Dena Kay Jones Piano Recital

BIO

Dena Kay Jones  has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout

the United States and in Spain, Italy, France, Mexico and Canada, annually in

Vipiteno/Sterzing, Italy.

In addition to maintaining a widely varied repertoire from the standard piano

literature, Ms. Jones has focused her energies on performance and research of

Spanish piano repertoire. Her interest in this music has led her to focus on

lesser-known Spanish piano works written from 1900-1950. Her recitals feature

the colorful works of composers like Manuel de Falla, Ernesto Halffter, Isaac

Albéniz, Federico Mompou and Xavier Montsalvatge.

Her dissertation, The Piano Works of Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999): An

Evaluation of Social Influences and Compositional Style—in conjunction with a

program featuring his solo piano pieces—contributed to the centennial

celebration of this great composer's birth.

Dr. Jones’ latest attempts in disseminating the story and music of Joaquín

Rodrigo have taken her to the Colorado School for the Blind, where she learned

of the thoughts and dreams of the music students under the tutelage of Ms.

Julie Harrison, Music Specialist. They openly expressed their opinions of

Rodrigo’s story, music, and presentation Dr. Jones offered. This program, called

“Vision Through Sounds,” is a narrative which includes live and pre-recorded

audio clips. An amazing exchange, Dr. Jones is working to visit other programs

throughout the United States, to learn more about today’s U.S. Blind and

Visually Impaired Community and from these young students.

In August of 2002, Dena Kay Jones joined the music faculty of the University of

Texas at El Paso, where she is professor of applied piano, chamber music

studies, music and culture, and class piano for music majors.