Ralph Hedges: The Pianist that Breathes Music Theory

Ralph Hedges is a talented pianist, teacher, and author born in 1933 in Denver, Colorado. His parents were deeply involved in music, and he grew up surrounded by the sound of the piano and the harp, which inspired him to pursue a career in music himself.

He enrolled at the Denver University with a full scholarship, where he studied under the guidance of Dr. Guy Maier and attended master classes of Josef Lhévinne and Dalies Franz. His skills and dedication to music granted him a position at the Honolulu Symphony where he performed for eight years. During that time, he also worked as a piano and music theory teacher at the renowned Punahou School, where four of his students won the Pinault International Piano Competition in New York.

In 1990, Ralph Hedges founded the Chopin International Piano Competition of the Pacific, which had its first competition at the newly renovated Hawaii Theater in downtown Honolulu. He is the director of Chopin Piano Academy and has been chosen as a judge in the Enkor Piano and Violin competition held in Dusseldorf, Germany.

As an author, Ralph Hedges has written extensively on music theory and offered a complete analysis of many works of famous composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Debussy. One of his unique perspectives is that popular songs are an excellent way to learn about this art, and he promotes them as an enjoyable way to learn music theory.

His vast experience as a pianist, composer, conductor, and teacher, along with his publications, have made Ralph Hedges an authority in the music industry. His passion for music and his desire to share his knowledge and experience make him an essential asset to the music community.