JERRY L. ANDERSON, pianist, was the director of keyboard studies and associate professor of music at MWSU until he retired from fulltime teaching in 2007. Anderson has been active as a performer in the Midwest and as a researcher in performance practices as well as the development of pianistic technique.

He holds an undergraduate degree with diploma in piano from Missouri State University as a student of Wilfred Adler and the master of music degree in piano performance from Wichita State University where he studied with Robert Steinbauer. He has also done extensive doctoral study at The University of Iowa in piano performance with John Simms and performance practice with Robert Donington as well as study in musicology with William S. Newman at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Many of Anderson's students have won top awards in piano competitions and graduate schools as well as attaining successful professional careers. He is an active and founding member of the St. Joseph Area Music Teachers Association, has held many posts in the Missouri MTA (including state chair of piano for eight years, editor, and currently chair of of university/college faculty for ten years), and the Music Teachers National Association for which he served as a divisional auditions chair and composition contest chair. He has also been director of music (organist/choirmaster) at First Presbyterian Church since 1974 where he plays the 46-rank Visser-Rowland organ acquired in 1989.

He was named "Missouri Music Teacher of the Year" in 2004 by the Missouri Music Teachers Association and in the same year was given the "Mayors Award for Arts Education" by the St. Joseph Allied Arts Association. In addition, he is included in the most recent editions of "Who's Who in America" as well as editions of "Who's Who in American Music" since 1985.