Centennial Class Profiles

 

Daniel Glessner

 

Major: Music with Piano and Composition concentrations
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Campus Activities: Member of the Newman Club, plays for morning devotions at Messiah Village Retirement Community, member of the MC Symphony Orchestra, the MC Men's Ensemble, and the MC Opera Workshop

Daniel Glessner’s passion for the piano has been apparent ever since he was young, and it is certainly still visible today as he lives out that passion as a music major at Messiah. Glessner says that his first encounter with the instrument was a toy piano that his neighbors had given him. At the age of three, his parents heard him playing “Three Blind Mice” in a variety of keys and, unsurprisingly, began to realize his talent. They enrolled him in piano lessons at the age of six, and he hasn’t stopped since then.

When it came time for Glessner to choose a college, he was drawn to Messiah by the expertise of the staff. He specifically saw his piano instructor, Ya-Ting Chang, as an inspiration and role model. However, Glessner says that it is the entire staff at Messiah College that made his learning experience here so unique. He has really appreciated the one on one attention outside of just music lessons. “As a music major,” Glessner says, “I spend a lot of time in the practice rooms in Climenhaga. What’s amazing is that the faculty is always available. If I have a question, I literally just have to knock on a door.”

Glessner has really challenged himself academically during his time at Messiah. He has spent hours practicing and performing, as well as taking on two independent studies and orchestrating two pieces of music for his honors project. His favorite experiences at Messiah College have happened as he watched all of his hard work pay off during a performance. Whether performing by himself during a recital or with the rest of the orchestra, he has absolutely loved those moments. Particularly, his favorite memories have been performing in the Chamber Music in Grantham summer festival held at Messiah College. “It’s a lot of work,” said Glessner. “But it’s also a lot of fun.”

After he graduates, Glessner plans to attend graduate school where he can obtain a masters and doctorate in piano performance. He hopes to use his education and passion for music to one day teach at the college level. “I hope that the class of 2010 will set a standard for younger classes to look up to,” said Glessner. “I hope that they will see our academic achievement, and the ways in which we have pushed ourselves, and think, ‘yes, it can be done.’”