Dr. Jenna Braaksma

  • Piano Instructor and Collaborative Pianist

B. Mus., Iowa State University, M.Mus.,University of Missouri; Ph.D., Florida State University

Dr. Jenna Braaksma currently serves as piano instructor and collaborative pianist in the music department at Buena Vista University. Her teaching responsibilities include instructing group piano classes for music majors and elective piano courses for non-music majors, as well as leading a growing applied piano studio. She also collaborates with BVU student musicians and the BVU Concert Choir. 

Dr. Braaksma has enjoyed a teaching career in a variety of educational settings, including collegiate and secondary levels. Prior to teaching at BVU, she directed the Understanding Music and Piano program at the Augusta Raa Performing Arts Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida. While completing her doctoral work, Dr. Braaksma taught group piano courses for undergraduate music majors and non-majors at Florida State University. She also led recreational music-making classes for adult beginners and developed the curriculum for the inaugural group piano classes for the OLLI Foundation at FSU. Before starting her terminal degree, Dr. Braaksma served as Adjunct Faculty of Music in Piano at the University of Missouri, where she taught group piano classes, directed the Experiencing Piano program for young children and adult beginners, collaborated with student vocalists and instrumentalists, and accompanied for all choral ensembles at Mizzou. In addition, Dr. Braaksma has managed a private piano studio for over ten years, providing lessons for students through both in-person and online instruction.

Along with her teaching, she remains active as a collaborative pianist for vocalists, instrumentalists, chamber, and large ensembles, particularly choirs.Dr. Braaksma has collaborated with vocalists and instrumentalists in recitals, as well as regional and national competitions. As a choral accompanist, she has toured nationally and internationally with choirs to South Korea, Austria, Hungary, China, France, and Ireland. 

Dr. Braaksma frequently presents at regional, state, and national music education conferences. Her primary research interests combine the fields of collaborative piano and piano pedagogy by developing strategies to teach accompanying skills and incorporate collaborative piano activities in private piano lessons and group piano courses. She has also presented on teaching functional piano skills to preservice teachers and teaching techniques for the hybrid music classroom.

Courses

Group Piano Courses for Music Majors, Group Piano Courses for Non-Music Majors, Applied Piano Lessons for Music Majors and Non-Music Majors

Dr. Jenna Braaksma