Krista Hafez Clark
Lecturer
Dr. Krista Hafez Clark is a lecturer and academic advisor in the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. An Idaho native, she attended The College of Idaho, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music, Secondary Instrumental Music Education. She immediately entered graduate school at Boise State University, earning a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance under the instruction of Dr. Del Parkinson. In 2019 she was privileged to be the first recipient of a Doctor of Philosophy in Music (Piano Pedagogy) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Dr. Hafez Clark’s primary research interests are healthy posture at the piano and healthy playing techniques. Her dissertation, "The Effect of a Postural Intervention on Fatigue in University Piano Students," was a unique quantitative study that focused on a practical approach to limit the issue of fatigue, pain, and injury development in pianists, a topic of which she is extremely passionate given her personal experience with playing-related injuries. She recently published a research article in the MTNA e-journal, “Exhaustion at the Piano: University Piano Students Experience Fatigue,” in which she designed a qualitative study focusing on the individual experiences of piano students regarding fatigue at the piano. Her dedication to injury prevention and education is evident not only in her research but also in her private teaching. She considers it her responsibility as a teacher to focus on healthful playing starting from a young age, allowing her students to focus on other aspects of playing with ease.
Dr. Hafez Clark maintains active membership in numerous professional organizations, some of which include the Music Teachers National Association, National Association of Music Education, The College Music Society, and the Performing Arts Medicine Association. Her service to these organizations has been extensive, most notably as President-Elect of the Lincoln Music Teachers Association and President of the UNL Collegiate MTNA chapter. In addition to her appointment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Hafez Clark operates a private teaching studio in Lincoln, and serves her community as a church accompanist.