Educational Training

Natalie completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Arizona State University where she studied with Dr. Baruch Meir and was the recipient of the Richard and Babette Burns Piano Scholarship and Special Talent Award for Music. She received a Master of Arts degree in piano performance from Soochow University where she studied with Dr. Elise Yun under a full-tuition scholarship in addition to receiving a Yamaha Music Scholarship and Chinese government Outstanding International Student Scholarship. As an undergraduate music student at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), Natalie studied with Dr. Oksana Ezhokina and was awarded a PLU Music Scholarship and Bertha Gilbertson Endowed Piano Scholarship. Additionally, Natalie has participated in masterclasses or lessons with Peter Serkin, Vladimir Feltsman, Gilbert Kalish, Christina Dahl, Jose Ramon Mendez, Antonio Pompa Baldi, Seth Knopp, and Alexandre Dossin.

    Professional Contributions

As a recipient of a Fulbright Research Grant, Natalie spent a year researching piano pedagogy in China and wrote her doctorate research paper on “The Teaching Methods and Philosophies of Three Leading Piano Teachers in China: Zhe Tang, Ling Zhao, and Vivian Li.” Active in the community of piano teachers locally and nationally, Natalie has written articles for American Music Teacher and presented at numerous conferences, including the Music Teachers National Association National Conference and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Natalie has served as adjudicator and judge in the U.S. and China, as well as coordinator for several piano competitions and festivals, including the Bösendorfer & Yamaha USASU International Piano Competitions, American Liszt Society Festival, Angelo and Micheline Addona Arizona Young Artist Piano Competition, Shanghai International Music Festival and Competition for Young Artists, and Shanghai International Youth Piano Competition.

Testimonials

"One of the best decisions I’ve made in my musical career was taking piano lessons with Ms. Burton. She is very patient, and her attention to detail helped elevate my pieces and technique to the next level. She also provided plenty of opportunities that cultivated my passion for music, such as playing concerts for a nursing home. Ms. Burton is one of the sweetest and most talented teachers I’ve had the pleasure of learning from, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to be classically trained!"

- Christine Quan

"Natalie was the best possible teacher for me. As an adult student with big gaps in my learning as a child, she was able to make piano lessons and practice not only productive but enjoyable, a vast difference from my previous experience with less enthusiastic and less flexible teachers. Her deep understanding of learning methodologies combined with her performance skills distinguish her from other music teachers. I particularly enjoyed learning how to listen more closely through weekly music history and theory assignments. Her ability to teach various styles of music from ragtime to classical was particularly important to maintain the interest of someone who aspires to be a lifelong learner."

- Patricia Reiter