Singing ONSTAGE! A Master Class with Tyler Pearsons of NYC
During this two-hour master class, Tyler will help vocal performers develop stage presence, make bold character choices, find the truth of the song, and elevate their performance—as well as how to “get out of your own head” and really truly live the song. Students are required to bring with them a piece of music from their audition book, their church, or perhaps just a song they like to sing around the house. Tyler will coach you through your piece, offering insight to help get you performance ready.
Registration fee: $60 paid in advance. Please contact the Director of the ATS&O to register and submit your fee: dankehoe@aroundtownsingers.org or call the ATS&O National Box Office and leave a message at (860) 386-5154. All ages. Comfortable dress. Limited to 15 participants, to allow for adequate personal focus. Sorry, we are unable to accommodate walk-ins.
About your teacher: Tyler Pearsons has been enjoying a diverse performing career in New York and all around, appearing in: Off-Broadway: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Barfee), Fabulous (Hell’s Kitchen Harry), Siren’s Den (Kurtis). Regional/Touring: Jesus Christ Superstar (Herod), Godspell (Judas), The Full Monty (Dave), and Peter and The Starcatcher (Alf). Television: Tyler has appeared on Law and Order SVU and created/produced the TV pilot “Full Count”.
Your host for the evening, and Tyler’s accompanist, is Director of The Around Town Singers and Orchestra, Dan Kehoe. Dan has produced, orchestrated, and directed more than 15 major productions in New England, and specializes in identifying and showcasing up-and-coming talent of all ages, and teaching stage presence, especially to young performers. His newest production (in which Tyler is featured) is right here in the Raleigh area on July 21, www.HymnSingSpectacular.com. He thanks Ruggero Piano for their support in arranging a grand piano for the show, and is himself the very happy owner of a Kawai grand from Ruggero.
RALEIGH, N.C. (September 17, 2018) — Ruggero Piano will host “A Night in Vienna,” a unique and tasteful blend of classical music and conversation to be held on September 17, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
This first-time event will feature international concert pianist Jan Jiracek von Arnim, who is touring the United States this September on behalf of Ruggero Piano and Bösendorfer, one of the world’s finest piano manufacturers.
Hailed by BBC Magazine for his “formidable technique and playing of emotional depth,” the award-winning virtuoso invites all music lovers to join him for a program of short pieces, followed by stories about his life performing on the concert stage, teaching at the prestigious piano department at the Vienna School of Music and serving as Artistic Director of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna.
“I look forward to returning to the United States, this time getting to share with my audiences my love for Vienna, the City of Music,” said Mr. Jiracek. “I plan to present piano works that are especially close to my heart.”
“When it comes to classical music, there is simply no other city quite like Vienna,” he added. “To me, it seems like it is alive with the sound of music. And there are references to the great classical composers at almost every corner, which I find extremely inspiring.”
His instrument of choice for the evening will be the legendary Bosendorfer grand piano. “I am impressed by the new Bösendorfer pianos,” he says. “Each instrument carries in itself the memory of a wonderful Viennese music tradition and is particularly responsive to my ideas as an artist.”
Born to a musical family in Hanover, Germany, Jiracek von Arnim has achieved numerous career milestones. Following his debut at age 11, he has performed throughout the world with many of the world’s top ensembles, including the Berlin and St. Petersburg Philharmonics, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia of England. He has served on juries for many major competitions, including the London International Competition, the Lev Vlassenko Competition Brisbane, the International Edvard Grieg Piano Competition and many others, and is currently Artistic Director and Jury Chairman of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna.
Jiracek von Arnim’s ascension as an artist inspired widespread acclaim and an especially heartfelt appreciation from Van Cliburn, who noted “the marvelous Jan Jiracek von Arnim thrilled the world so greatly when we first heard him and he is continuing his brilliant career both in the United States and abroad.”
A distinguished pedagogue, Jiracek von Arnim is the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna’s youngest-ever tenured professor. He is also an Honorary Professor at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. He conducts frequent lecture concerts at the Vienna Musikverein on the great composers and delivers talks on a variety of musical topics throughout the world.
Ruggero Piano is located at 4720 Hargrove Road, #120 in Raleigh. To RSVP for “A Night in Vienna” or to learn more about this unique event, please contact [Ruggero Piano at [919-839-2040]. For more information about Jan Jiracek von Arnim, please visit https://www.jjpianist.com/#vita
Equally at home with solo, chamber and concerto performances, American pianist Solomon Eichner has established himself as an exciting versatile young artist known for his commanding interpretations of the romantic keyboard repertoire.
Declared by the American Liszt Society as “A sensitive pianist, Solomon’s playing is poetic, beautiful and moving with deep feeling.”
Sponsored by the March of the Living Foundation, Solomon performed for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in April 2018 alongside Cellist Amit Peled and Violinist Yevgeny Kutik at the Krakow Philharmonic Hall in addition to a solo recital at the Krakow Jewish Cultural Center.
Solomon will debut this season on the Chamber Music Raleigh Series with North Carolina Symphony Concertmaster Brian Reagin and Principal Cellist Bonnie Thron hosted at the NC Museum of Art, as well as a solo recital on the Paderewski Raleigh Festival in October 2018 and recital on the Cherry Hill Plantation Concert Series in April 2020, among other recitals throughout North Carolina. Solomon will be performing Chopin 2nd Concerto with the Wilson Symphony, Conductor Mark Peterson in November 2018 and Mendelssohn 1st with the Salisbury Symphony, Conductor David Hagy in March 2019.
