Dr. Jacob Skiles serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Music Theory in the School of Education & Fine Arts at Howard Payne University. With nearly 15 years of experience teaching music, Dr. Skiles brings a wealth of performance, pedagogical, and scholarly experience to the HPU Music Department. Although this is his first year at Howard Payne, he is excited to be part of a Christ-centered university community and to work closely with students as they grow as musicians, scholars, and individuals.
Dr. Skiles teaches Music Theory I–IV, Sight-Singing and Ear-Training I–IV, Class Piano I–IV, and private piano lessons. Of these courses, private piano instruction is his favorite. He particularly values the one-on-one nature of private lessons, where he can tailor instruction to each student and see their musical development firsthand. For Dr. Skiles, helping students make meaningful progress is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching.
One of the things Dr. Skiles appreciates most about Howard Payne is the opportunity to work with students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. He enjoys getting to know each student as an individual and values the small class sizes that allow him to recognize and encourage their unique progress. He is also drawn to HPU’s Christ-centered mission and the way faith is integrated throughout the university experience. He hopes that each student he encounters experiences the love of Christ during their time at Howard Payne.
Dr. Skiles’s passion for music is rooted in his belief that music is a gift. Having experienced the joy of music and its role in worship, he believes musicians are called to be good stewards of their gifts by developing their skills and sharing their knowledge with others. He particularly enjoys working with students who share his passion for music and helping them cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use their gifts well.
Dr. Skiles holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Georgia, a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His career as a performer and scholar has taken him to seven different countries for performances and lectures. Highlights of his international work include performing as a soloist with the National Symphony of Ukraine and presenting research on bird-inspired piano repertoire at Music Biennale Zagreb in Croatia.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Skiles is an enthusiastic birder. He can often be found outdoors with binoculars in hand, working to expand both his county list and life list. He and his wife, Joanna, a Speech-Language Pathologist, are both originally from Florida and are enjoying their new life in Texas. Dr. Skiles is also actively involved at St. John’s Anglican Church.
Through teaching, performance, scholarship, and faith, Dr. Skiles is committed to helping students develop their musical gifts and discover the ways those gifts can contribute to worship, service, and lifelong learning.
