Maira Liliestedt was a prizewinner in numerous student competitions in her native Romania before moving to the United States in 1992. Liliestedt received a Bachelor of Music in piano from Bowling Green State University and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she studied with Eugene and Elisabeth Pridonoff.

A professor emeritus of music at the University of Mount Union, Liliestedt previously taught at Northern Kentucky University, the College of Mount Saint Joseph, and in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s evening program. She has been published in Clavier magazine and has served as panelist and presenter for the Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy conference. She has presented at local, district, and state conferences including the Ohio MTA and Texas MTA conventions. Her professional experience also includes masterclasses and chamber music coaching with James Tocco and Emanuel Ax.  

At the University of Mount Union, she was a significant force behind the re-establishment of Solo con Tutti, the University of Mount Union/Alliance Symphony Orchestra concerto competition, and served as the organizer of the event. She is an active adjudicator for festivals and competitions in the area and abroad. Liliestedt is a past Chair of the Middle East District of the Ohio Music Teachers’ Association and past Co-President of the Stark County Music Teachers’ Association. She also served on the planning committee for the 2016 Ohio Music Teachers’ Association State Conference.  

Since 1996, she has been a member of the Appassionata Piano Duo, a successful musical partnership with pianist Janelle Phinney. Critic Tom Wachunas described the duo’s playing as “a warm and deft joining of palpable grace with flawless, often fiery technique,” displaying a “riveting, lucid finesse alternately muscular and delicate.” The ensemble has garnered praise for its “wonderful ensemble, balance, and unity of purpose,” and its “terrific collaboration full of grace and passion.” (Eugene and Elisabeth Pridonoff, Professors Emeriti, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music). In addition to numerous academic awards, Liliestedt has twice been the recipient of the prestigious Presser Music Award.

As a pianist, Liliestedt has been a prizewinner in solo piano and collaborative competitions at the high school, collegiate, and graduate levels, and maintains a regular schedule of solo, chamber, and concerto performances. Her interpretations of the Liszt First Piano Concerto were received enthusiastically; in conductor Eric Benjamin’s words: “hearing Maira Liliestedt play [this concerto] is like watching an Indy race driver take the car out for a spin.” Liliestedt has presented solo and violin/piano recitals at many universities in the Midwest and abroad, as well as duo and solo concerto performances. Other engagements include solo recitals featuring Bach’s B-flat Major Partita and the Liszt B Minor Sonata, orchestral collaboration on Saint-Saëns’s Second Piano Concerto and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Appassionata Piano Duo work on Brahms’s complete Hungarian Dances. Her main 2021 project was preparing Chopin’s Concerto in E Minor for fall 2021 performances. Watch a video series documenting her learning journey to the performances! 2022-23 highlights included a chamber program in the fall, featuring duo piano and piano trio music, as well as a new solo program in the spring, headlined by the haunting music of Rachmaninoff and Enescu. 2023-2024 showcased orchestral work on Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto. 2025 repertoire includes Brahms’s Hungarian Dances and Schubert’s F Minor Fantasy for piano four hands as well as vocal/piano collaboration with soprano and pianist Laura Mason.

Her first published book will be released in early 2025 by Innovative Ink Publishing: Piano TEACHeR: Teaching through Emotional Awareness, Content, and Human Relationships.

An active pedagogue, Liliestedt maintains her instructional agility teaching students of various ages and abilities in her Keys to Artistry Piano Studio in Canton, Ohio. The growing studio has expanded offerings in music history, theory, and repertoire in addition to piano lessons, and offers multiple performance opportunities for its students. 2024-2025 has brought about the debut of the Keys to Artistry Concert Series, consisting of an array of professional and advanced student concerts in the tradition of the nineteenth-century’s Schubertiades, hosted in an intimate house setting. These unique events offer vibrant music-making and social interaction in the best tradition of social musical events of the past, aiming to appeal to the immediacy of musical and human communication in an increasingly disjointed world. More information at www.keystoartistry.com.

about Maira's pianism

• Since 1996, she has been a member of the Appassionata Piano Duo, a successful musical partnership with pianist Janelle Phinney. Critic Tom Wachunas described the duo’s playing as “a warm and deft joining of palpable grace with flawless, often fiery technique,” displaying a “riveting, lucid finesse alternately muscular and delicate.” The ensemble has garnered praise for its “wonderful ensemble, balance, and unity of purpose,” and its “terrific collaboration full of grace and passion.” (Eugene and Elisabeth Pridonoff, world-renowned pianists).

