Ching-Ming Cheng

In 2023, Dr. Cheng was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame, a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators. Dr. Cheng has been a recipient of the Top Music Teacher Award from Steinway & Sons every year since 2016.  Being a Full Professor at CSU San Marcos and currently the chair of the Music Department, Dr. Cheng was the recipient of the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Service Leadership in 2021. Dr. Cheng is now the Faculty Director on the CSU San Marcos Foundation Board.

As a dedicated performer and educator, Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng has made many accomplishments throughout the world. She is an active pianist, collaborative performer and a committed teacher who has an enthusiastic heart for sharing her profession with others. In her current position as a Full Professor of Music at California State University San Marcos, she has contributed to make the Music Major a reality, also successfully raised funds by performing private concerts to build a brand new music lab on campus as well as to establish the first All-Steinway School in the region. Dr. Cheng completed her first Asia concert tour in 2018 playing a series of solo recitals in Taiwan and Japan. In 2023, she toured southern California with her colleague Dr. Janet Kao from Chapman University performing piano four-hand concerts at CSUSM, Fullerton College, Vista Library and Nixon Library.

Starting her musical training at the age of 5, Dr. Cheng was soon chosen to attend the music talent class to begin her musical journey. She won her first prize in Taipei Music Competition in her early teens and continued to receive many other awards. Her most recent competition prize was a silver medal in 2013 International Keyboard Odyssiad Piano Competition held in Colorado. Her honors also include the performance at the annual retreat in San Diego by North America Taiwanese Professor Association, participation in the Second Chinese International Piano Competition in New York City, representing Taiwan, the master-classes in Eureka, California by the Music Teacher Association of California, jurisdiction at the Youth Concert Concerto Competition hosted by Eureka Symphony and the Humboldt State University Aria/Concerto Competition in California, premier performance at the Annual International Computer Music Conference and the University of Miami Society of Composers, Inc. in Coral Gables, Florida.
 

Dr. Cheng has been featured in various performances both as a soloist and collaborative pianist around the world. In 2024, Dr. Cheng performed with Eugene Drucker, founder/violinist of the Emerson String Quartet, at the Center for the Arts Escondido. In 2023, Dr. Cheng toured with Dr. Janet Kao in Southern California with a piano four-hand program. In 2018, Dr. Cheng completed an Asia tour with solo recitals in Taiwan and Japan. In July 2016, Dr. Cheng was invited to tour as the featured pianist with the Poway Symphonette to China, performing at prestigious venues such as Xian National Concert Hall and Shanghai Oriental Art Center. She has also collaborated with world renowned saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky on a local tour to perform at UCLA, SDSU and CSUSM. Other performances include Beethoven Emperor Piano Concerto with Poway Symphony, Beethoven Choral Fantasy with Center Chorale in Escondido, Steinway Series at Palomar College, Piano Recital at Fullerton College, Piano Recital at Broward College, Arts and Lectures series at CSUSM, Opening Concerts for San Diego Taiwanese American Heritage Week, Retreat Concerts of North America Taiwanese Professor Association in San Diego, National Taiwan Normal University Music Festival in Taipei, Taiwan, the Faculty Artist Series at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, the MTAC north regional conference in Santa Clara University and Diablo Valley College in California, Piano Texas Festival at Texas Christian University in Texas, Art Basel Festival and New World Symphony at Lincoln Theater in Miami Beach, Florida, Yamaha Concert Series at Yamaha Piano Music Center in Coral Gables, Florida, and Artist-In-Residence Series of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei, Taiwan. Her concerto performances include working with Humboldt Symphony, Poway Symphony, Palomar Symphony and CSUSM Wind Ensemble.
 

In addition to actively performing, Dr. Cheng is also a devoted educator.  Her higher education faculty teaching appointments include the Frost School of Music at University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, Barry University in North Miami, Florida, New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida, Humboldt State University and Humboldt Music Academy in Arcata, California, National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Taiwan, and many master classes invited by professional associations. She was appointed as the co- director of the keyboard program while teaching at Humboldt State University in California. In August 2011, Dr. Cheng joined the music faculty at California State University San Marcos, developing the piano program.
 

Soon after receiving her bachelor's degree in piano performance from National Taiwan Normal University, Dr. Cheng was granted a scholarship from the University of Miami to start her master's degree in Music Business and Entertainment Industry. In 2003, offered a full scholarship as a graduate teaching assistant, she continued to pursue her doctoral degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music at University of Miami, studying with Dr. J.B.Floyd, the former chair of the keyboard department, Mr. Tian Ying, the present chair and a former finalist of Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Dr. Paul Posnak, the head of the accompanying department. Dr. Cheng has made many master class appearances conducted by distinguishing musicians including Lang Lang, Andrea Watts, Hans Boepple, Sharon Mann, John Owings, Tamas Ungar, Harold Martina, Jin Zhang, and Ruei-bin Chen.
 

Committed to a versatile musical career, Dr. Cheng finds every opportunity to advance herself. She is an active participant in professional organizations and conferences around the world. She has been an active member of Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) and currently the Membership Secretary of the North County San Diego branch, Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT), North America Taiwanese Professor Association, etc. Holding a minor degree in double bass performance, her orchestral performance experience is substantial and has provided her a unique background to be a keen and sensitive collaborative artist. Her working experience also includes internship at BMG US Latin Copyright division in Coral Gables, Florida, a double bassist at Taipei Century Symphony and National Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan, and a project manager at TLJ Technologies Inc. In April 2010, Dr. Cheng was invited to join the string ensemble to perform at National Concert Hall in Taiwan, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her alma mater, HSNU.
 

Dr. Cheng is currently the chair of the Music Department at California State University San Marcos. She will continue concertizing and devoting herself to music education and performing throughout the world.