Dr. David Murray

Assistant Professor of Piano | Piano Department Chair

Office Phone: 912.478.5019
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Education:
B.M., Southwest Baptist University
M.M., University of Kentucky
D.M.A., Arizona State University

Pianist David Murray, a native of Missouri, has become a highly sought after solo and collaborative performer, described as "the perfect collaborator" (New York Concert Review) and as a "nimble, expressive, hand-in-glove accompanist" (Arizona Republic). His work as a solo artist has included both solo recitals and concerto performances, including a highly praised performance of George Gershwin's Concerto in F and the world premiere of Richard Wall's Four Short Studies for Piano. He began training as a pianist at the age of 9, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from Southwest Baptist University in 1993 and a Master of Music degree from the University of Kentucky in 1995. In 2002 he received a Doctor of Musical Arts from Arizona State University where he studied with Robert Hamilton before further training with Stewart Gordon in Los Angeles. Murray has been featured as a soloist on two recordings: Kentucky Kaleidoscope (1997) and Destination MCC (2001).

In June 2003, Murray released his first collaborative recording, Blue: The Complete Cabaret Songs of William Bolcom and Arnold Weinstein (Summit Records), described as "exemplary" by BBC Music Magazine and "effortlessly musical" by the Arizona Republic . In 2005 he made his Carnegie Hall debut, a performance described as "first-rate" and "perfect" by the New York Concert Review . A second recording, Murray's arrangement of Elvis Costello's song cycle, The Juliet Letters , was released in 2006.

In 2007 Murray joined the faculty of Georgia Southern University as an Assistant Professor and Piano Chair.

Dr. Tom Pearsall

Associate Professor | Group Piano

Office Phone: 912.478.5726
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Personal Website: Click Here

Education:
B.M., University of Kentucky
M.M., Bowling Green State University
D.M.A., University of Oklahoma

Tom Pearsall teaches group piano and piano pedagogy at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, where he has been since 1993. A native of North Carolina, he holds degrees in performance from the University of Kentucky and Bowling Green State University, and a doctorate in performance and pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. Prior teaching positions include Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, the University of Wisconsin-Marathon Center, and Wausau Conservatory of Music (Wisconsin).

Tom is Past President of the Georgia Music Teachers Association, and a member of the executive steering committee for the National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum. He also maintains a private studio of pre-college and adult students, and is an active clinician, performer, author, and adjudicator.

Dr. Karla Qualls

Staff Accompanist

Office Phone: 912.478.7183
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Karla Qualls joined the faculty as staff accompanist at Georgia Southern University in the Fall of 2002 after completing her doctoral degree in piano accompanying and chamber music at Florida State University under the direction of Dr. Carolyn Bridger. A native Texan, Dr. Qualls holds a degree in piano performance from New Mexico State University and the Master of Music degree in Piano Accompanying from Arizona State University. After completing the master's degree, Karla worked at West Texas A&M University as the staff accompanist for the opera and choral programs.

Karla is often asked to perform on harpsichord as a continuo player and has studied with Dr. Karyl Louwenaar and Janet Loman. She has performed extensively in the Southwest for vocal and instrumental recitals, choral and church concerts. She was the recipient of the Florida State University Fellowship for the academic year 2001-2002.

Karla is a member of The Hachidori Trio with Jennifer Dalmas and Evgeni Raychev. In May of 2002 the group competed in the semi-final round of the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition. Chosen to represent FSU, the Trio traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, as Promising Young Artists of the 21st Century, Fall 2000. They have performed the Beethoven "Triple" concerto with orchestras in Virginia, Bulgaria, and Florida (winners of the Florida State University Doctoral Concerto Competition.)