Dr. Ronald Shinn previously was Dowling Professor of Music at Huntingdon College where he was a member of the music faculty for thirty years. His BM in Piano Performance is from The University of New Mexico (George Robert, teacher), his MM from The University of Wisconsin (Madison; Howard Karp), and his D.M.A. from The University of Alabama (Amanda Penick).
Dr. Shinn has regularly presented solo and chamber music recitals and has also presented a number of duet/duo-piano recitals with his wife Barbara. He has given numerous workshops on such topics as duet teaching repertoire, sonata/sonatina repertoire, teaching piano concerto repertoire, and computer usage in the piano studio. He recently co-presented at the Music Teachers National Association National Conference and later at the Alabama Music Teachers Association Conference "iPods, YouTube, and Podcasts in the Studio."
Shinn's students have won numerous awards in many events, including MTNA state and regional competitions; AMTA solo and concerto events; Blount-Slawson (Montgomery), Tuscaloosa, Brevard, and the Alabama Symphony concerto competitions; and the Alabama Federation and Birmingham Music Clubs. He has judged many piano competitions throughout the U.S., including the Florida, Georgia and Southwest MTNA Collegiate Artist Competitions.
Shinn is on the faculty for the outstanding summer piano program known as the International Institute for Young Musicians (IIYM, www.iiym.com), which has included such esteemed piano faculty as Emilio del Rosario, Alan Chow, Jack Winerock, Larry Graham, and John Perry.
During the two past academic years, Shinn's students have received awards such as first in the Alabama MTNA High School and Junior High Competition, MTNA Honorable Mention in Southern Division, first in the Alabama Symphony Concerto Competition and in the Shoals Symphony Concerto Competition, first in the National Yamaha Instrument Competition (in piano) and in the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs State Competition.
Through Samford University Dr. Shinn will continue to direct the successful Senior Piano Camp, which just completed its ninth year.
In 1993 he was awarded the Exemplary Teaching Award through Huntingdon and was honored as the recipient of the 1999 AMTA Teacher of the Year Award. Dr. Shinn was the recipient of the Presidential Scholars' Teacher Recognition Award in Washington, D.C., in June, 2007.
