Piano at Cannon Music Camp
Cannon Music Camp 2026 (June 20-July 11) includes the Two Piano Festival with Tonya Morgan Kirk. Register for camp with piano as your primary or secondary instrument to receive this unique three-day intensive at no extra charge!
Two Piano Festival: A Summer 2026 Exclusive
This summer, pianists at Cannon Music Camp will have the unique opportunity to work with noted piano instructor Tonya Morgan Kirk in the Two Piano Festival to be held at this summer’s camp.
The Two Piano Festival at Cannon Music Camp – open to all campers with piano as their primary or secondary instrument – is an intensive three-day program focused on collaborative piano skills, especially four-hand playing. Students will have opportunities for evaluation and support for their performing level with regard to repertoire, sightreading, and rhythm.
The Two Piano Festival is from June 29–July 1, while the camp itself is from June 20–July 11. Each day of the Two Piano Festival follows a structured schedule that includes morning piano literature classes, technique-focused sessions (such as sightreading or four-hand literature), and guided practice in the piano lab. Afternoons are dedicated to individual coaching sessions, with additional time for independent practice, followed by a group master class and collaborative piano instruction.
Evenings include shared meals and performances, featuring a faculty four-hand recital on the first day and a final student performance on July 1!
Students are invited to register for Cannon Music Camp through the camp’s website, cannon.appstate.edu, in order to participate in the Two Piano Festival and the many other piano-specific opportunities throughout the camp. (The festival is only available as part of the complete Cannon Music Camp experience.)
About Cannon Music Camp
Founded in 1969, Cannon Music Camp has built musical skills and memories for generations of students on the campus of Appalachian State University. The three-week camp is open to dedicated musicians who are rising ninth graders through graduating high school seniors (current 8th-12th graders). Performance areas include voice, piano, woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, harp, and guitar.
Cannon Music Camp offers intensive college preparatory work that sets students up for success in auditions, college music study, and their own musical passions. Learn more on our website - especially our About page - and Apply to Camp if you are interested! Scholarship support may be available; see our Scholarships page for details.
Piano at Cannon Music Camp
Every summer at Cannon Music Camp, pianists study side-by-side with 180 fellow musicians of different instruments! Below is a curated list of activities that are popular with keyboard players at camp.
Core Activities for Pianists
Included in the regular camp tuition
- Performances - Piano studio performances, choral ensembles, and jazz and concert bands (by audition) are popular with keyboard players.
- Individual Lessons - All students receive a weekly one-hour individual lesson with an expert keyboard teaching artist.
- Collaborative Piano and Chamber Music Classes, led by professional collaborative pianists - develop skills of finely-tuned attention and collaboration with one or more performers, advancing your musical fulfillment and career opportunities.
- Music Theory - study the forms and structure of music, starting at your current level.
- Masterclass - play for your instructor and studio in a supportive group learning format.
- World-Class Professional Performances - tickets to selected performances (and meetings with renowned visiting artists!) at An Appalachian Summer Festival.
Electives
Pursue more interests through electives! (Schedule permitting; some have an additional cost.)
- Additional or Secondary Lessons- Double up on piano lessons or add lessons in another subject.
- Organ or Harpsichord (subject to availability), Voice, or Composition are excellent add-ons for pianists!
- Jazz Improvisation Class - improvisation experience not required
- Secondary Ensembles - sing or play a different instrument in an ensemble
- Conducting Class - an intro to ensemble leadership skills
- Alexander Technique - address stage anxiety
About Tonya Morgan Kirk
Tonya Morgan Kirk, MM, NCTM is a nationally certified music teacher and independent piano instructor based in Durham, North Carolina. An honors graduate of Mississippi College, she holds both a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music in Piano Performance.
Ms. Kirk has served on the faculties of The Raleigh Conservatory of Music, the Community Music School of Raleigh, and East Central Community College in Decatur, Mississippi. An active performer and clinician throughout North Carolina, she specializes in piano duet literature, bringing a collaborative and engaging approach to both performance and pedagogy.
Along with her duet partner, Kerry Henry, Ms. Kirk has been named Artist-in-Residence for the Cary-Apex Piano Teachers Association (CAPTA). Together, they have presented concerts across North Carolina and have offered pedagogical lectures on duet literature for teachers through organizations including Greensboro Music Teachers Association (GMTA), Cape Fear Music Teachers Association, and Durham Music Teachers Association, among others.
A recipient of the MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grant, Ms. Kirk pursued in-depth study of Dave Brubeck’s solo piano works. Her research culminated in a lecture series that integrates Brubeck’s music into teaching studio curricula and piano festival repertoire.
Deeply committed to the music teaching community, Ms. Kirk has held numerous leadership roles within North Carolina Music Teachers Association (NCMTA), Raleigh Piano Teachers Association (RPTA), and Durham Music Teachers Association (DMTA). She currently serves as President of the North Carolina Music Teachers Association and as Chair of the State Presidents’ Advisory Council for Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). She is an active adjudicator at both state and local levels and has served on the piano faculty of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Summer Music Camp since 2018.
Outside of her professional work, Ms. Kirk enjoys traveling, baking, college basketball, and spending time with her family, friends, and two Bernedoodles.