Olivia Grace Colomaio currently serves as Director of the Center for Piano Studies at the University of South Carolina, where she coordinates pre-collegiate and adult piano programs, leads curriculum development, and oversees emerging teachers. A dedicated pedagogue, Dr. Colomaio has presented her research on teaching students with dyslexia on webinars, panels, and sessions at state, national, and international conferences including the MTNA National and State Conferences, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and the MusicAlive International Conference at the University of Silesia Institute of Music in Cieszyn, Poland.

She is passionate about creating inclusive, engaging learning environments for all types of learners, and she adores her beautifully neurodiverse piano studio. She earned her DMA in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina, where she studied with Dr. Scott Price, Dr. Omar Roy, and Dr. Sara Ernst, and her dissertation was awarded the Outstanding Dissertation Award. Dr. Colomaio is also a dedicated pianist with a passion for collaborative performance, especially in the choral setting. She has been accompanying choirs regularly since the age of 14 and has been privileged to travel and perform with several groups, including the USC Concert Choir’s 2022 tour to England. She approaches choral collaboration with the same dedication and musical integrity she brings to her solo and chamber performances.

Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Colomaio taught group and applied piano at Roberts Wesleyan University, where she also served as the Accompanying Supervisor. She holds a MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Campbellsville University and a BS in Piano Performance from Roberts Wesleyan University, and currently resides in Lexington, SC, with her husband, the other Dr. Colomaio.