About Myra Brooks-Turner
Having started musical training at The Juilliard School in New York City at age twelve, Myra Brooks-Turner holds bachelors and masters honors degrees with piano, theory and composition from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
A professional composer and musical director in Dallas, Myra wrote television commercials and directed recording sessions. Her post graduate study in piano performance was with Italian Maestro Paul Vellucci in Dallas, Texas, a descendant student of Frèdèric Chopin.
Writing and producing three musicals while at Southern Methodist University, she served as Composer-In-Residence for Birmingham Children’s Theatre, writing and directing six more stage musicals.
Myra has taught at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, Maryville College of Performing Arts and The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. While living in Atlanta, Georgia, Myra served as President of the Atlanta Alumnae of Mu Phi Epsilon in Georgia and President of The Camelot Fine Arts Club.
Myra is a recipient of the Award of Merit from the Tennessee Arts Commission as “an outstanding member of the cultural force of the State of Tennessee who has helped to nurture and develop the arts in Tennessee.” She has also served as the President of Tuesday Morning Musical Club and on the Board of The Knoxville Writers Group. Myra's other affiliations include The Ossoli Circle, Tennessee Federation of Music Clubs, and Knoxville Music Teachers Association. She is also listed in Who's Who in the World.
A text book writer of Les Gens, Les Endroits et Les Choses, Myra served as Chairman of the Ossoli Circle Language Department and was a French Instructor for many years.
A professional pianist of Classical repertoire and jazz improvisations, Myra is a frequent guest artist in the Knoxville area. Owner and creative entity of MBT Productions, she also owns and operates The Myra Brooks-Turner Studio of Music in Knoxville, Tennessee where she teaches voice, piano and composition. Myra has two concert performance groups associated with her teaching studio, The Beethoven Society and The Chopin Society and hosts several concerts per year.
Currently, Myra is the Tennessee Federation of Music Clubs East Division Vice President and State Junior Counselor and founder of The Knoxville Music Club. Myra lends her talents to the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Show House and is also a frequent performer of piano improvisations at the University of Tennessee President's Mansion for special functions.
Her collection of piano improvisations Musical Moods has recently been released by Schaum Publications, Inc. Several other piano works are published by FJH Music Company, Inc. Her column “Composer’s Corner” appears in each edition of the NFMC Junior Keynotes Magazine with one of her original compositions. She is a writer of research articles and Pupil Saver columns for Clavier Magazine. She is editor of the TFMC State Piano Competition Bulletin in which 21 of her piano solos appear as required materials.
Myra and her husband, Ron currently live in Knoxville and have three daughters and six grandchildren.