McCandless piano teacher inducted into Steinway's educator hall of fame

Nov. 2—When Marina Lupinacci was only 4, her father, a piano teacher and musicologist in Romania, was checking her musical aptitude. By age 10, it was decided that she should pursue a career in music.

That was more than six decades ago.

Today, after a career teaching music at West Virginia University, Alderson Broaddus University, Lincoln Park Performing Center and Duquesne University's City Music Center, Lupinacci, 73, of McCandless, has a private piano studio that opened in 2006. The quality of her students' skills has led to her induction as one of the newest members of the Steinway & Sons Music Teacher Hall of Fame.

The New York City-based piano company inducted 67 teachers from the U.S. and Canada, choosing educators nominated for outstanding instruction and leadership in acoustic piano education.

"Music education has been a cornerstone of our historic company since the late 1800s, and today is no different," said Gavin English, president of Steinway & Sons Americas. "These teachers foster passion, creativity and discipline in the next generation of piano artists. Their work deserves the highest praise."

Lupinacci can still remember the first time she laid her hands on a Steinway, during a concert in Romania.

"I was enchanted by the beautiful, rich sound of that piano," she said. "My goal was to be able to have my own, and in 1990, I bought my first Steinway, a 1976 7-foot piano."

Lupinacci was a solo and chamber-music pianist during her time in Romania, emigrating to Israel in 1984 and to the U.S. in 1986. She was nominated for the hall of fame by the Fort Pitt Piano Co. in McCandless.

Fort Pitt general manager Joe Ravita has known Lupinacci for years.

"She has been an amazing force in piano education in Western Pennsylvania," Ravita said. "We have several teachers who do this, but she has exemplified students who just exude quality in their capability and understanding of music. Several of them win competition awards every year, and when Steinway had its own competitions, many of her kids won at several of those levels."

Lupinacci is also part of Steinway's Teacher & Educational Partner, or STEP, program, which allows participants access to teacher workshops, master classes and is designed to enhance piano instructors' relationship with the company.

For her 60th birthday, Lupinacci traveled with her husband to Steinway's New York location to pick out a new 9-foot grand piano.

She said having high-quality instruments is just one aspect of her success in music instruction.

"Music in general and piano in particular is extremely beneficial for young children. It teaches them logical thinking, hand-eye coordination, power of concentration, leadership, and much more," she said.

For more on the Steinway Teacher Hall of Fame, see Steinway.com.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .