Ching-Ming Cheng

Professor of Music, CSUSM 
~ Faculty Representative, CSUSM Foundation 

Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng not only has been a recipient of the Top Music Teacher Award from Steinway & Sons every year since 2016, but in 2023, she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame, a prestigious designation recognizing the work of North America’s most committed and passionate piano educators. Being a full professor at CSU San Marcos and currently the chair of the Music Department, Dr. Cheng was the recipient of the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award in Service Leadership in 2021.

Originally from Taiwan, Dr. Ching-Ming Cheng started playing the piano at the age of five and won her first prize in the Taipei Music Competition in her early teens. She won a silver medal in the International Keyboard Odyssiad Piano Competition and a semi-finalist in the Second Chinese International Piano Competition in New York City, representing Taiwan. Dr. Cheng holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from National Taiwan Normal University, a Master of Music degree and a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music both from University of Miami.

Dr. Cheng is an active performer, both as a soloist and a collaborative pianist. She toured with Poway Symphonette to China, toured with world renowned saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky in southern California, and completed a solo recital tour in Taiwan and Japan during her sabbatical. Besides numerous solo recitals around the world, Dr. Cheng’s concerto performances include programs with Humboldt Symphony, Palomar Symphony, Poway Symphony and CSUSM ensembles.

Dr. Cheng is a member of MTAC and CAPMT, and a frequent adjudicator for musical events and competitions locally and virtually. As a committed faculty member, Dr. Cheng dedicated herself to growing and expanding the music department at CSUSM. She helped form the music major, successfully raised funds to build a smart music lab and acquire a Steinway grand piano and has established the first All-Steinway School in the region.