On any given afternoon, you might find Derrick Denham leaning over a piano bench, listening as a student wrestles with a tricky passage. There’s no rush in his voice, no hint of impatience, just the steady encouragement of someone who knows that learning anything worth doing takes time. To him, the small victories between wrong notes matter just as much as the standing ovation at the end.
This October, the Outstanding Teacher Award goes to a man whose work reaches far beyond music. Denham has spent years not only training skilled pianists but also helping young people grow into confident, creative, and resilient adults. His dedication has earned him national recognition, including the rare honor of being named a Steinway Teacher in 2024, a title reserved for educators who hold themselves to the very highest standards.
For Denham, music has never been only about perfect notes or polished performances. “I was a very late beginner,” he says, recalling the start of his journey. “I began piano at 16, and fell in love with classical music on PBS.” While many pianists start young, Denham’s story proves that you can discover music’s magic at any age. He often tells his students that’s part of its beauty: you can begin at any moment in life and still create something that moves people.
Denham began his studies at Lee University before transferring to Youngstown State University, where his own teaching career took root. Along the way, mentors like Dr. Caroline Oltmanns showed him that great teachers pass on far more than technical skill. “I always had wonderful lessons with her and left feeling like secrets of the magical world of music had been revealed to me, and I wanted to share that with others,” Denham says.
“Students are an extension of my family,” Denham says. Whether in a busy school classroom or a quiet private studio, his belief is the same: music belongs in everyday life. The best lessons he received from his own teachers were not just about piano. They were about how to see the world, how to handle both joy and hardship, and how to use music when words fall short.
Denham knows music can become complicated and intimidating, which is why he focuses on breaking it down into something students can both understand and feel. Over the years, he’s learned that a lesson often becomes a safe space for more than music; it’s a chance to think, reflect, and breathe. And often, he admits with a grin, those moments help him just as much as they help his students.
Twice a year, Denham’s recitals give students a stage to shine. These events aren’t about competition, but encouragement, a reminder that audiences genuinely want to hear them play. One of his favorite stories is about a sixth grader who once asked to learn Chopin’s “Fantaisie-Impromptu.” “It was a leap, but I said, ‘Why not?’” The student rose to the challenge and (years later) became one of only six pianists in Tennessee chosen for the Governor’s School for Music.
More than anything, Denham hopes his students carry a lesson that will last long after they leave the piano bench: challenges, whether in music or life, are best faced the same way you learn a difficult piece, one note at a time. Over time, with patience and persistence, understanding deepens until one day you can play the whole thing. And the real joy isn’t found only in the performance but in those private hours when music becomes a part of you. “Life is lived during the journey, not the destination,” Denham says.
Being named a Steinway Teacher still motivates Denham every day. This fall, he’s launching online group piano classes for teens and adults while preparing for his November recital, which will feature a playful pop music theme.
Denham’s influence stretches far beyond the keyboard. His teaching instills courage and the ability to find joy in steady, determined work. It’s this blend of artistry, mentorship, and heart that makes him truly an outstanding teacher. And for every student who walks through his door, the music is just the beginning, the real lesson is learning how to meet life’s challenges with the same patience, passion, and persistence.
To learn more about Derrick Denham, visit mypianoinstructor.com.
Submit your nomination for Outstanding Teacher at memphisparent.com/oustanding-teacher.