I recently participated in the 2014 Thousand Islands International Piano Competition in Cape Vincent, New York, sponsored by the Cape Vincent Arts Council. The Thousand Islands International Piano competition is celebrating its 12th year along the beautiful St. Lawrence River. The primary focus of this event is to provide a venue for exceptional young pianists […]
I recently had the privilege of attending a lecture on Baroque music by Prof. Paul O’Dette, an award winning lutenist, conductor, and musicology expert (see Wikipedia). Prof. O’Dette’s informed advice completely changed the way I view early music. By focusing on the art and purpose of performance in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as […]
There was never a dull moment at The Aspen Music Festival and School. With concerts, classes, lectures, and special events, it was impossible to run out of things to do. To start, the faculty and staff always made us feel welcome. I was particularly impressed with the piano faculty, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time […]
The Secret Piano by Zhu Xiao-Mei Published by AmazonCrossing, 2012 Genres: Memoir Pages: 256 Synopsis: “Zhu Xiao-Mei was born to middle-class parents in post-war China, and her musical proficiency became clear at an early age. Taught to play the piano by her mother, she developed quickly into a prodigy, immersing herself in the work of classical masters like Bach and Brahms. She was just […]
Today, I had the privilege of performing and speaking to the Young Wonders Summer Camp participants at the YWCA in Carlisle, PA. Young Wonders is a summer day camp for elementary aged children in the Carlisle area, and there were about 30 children participating today. For more information, visit – http://www.ywcacarlisle.org/index.php/youth/young-wonders-day-camp This week’s theme was […]
I recently participated in the New Jersey Young Artist Piano Competition hosted by the New Jersey City University, and conducted by Miles Fellenberg, Joseph Yungen, Christine Kim, and Sora Oh. The program lasted only two days, but offered so many opportunities to excel. The NJYAPC’s exceptional quality was a product of great organization, planning, and professionalism. […]
I took a life drawing class in college. The teacher set a timer and the challenge was to sketch models in various positions and forms. It came easily for some, but I was struggling. For each new form, I could only complete a collarbone before the timer went off. My notebook was filled with perfect […]
I recently had the privilege of performing in a masterclass (more below) of Ann Schein, renowned pianist and teacher. Ms. Schein’s mini-residency in the Harrisburg area also included two other wonderful performances, sponsored by Market Square Concerts under the direction of Peter Sirotin and Ya-Ting Chang in collaboration with the Harrisburg Symphony under the direction […]
Recently, a terrific mentor and citizen, Mr. Frank Birdwell, passed away. Mr. Birdwell was the founder and director of the Liberty Academy of the Arts in Hampton, Virginia. I had the privilege of joining the Liberty Academy Orchestra for about a year. I first met Mr. Birdwell in 2012 at a middle school district orchestra […]
A new piece of music is like a new book in that it is an adventure waiting to unfold. A musician studying new music may use certain planning strategies for the best results. Through my experience studying piano for ten years, I have developed a plan for learning new music more quickly and effectively which […]