Bret Serrin is widely recognized as one of the United States’ most brilliant young teachers and chamber musicians. Born in Virginia, he began studying the piano at the age of five and gave his first public concert at the age of six. He received the MM and DMA degrees in piano performance at the University of North Texas under the guidance of the eminent pedagogue, Joseph Banowetz. He has also had extensive summer coaching with the legendary American pianist, Earl Wild. Wild described him as a musician possessing a “rare pianistic ability”, one who is “totally dedicated to his art and…worthy of attention”.
Dr. Serrin is the recipient of gold medals in several international piano competitions, including the Los Angeles Liszt Competition, the Hubbard Solo and Chamber Music Competition (Dallas, Texas) and the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque Concerto Competition (New Mexico). Other highlights of his career include a silver medal at the National Society of Arts and Letters Competition in San Antonio, and a prize in the Steinway Society’s Career Grant Competition. More recently, during the Hubedni Festival in the Czech Republic, he was awarded the silver medal in the prestigious Vysocina International Piano Competition.
In September 2003, Dr. Serrin embarked on a three-week concert tour of the People’s Republic of China, giving recitals and master classes in such cities as Guangzhou, Hejuan, Zhongshan, and Shenzhen. At the conclusion of the tour, he was invited back for further recitals, including concerts with the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. His concert schedule has included performances with the Bohúslàv Martinú Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, a public broadcast on NPR, guest artist/chamber music recitals/master classes at the Chautauqua Music Festival, Kansas Wesleyan University, Texas A&M International University, the Preucil School of Music (Iowa), Oklahoma City University, the University of Texas at Austin, Del Mar College (Corpus Christi), the TMTA convention in San Antonio, as well as appearances at the National Guild of Piano Technicians Annual Convention (Phoenix), the Basically Beethoven Festival (Dallas), the International Double Reed Conference (Greensboro, North Carolina), performances with the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque, radio broadcasts in California, and collaborative recitals at the 2012 International Horn Symposium.
Dr. Serrin is currently the chair of the piano department at the Suzuki Music Institute of Dallas, in addition to being on the adjunct faculty of the keyboard division at the University of North Texas.