2020 - 2021 MTNA Teacher of the Year

Dr. Yu-Jane Yang is a Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor, Endowed Scholar/Artist of the College
of Arts & Humanities, and the Director of Keyboard Studies at Weber State University in Utah. Yu-Jane
feels extremely privileged being selected as the national recipient of the 2020 MTNA Teacher of the
Year, and being named as an MTNA Foundation Fellow in 2011. She served on the State Board of the
Utah Music Teachers Association for more than twenty years, including serving as the UMTA State
President, State Competition Chair, State Conference Chair, and State Collegiate Faculty Chair. Yu-Jane
also served as a co-chair of the Collegiate Pedagogy Teaching Committee and the Internship Committee
of the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy from 2007 to 2018. She was recognized with an
Outstanding Service Award in 2019 by NCKP, and was bestowed with the prestigious honor of UMTA’s
Legacy Award in 2010 for her exceptional teaching, outstanding professional achievements, and superior
service to the music profession.
Much in demand as a presenter, performer, and master class teacher, Yu-Jane has given numerous piano
workshops, master classes, and concert performances in Austria, Poland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Germany,
Singapore, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Canada, and the United States. She also appears frequently as
an adjudicator for piano competitions nationally and internationally, including judging the MTNA
National Finals of the Senior Piano Duets Competition, MTNA Southwest Division Piano Competitions,
and Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition preliminary auditions.
Yu-Jane’s piano students have been top prizewinners in both collegiate and pre-college divisions in
numerous state, national, and international piano competitions, including the national first place winner
of the 2010 MTNA Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition, and the 2020 Gilmore Young
Artist Award winner. Her WSU Pedagogy students have also won state and national recognition for their
outstanding teaching, including seven state winners of the UMTA Collegiate Student Teacher of the
Year, one national winner of the MTNA Studio Teaching Fellowship, and four-time national winners of
the MTNA Collegiate Chapter of the Year.