Keytress: Piano for Events

I am here to make bringing music to your events as easy and stress-free as possible. Contact me with your event details and we can discuss what music will bring the right atmosphere you imagine. I'm happy to bring a portable keyboard, or play a provided piano. Please let me know if the piano needs tunings ahead of time, and I can provide that service as well. I am experienced with weddings and other events, so you can rest assured any cues for music to start and stop will be easily understood. Looking forward to customizing a setlist for your special event!

Sandra Coursey (Keytress) is an American solo pianist, collaborator, and pedagogue dedicated to performing and teaching about living composers and historically underrepresented composers. She holds a D.M.A. in contemporary music and an M.M. in piano pedagogy from Bowling Green State University.
​
In 2023, Sandra performed alongside flutist Claudia Aizaga in Quito, Ecuador, presenting a recital of contemporary music by women and Ecuadorian composers. In 2022, Sandra gave both solo and collaborative performances at the 8th International Conference on Music and Minimalism. Additionally, Sandra delivered a solo performance and lecture recital showcasing her research on composer Elisabeth Lutyens at Mississippi University's Music by Women Festival. She was also the organizer of Bowling Green State University's Florence Price Festival, which encompassed performances, presentations, and discussions about Price's piano works and other contributions to music. The festival featured musicologist and Price researcher, Dr. John Michael Cooper.
​
Sandra has captivated audiences across the country through solo recitals and as a featured soloist with orchestras. Notably, she has performed multiple concerto works with the Oklahoma City University Symphony Orchestra.
​
Passionate about new and experimental music, Sandra recently premiered Drowning to Find the Beyond by Dan Antoniu for keytar and fixed media. Blending her classical piano training with her love of rock and metal, she fearlessly pushes the boundaries of piano performance, captivating listeners with her innovative approach.
​
In the realm of collaboration, Sandra is a founding member of Newphonia, a new music chamber quintet based in Bowling Green, Ohio. Newphonia commissions and premieres works by living composers, specifically written for the quintet's unique instrumentation of bass, flute, oboe, mezzo-soprano, and piano. In 2024, Newphonia debuted their first album, A Crowd of Stars.
​
Inspired by her passion for teaching, Sandra currently instructs collegiate piano courses and provides private lessons to students of all ages. Holding a Master's Degree in Piano Pedagogy, she incorporates her enthusiasm for new music and underrepresented composers into both her teaching and performances. Sandra has developed group piano lesson plans on Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, and Clara Schumann. Additionally, she co-authored the contemporary pedagogical piano book, Stories Con Spirito, an anthology of commissioned works by living composers, showcasing innovative techniques like cluster chords, graphic notation, and indeterminacy for young pianists.
​
Sandra also managed the Fresh Inklings project in 2021 and 2022, which fosters collaborations between composers and teachers to create new pedagogical repertoire for various instruments. She is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, NWOhio MTA, and an alumna of Sigma Alpha Iota, a women's music fraternity.
​
Throughout her performances, collaborations, and teaching, Sandra consistently emphasizes repertoire by living composers and underrepresented artists. By doing so, she actively shares a diverse range of music with her audiences and students alike.

I have a portable keyboard that allows me to bring piano music to your event, regardless of if your venue has a piano!