• In conductor Eric Benjamin’s words: “hearing Maira Liliestedt play [the Liszt E-flat Piano Concerto] is like watching an Indy race driver take the car out for a spin.”

• "Heartfelt thanks again for your beautiful and brilliant recital…What a joy to hear such profound music performed with an equal dosage of artistry, conviction, and passion—a powerful elixir, indeed! Thanks for elevating us all! - choral director Dr. Grant Cook, regarding a cello/piano recital with cellist Dr. Elaine Anderson

• "What a spellbinding performance! What an audience reaction! - Dr. Elaine Anderson, cellist, regarding a performance of Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto

• “It has been a long time since I have been moved to tears... I realized that I just haven’t had the opportunity to witness such passion in so long. Not only are you a brilliant pianist…but your heart is behind it all and it pours into your performance. You reminded me why we musicians do what we do…your recital was a real blessing." - Jessica Weber, voice and piano instructor

• “Extremely impressive! … stunning performance last evening!" - Dr. Elaine Anderson

• “Your performance was stunning! The dynamic control and execution was outstanding (and I have heard ... [many pianists]. I was totally immersed in the emotion of your playing" - Mark Shengle, certified Steinway piano technician

•  “{Liliestedt} ... played the Liszt Sonata ... Her performance was one of the finest I [have] ever heard." - Peter Coraggio, Professor Emeritus of piano at the University of Hawaii.

about Maira's teaching

• "Piano lessons at the Keys to Artistry Studio have been one of the very best things we have ever done for our children. Dr. Liliestedt is an amazing teacher with high expectations. She creatively teaches each child how they learn best so they can meet those expectations, which has caused them to genuinely love to play the piano. Our children, however, are learning much more than how to play the piano well; they are also learning many beneficial life skills and attitudes because of the love Dr. Liliestedt speaks into each child every week. We are truly blessed to have her in our children's lives." - Dr. Kevin and Hope Hill, parents of two current Keys to Artistry young students.

• "As a piano tuner in our area working for institutions, orchestras, the Steinway company, and private clients, I have a unique prospective when it comes to hearing comments on piano teachers from parents and other professional piano educators in our area. The actual teachers never hear the comments I do! I can honestly say that parents often comment on the accelerated progress of their son/daughter and the students' significantly increased enjoyment of piano lessons because of the individual connection that Maira has made with the student. I also know many other fine piano teachers in the area that will recommend Maira when assistance is needed in over coming specific issues in a student's musical endeavors. I believe that the benefits of studying in Maira's studio make both the time and financial cost well worth it." - Mark Shengle, certified Steinway piano technician and piano tuner for the Cleveland Orchestra, Canton Symphony, and Youngstown Symphony.

• "Dr. Liliestedt has been a superb piano instructor for our son. Through her thoughtful and kind guidance, she has helped him to enhance his love of music with the musical maturity and performance skills to be able to confidently pursue a musical career if he should desire it. Under her tutelage, he was able to take honors in competitions, be accepted to two summer piano institutes, and prepare an hour-long recital program so that he would have repertoire ready for college auditions. Whether he pursues music as a profession or as an avocation, his studies with Dr. Liliestedt have fostered in him a love of music and level of performance confidence that will serve him well, whatever path he should take. Dr. Liliestedt brings a wonderful combination of professionalism and kindness to her teaching." - Tiffany Gravlee, parent of former Liliestedt high-school student

• "Maira is the wonderful combination of a talented musician and intuitive teacher. Studying with her took my playing to a level of maturity that I did not previously believe I could attain. In lessons she works with you to not only identify what can be improved but how to execute this and why it is important. It has been my experience that the how and why are marks of a truly thorough instrument study and enable a student to take ownership of his or her playing. Furthermore, she helps you develop not only your fingers and mind, but also your ear so that you are able to identify new and different nuances of playing yourself. Maira helped me develop a skill set that has allowed me to grow as a pianist, musician, and person long after lessons with her have finished." - Laura (Jurasko) Mason, former Liliestedt university student

To inquire about the Keys to Artistry piano studio or engage Maira's services as pianist,
email maira@keystoartistry.com, call
(330) 456-0275, or fill out our contact form.