Paul Barnes has been named the Hixson-Lied Professor of Piano for the College of Fine and Performing Arts.
"Paul's artistic and other professional achievements since joining the School of Music faculty have brought significant recognition to the college and to UNL," said Jack Oliva, dean of Fine and Performing Arts. "His selection as a Hixson-Lied Professor is a most appropriate way to bring attention to all that he has accomplished."
The Hixson-Lied Professorship program recognizes the work of the most outstanding faculty in the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. Supported by a grant from the Hixson-Lied Endowment, the professorships are limited to tenured faculty at the rank of associate or full professor, who do not already hold a named professorship and who have demonstrated exceptional or overall performance over an extended timeframe and whose accomplishments have gained significant recognition beyond the university.
The professorships are awarded for a three-year term and can be re-nominated for a second consecutive three-year term. The honor carries a $3,000 annual stipend that can be used to augment salary or support creative or scholarly work.
Barnes is the seventh Hixson-Lied Professor named in the college. The other Hixson-Lied Professors are Christin Mamiya, art history; Gail Kendall, art; William Grange, theatre; Peter Pinnell, art; Peter Lefferts, music; and William Shomos, voice and director of opera.
Barnes is professor and co-chair of piano in the School of Music. He teaches during the summer at the Bosendorfer International Piano Academy in Vienna. Barnes has served as a convention artist at several state Music Teacher National Association conventions. He was named "Teacher of the Year" by the Nebraska Music Teachers Association at their 2006 state convention.
Barnes gave the world premier performance of Philip Glass's Piano Concerto No. 2 (After Lewis and Clark) with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra under Victor Yampolsky in 2004. He has been featured four times on American Public Media's Performance Today and on the cover of Clavier Magazine. He has recently performed in England, China, Korea, Russia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Greece and in all major cities throughout the U.S.
Barnes has released 11 CDs and he hosted the 2005 and 2010 American Liszt Society Festivals at UNL.
For more information on the Hixson-Lied Professorship program, go to http://go.unl.edu/yds.
- Kathe Andersen, Fine and Performing Arts
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/7fb