Biography
Acclaimed for her expressive playing and engaging teaching, pianist Grace Ho is “an artist who makes music from the heart and touches her audience with her wonderful sensitivity.” As a teacher, she is sought after for her dedication to mentoring and guiding students. For over twenty years she has taught piano students of all ages and levels. Dr. Ho is on the faculty of the University of Arizona School of Music as Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy.
In addition to performing and teaching, Dr. Ho is a regular presenter at national conferences including the Music Teachers National Association and the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy. Her research focuses on cross-disciplinary inquiry and accessibility. Examples of her cross-disciplinary presentations include “Goya/Goyescas: The Transformation of Art into Music,” which is a multimedia lecture recital on how Enrique Granados brought the art of Francisco Goya to life in the Goyescas piano suite, and “Sight and Sound: The Science of Reading and its Applications for Music Teaching,” which focuses on evidentiary-based findings by scientists on how people learn to read, specifically the connection of sight to sound. In the area of accessibility, Dr. Ho is conducting a study that looks into sensory behaviours of ADHD and ASD students and how this affects their experience in piano lessons. Her most current research investigates the barriers to access for Hispanic piano students in the U.S., focusing on the contrast between traditional piano training and Hispanic cultural values.
Dr. Ho holds a D.M.A. in piano performance and arts administration from the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, a Professional Studies Diploma in piano performance from San Francisco Conservatory, a M.M. in piano performance from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and a B.M. in piano performance from Biola University Conservatory of Music.
Degrees
- D.M.A. Piano Performance
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States
- Goya/Goyescas: The Transformation of Art into Music
- Professional Studies Diploma Piano Performance
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, California, United States
- M.M. Piano Performance
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States
- B.M. Piano Performance
- Biola University, La Mirada, California, United States
Work Experience
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon (2021 - 2025)
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon (2014 - 2021)
Licensure & Certification
- Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, Music Teachers National Association (2025)
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2025-26 Courses
-
Honors Thesis
MUS 498H (Spring 2026) -
Independent Study
MUS 699 (Spring 2026) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 181 (Spring 2026) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 182 (Spring 2026) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 282 (Spring 2026) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 382 (Spring 2026) -
Pedagogy
MUS 410B (Spring 2026) -
Pedagogy
MUS 510B (Spring 2026) -
Piano Class I
MUS 110B (Spring 2026) -
Piano Class II
MUS 210B (Spring 2026) -
Independent Study
MUS 699 (Fall 2025) -
Internship
MUS 693 (Fall 2025) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 181 (Fall 2025) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 182 (Fall 2025) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 282 (Fall 2025) -
Music Individual Studies
MUSI 382 (Fall 2025) -
Pedagogy
MUS 410A (Fall 2025) -
Pedagogy
MUS 510A (Fall 2025) -
Piano Class I
MUS 110A (Fall 2025) -
Piano Class II
MUS 210A (Fall 2025) -
Piano/Music Educ Major
MUS 310A (Fall 2025)
Scholarly Contributions
Presentations
- Ho, G. (2025, April).
Targeted Strategies to Address Barriers to Access for Hispanic Piano Students
. MTNA TEMPO Virtual Conference. Online: Music Teachers National Association.More infoHispanics are the fastest growing minority in the United States. According to the Census Bureau, there were 65.2 million Hispanics in 2023, making up more than 19% of the population. Despite this, the Pew Research Center reports that only 8% of advanced degree holders are Hispanic, and for those earning doctoral piano performance degrees in 2021-2022, the National Association of Schools of Music reported that only 32 out of 984 graduates identified as Hispanic.This presentation provides targeted strategies to address this participation gap. Music education research has identified an “opportunity gap” for students of color (Abramo 2020). There are barriers to access at the pre-college level, making it challenging for Hispanic students to enter college music programs. Culturally, piano curriculum has been primarily Eurocentric and unfamiliar to Hispanic students. In addition, the world of classical music focuses on competition and external ability, which is countercultural to Hispanic ideas of self-worth, which are internal and individualistic (Ruiz 1983). Often, Hispanic students are from single-parent households (Escalante 2019) that cannot afford private piano lessons. Many live in multi-generational homes, making it difficult to practice on an acoustic piano. Additionally, these first-generation students have limited access to Hispanic role models. In order to enhance equity, we need to offer pre-college piano programs that align with Hispanic culture, values, and lifestyle. Implementation of such programs would include creating a culturally inclusive curriculum, offering classes in Hispanic neighborhoods, shifting towards group teaching, and using digital pianos to enable practicing with headphones in the home. - Ho, G. (2025, June).
Targeted Strategies to Address Barriers to Access for Hispanic Piano Students
. National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy. Virtual: Frances Clark Center.More infoHispanics are the fastest growing minority in the United States. According to the Census Bureau, there were 65.2 million Hispanics in 2023, making up more than 19% of the population. Despite this, the Pew Research Center reports that only 8% of advanced degree holders are Hispanic, and for those earning doctoral piano performance degrees in 2021-2022, the National Association of Schools of Music reported that only 32 out of 984 graduates identified as Hispanic.This presentation provides targeted strategies to address this participation gap. Music education research has identified an “opportunity gap” for students of color (Abramo 2020). There are barriers to access at the pre-college level, making it challenging for Hispanic students to enter college music programs. Culturally, piano curriculum has been primarily Eurocentric and unfamiliar to Hispanic students. In addition, the world of classical music focuses on competition and external ability, which is countercultural to Hispanic ideas of self-worth, which are internal and individualistic (Ruiz 1983). Often, Hispanic students are from single-parent households (Escalante 2019) that cannot afford private piano lessons. Many live in multi-generational homes, making it difficult to practice on an acoustic piano. Additionally, these first-generation students have limited access to Hispanic role models. In order to enhance equity, we need to offer pre-college piano programs that align with Hispanic culture, values, and lifestyle. Implementation of such programs would include creating a culturally inclusive curriculum, offering classes in Hispanic neighborhoods, shifting towards group teaching, and using digital pianos to enable practicing with headphones in the home. - Ho, G. (2025, March).
Simple Adaptations for ADHD and ASD Students
. 2025 MTNA National Conference. Minneapolis, MN: Music Teachers National Association.More infoCDC estimates that 2.76% of children aged 6-17 receive ASD-related services (2020), and 9.8% of children aged 3-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD (2016-2019). Music teachers should apply different pedagogy for these neurodiverse students; their needs are distinct from neurotypical students.In this presentation, we provide crucial information regarding ADHD and ASD, including descriptions of the disorders’ general characteristics, overlapping features between the two disorders (AuDHD), and practical adaptations in music lessons. Through specific case study scenarios, we illustrate how understanding neurodiverse traits can improve our teaching effectiveness. This approach allows student’s needs to guide learning expectations, repertoire choice, and evaluation of progress. Teachers can create simple modifications such as covering illustrations in a method book for students who find those distracting or assigning shorter pieces to assist AuDHD students with attention span issues.Improving our pedagogy for neurodivergent students could significantly improve our studio’s success and students’ lives. Furthermore, students with ADHD and ASD can learn musical knowledge and social cues from taking individual music lessons. Success in adapting our teaching methods will allow us to serve this underserved demographic better.
Creative Performances
- Ho, G. (2025.
Keys Unveiled: A Concert of All Women Composers
. Concert. Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon.
