Linn Recognized by UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance 

Don’t call it a profession. Don’t even call it a career. For Jennifer Linn, music is a calling.

“Music chooses you, mind, heart and soul. It taps you on the shoulder, and you are driven to be in the journey,” Linn said.

That drive led her to University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in piano performance. Looking back, she says the Conservatory helped her realize her potential as a musician.

Today, Linn is an accomplished composer, pianist, teacher and clinician, and the Manager–Educational Piano for Hal Leonard Corporation, the world’s largest publisher of print music.

This April, Linn will receive an Alumni Achievement Award from the UMKC Conservatory – the very place Linn says she found her voice.

“The UMKC Conservatory did not give me false praise, empty promises or phony accolades. It made me tough enough to know what it means to reach for a high bar, to strive and to find my voice,” Linn said.

That toughness is critical as she navigates the ever-changing world of print music.

“If we cling defiantly to the musical molds of the past, we risk extinction. Every day, we have to imagine the future, while still producing products for today,” Linn said.

Moving forward, Linn says she’ll be optimistic and flexible. Whether digital or print, Linn knows that new music will always need to be created, edited and proofed, and that it will require the work of talented professionals.

So far, that attitude has served her well. Linn’s compositions and editions have been used frequently by the UMKC Conservatory and by students all over the world. Her music has been selected for the National Federation of Music Clubs’ festival lists, the renowned London College of Music examinations, and numerous state repertoire lists. She was recently awarded the 2012 Collaborative Music Commission by the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Her instrumental trio Serendipity for piano, flute and horn was premiered March 10, at the MTNA National Conference in Anaheim, Calif.

Linn’s award, and those of the other alumni honorees, one from each school and the five university-wide awards of distinction, will be presented at the 2013 Alumni Awards luncheon on April 18. For information and tickets for the event, click here.