Amanda Steinhauer is the graduate student of distinction from the Department of Music with an M.A. in Music with a music performance option.
“Amanda’s ability to express herself through music performance is outstanding. She is a highly skilled and capable musician who holds herself to a very high standard, which is evident in her numerous accomplishments,” said Dr. Matthew H. Darling, chair, Department of Music.
Steinhauer’s musical journey began in 3rd grade when she started playing piano and flute. In middle school, she was introduced to percussion, which became her favorite form of musical expression. Since then, she has obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Fresno State and chose to study percussion performance for her graduate degree.
Even during the challenging times of COVID-19, Steinhauer was able to help lead many virtual recording projects with the Percussion Ensemble and Wind Orchestra, which also enabled her teaching career as she learned to implement virtual teaching techniques with students at Selma Unified. This resulted in a first-place win in the Western Bands Association Championships in 2021 and first place in their first Winter Percussion competition in 2022.
Steinhauer has also been very involved in leadership at the university. She became the Fresno State Wind Orchestra Graduate Assistant, continued as a member of the Wind Orchestra Board of Directors, and acted as the Fresno State Percussion Organization president. She is also a member of the California Percussive Arts Society Committee.
“Leadership comes to Amanda Steinhauer in a most natural way. She has served five years on the Board of Directors for the Fresno State Wind Orchestra,” says Dr. Gary Gilroy, Professor of Music. “Amanda’s dedication has certainly been above and beyond in her role on the board.”
“After graduating, I will be pursuing a career in private music teaching and am currently planning to live and teach abroad in Luxembourg, Europe, while teaching lessons virtually to students in Selma and around the Valley. Down the road, I will continue furthering my academic career,” says Steinhauer.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 