Piano Faculty Judging Prestigious International Competition

Dr. Luis Sanchez, professor of music at East Texas A&M University, was invited to serve as a panelist for the 2025 Rubato International Piano Competition, scheduled for August 12-16 in Oxford, Ala. Billed as the premier competition of its kind in the American southeast, the event sees dozens of pianists from ages 10 to 27 perform for a panel of judges in Classical and Jazz categories. This year’s competitors hail from Vietnam, China, Albania, Taiwan, Canada and several U.S. states. Sanchez is joining a panel of judges representing the University of Michigan and the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. Past jurors taught at prestigious programs such as The Juilliard School and the Berklee College of Music.

Sanchez, who has taught piano at East Texas A&M since 2007, will judge the Classical division. He has earned many accolades during his time in Commerce, including the Collegiate Teacher of the Year award from the Texas Music Teachers Association in 2019. In addition to his teaching duties, he is also head of the Keyboard Studies division in the East Texas A&M School of Music.

Featured Photo: Dr. Luis Sanchez at Steinway & Sons headquarters in New York. | Photo by East Texas A&M Marketing and Communications