SEPF Faculty Omar Roy

Omar Roy

Omar Roy

Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy,
University of South Carolina School of Music


Omar Roy currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy in the School of Music at the University of South Carolina.

A strong supporter of independent music teachers, Dr. Roy is in demand as a clinician. He frequently presents workshops and guest lectures to music teacher organizations and universities, and is a regular adjudicator for festivals and competitions. His involvement with music teachers organizations has led to leadership positions and presentations at the state and national level, including the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Dr. Roy is also part of the administrative team for The Art of Piano Pedagogy – a growing Facebook group that acts as a resource and forum of discussion that reaches nearly 23,000 teachers located throughout the world – and its companion site, Sustain.

While Dr. Roy is dedicated to teaching at both the college and pre-college levels, he also remains a committed and passionate performer, presenting both traditional and lecture performances. Recent engagements have included guest recitals, masterclasses, and lectures at universities such as the University of Arkansas – Ft. Smith, Oklahoma Baptist University, and the Western Alabama Music Teachers Association’s All State Music Weekend. His playing has also been heard on WQLN Radio’s Classics with Wally Faas.

Dr. Roy earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma where he studied Piano with Jeongwon Ham and Edward Gates, and Pedagogy with Jane Magrath and Barbara Fast. His research interests include practice efficiency, teaching strategies for students with special needs, sequenced repertoire assignment, and pedagogical applications of musical semiotics. Dr. Roy’s other teachers include Jerry Wong, Shirley Yoo, and Nathan Hess. Previous faculty appointments include the University of Alabama and Oklahoma City University.

More information: