Sheryl Tjon loves the piano and music! As the founder of Sempre Piano Studio, she brings over four decades of playing experience and a lifetime of musical passion to her students. Her journey began with the viola in the fourth grade, but a family move to northwest Minnesota introduced her to the piano. Intrigued by a classmate’s playing, she taught herself the basics at age eleven before beginning formal lessons. She accelerated rapidly, soon serving as the pianist for her high school’s choir, vocal ensembles, and district honor choir, while winning solo piano and music theory state awards through the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA).

Ms. Tjon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Her studies include international training in Sweden with Benedicte Haid and a year at the State University of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook through the National Student Exchange Program. Throughout her career, she has specialized in collaborative piano—working extensively with vocalists, instrumentalists, opera workshops, and festival choirs.

An experienced educator, Ms. Tjon’s pedagogy career began under the mentorship of her high school teacher. Since then, her private studio has traveled the world with her, inspiring students in Mannheim, Germany; Norfolk, Virginia; and now Jacksonville, North Carolina. She has studied under renown instructors including Dianne Thompson, Dr. Nancy Harris, Benedicte Haid, Dr. Hsing-Chwen Hsin, Dr. Terri Manno, and Dr. Peter Collins. From 2012 to 2019, she intensively refined her repertoire and pedagogy with the late Suzanne W. Guy. 

Deeply committed to the musical community, Ms. Tjon serves as Treasurer on the Executive Board of the North Carolina Music Teachers Association (NCMTA) and President of the Cape Fear Music Teachers Association (CFMTA). Her professional affiliations include the Raleigh Piano Teachers Association (RPTA), Virtual Local Music Teachers Association (VLMTA), and the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Notably, she is the recipient of the 2025 MTNA Teacher Enrichment Grant, funding her research into Cuban dance and its contributions to piano literature, and is currently completing her National Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) certification.

In addition to her musical credentials, Ms. Tjon holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and a Master of Divinity from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Springfield, Missouri, and was ordained in 2016. She has long been active on worship teams both nationally and internationally.

Locally, Ms. Tjon collaborates with area choirs and ensembles, regularly adjudicates piano festivals, and has served as a staff pianist for Coastal Carolina Community College and collaborative pianist with the Wilmington Choral Society. When she isn’t at the piano, she enjoys reading, running, practicing French on Duo Lingo, feeling sand in her toes on Eastern North Carolina beaches, and cheering on Duke basketball. Mom to four grown daughters, she resides in Jacksonville with her two zebra finches (Fanny & Felix) and her charismatic Puggle, Lily.