phone: (205) 253-9671
TEACHER TRIVIA
Mrs. Byars was born and raised primarily in Germany.
She has lived in three different countries and visited eighteen countries.
She loves teaching students of all ages and abilities.
She knew she was going to be a pianist after her first piano lesson.
She began teaching in high school, when her piano professor asked her to teach her teenage son.
She once won a piano competition playing blindfolded.
She and her husband traveled to China to adopt their daughter.
She loves arts and crafts.
The Byars' family has a huge Himalayan cat and an adorable Havanese puppy.
Her father is past-president and now a member of the board of AL Solar Association. and past president of the North Alabama Chapter of ASHRAE. GO GREEN!
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Heather Byars earned a Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Montevallo as a student of Dr. Anthony Pattin and a Master's Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Louisville in Kentucky, under the tutelage of Dr. Naomi Oliphant. During her time at the University of Montevallo, she regularly participated in the Piano Honors Recitals and prepared the Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor for a competition in Tennessee. She was honored to receive a piano teaching assistantship to the University of Louisville where she was able to gain valuable teaching experience while furthering her education.
She has been teaching piano for 30+ years including private piano studio, university class piano, and private piano instruction for university students. She is a freelance performer and maintains a large private piano studio in Vestavia Hills where she enjoys working with students of all ages and abilities. She is married to Chris Byars, a music teacher and percussionist. Their daughter is a Neuroscience Major at UAB.
Mrs. Byars has lectured and performed at both the 1995 National Conference on Piano Pedagogy and the National Yamaha Education and Technology Conference in 1999. She is an active member of the Music Teacher's National Association (MTNA) and the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) including their local affiliates. She is also a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society. She has contributed articles to professional pedagogy periodicals, and her students actively participate in local and state piano competitions.
Mrs. Byars returned to the University of Montevallo to perform in their piano Honors Recital, their Legacy Concert Series, and in duo piano performance with Dr. Anthony Pattin. She has completed one CD recording. The CD includes a compilation of live performances of works by Robert Schumann, Bela Bartok, Claude Debussy, and Samuel Barber.
