Derek Hartman is an American pianist and educator whose career blends international performance, thoughtful pedagogy, and a commitment to contemporary music. A DMA candidate at the Yale School of Music, he has already completed the program’s intensive academic and recital requirements, with his ongoing professional work forming the basis of his dissertation. He also holds degrees from Northwestern University and Yale, where he studied under renowned pianists Boris Slutsky and James Giles.
In 2024, Hartman was awarded First Prize in the Chicago International Music Competition’s Professional Concert Artist category, where he also received special awards for best performances of a classical sonata and a Russian work. He earned Third Prize at the Washington International Piano Competition and reached the final and semifinal rounds in numerous prestigious competitions, including the International Schumann Piano Competition and the Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition.
Currently a Lecturer of Piano at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, Hartman balances his teaching with an active performing schedule. He has appeared at venues such as the John F. Kennedy Center, the Kravis Center, and the historic Ruïnekerk in the Netherlands, and has collaborated with ensembles including the Amernet Quartet and the Yale-based new music group Versicolor. As an artist-faculty member of Romania’s ContemporArt Chamber Music Festival, he performs and coaches chamber music internationally.
His artistry is complemented by a deep interest in music education. Hartman has held teaching fellowships at the New School for Music Study and with PianoArts of Wisconsin, and has worked extensively with young musicians across the U.S. Through his academic research, performances, and outreach, he continues to champion a wide spectrum of repertoire, from early music to 21st-century works.