Solomon will be presented twice this season in his hometown of Baltimore with solo recitals by the Yale Gordon Trust and the Music in the Great Hall Series. Additional concerts include a November 2018 recital on the Trinity by the Cove Church Concert Series in Naples, Fl as well as recitals in Boca Raton.
During the 2016 season, Solomon performed multiple concertos with orchestras including the Western Piedmont Symphony under Conductor John Gordon Ross performing Rachmaninoff 3rd and Wilson Symphony with Conductor Mark Peterson, Liszt 1st.
In 2015, Solomon made his New Jersey debut with Conductor George Mariner Maull and the Discovery Orchestra.
Solomon debuted at Carnegie Hall in April 2016 after winning the “GoldenKey Debut” International Competition in New York City.
Solomon won 2nd prize in the 2016 Miami Music Festival’s Concerto Competition resulting in his Miami debut recital at the Steinway Piano Gallery Coral Gables.
Solomon participated in the 2017 Hastings International Piano Competition in England as well as the Virginia Waring International Piano Competition in Palm Springs, California.
Solomon won 2nd prize at the 2013 Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition and 2nd prize and Chinese Award in the 2013 International Young Artists Competition at Catholic University in D.C.
Solomon made his D.C. debut recital at the Polish Embassy sponsored by the Paderewski Scholarship Foundation and General Edward Rowny in April 2015 and returned for his re-engagement this past September 2017.
Solomon has performed at Steinway Hall and Merkin Concert Hall, New York City. Concert series include Bluthner Concert Series in Adamstown, MD, “Our Lady of the Chapel Concerts at Charlestown” in Catonsville, MD; Steinway Piano Gallery, Charlotte NC, Greensboro NC, Atlanta GA; “The Lives of the Piano” Chopin Marathon Concert New York City and “Afternoon Concert Series” at the State Department in Washington DC; Music in the Great Hall Concert Series, MD; Hendersonville Chamber Music Concert Series, NC; Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Charleston, SC; Rogers Memorial Library Concert Series, Southampton, NY; Parrish Museum Salon Concert Series, Water Mill, NY, among others.
The summer of 2015 Solomon traveled to Italy to perform in the Perugia Music Festival. In addition to solo performances in the famous Salla Notari Hall, Solomon performed the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Universidad de Alicante under the baton of Israeli Conductor, Uriel Segal.
Before Italy, Solomon performed at the prestigious PianoFest in the Hamptons, NY.
Past music festivals Solomon has performed in include Montecito Summer Music Festival in Santa Barbara, CA; Atlantic Music Festival, Waterville, Maine; Vladimir Feltsman’s SUNY New Paltz Piano Program; Mannes International Keyboard Festival, NYC; American Fine Arts Festival in Weimar, Germany.
Originally from Baltimore, Solomon studied privately in Maryland with Irene Kreymer, Reynaldo Reyes and Virginia Reinecke. Solomon graduated with his Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music having studied with Arkady Aronov and Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory studying with Alexander Shtarkman.
Solomon received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of South Carolina in May 2017. He held a position as staff accompanist with a full-scholarship. Solomon studied with Dr. Marina Lomazov and Dr. Joseph Rackers. Solomon’s dissertation is on the Jewish Soviet repressed pianist/composer Samuil Feinberg.
Solomon and his wife Becky recently relocated to Raleigh where he is on staff at Campbell University and Wake Tech Community College.
Website: www.solomoneichnerpianist.com
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The final event of the NC Bach Festival Year ONE season!
Young Artists Concerto & Aria Competition – Florence Peacock Awards Winners Concert with our final Featured Artists and The NC Bach Festival Ensemble will conclude this year’s festival on a truly celebratory note. We will present the winners of the inaugural year of our newly developed competition aimed at young artists playing and singing music by Johann Sebastian Bach, his family, and contemporaries. For more information about the competition, please visit – http://www.ncbachfestival.org/concerto-aria-competition.html.
This most anticipated concert of our new existence will open with the appearance of two excellent pianists – our very own Elena Nezhdanova and her mentor and friend Ida Tili-Trebicka from Syracuse University in New York. Their performance is not only the manifestation of excellence and unique musicianship but also the real reflection of NC Bach Festival’s mission of sharing and inspiring young generations when the former student and the teacher meet on one stage to share their love for piano and music by sharing with us the magnificent Concerto for Two Pianos in C Major, BWV 1061 by Johann Sebastian Bach.
The afternoon will also include a formal award ceremony and a festive reception at which we will acknowledge our patron, all participants, judges, and all NC Bach Festival 2019 featured artists.
This event, as many others are free, but we need your help and support in form of any kind of contribution. All proceeds go to benefit our excellent Youth Programs.
MDM Trio
Myra Michot* – vocals, Mark Underwood – bass, David McAllister – piano
Program
Song list:
- Struttin’ with some Barbeque – Louis Armstrong, Lil Armstrong
- Darktown Strutters Ball – Shelton Brooks
- I Got Rhythm* – George Gershwin
- Do You Know What it Means – Eddie DeLange, Louis Alter
- I Can’t Give You Anything* – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
- Some of These Days – Shelton Brooks
- Georgia on my Mind* – Hoagy Charmichael, Stuart Gorrell
- On the Sunny Side of the Street* – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
- Moonglow – G Will Hudson, Irving Mills, Eddie DeLange
- Someone To Watch Over Me* – George and Ira Gershwin
- Sweet Georgia Brown – Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard, Kenneth Casey
- Pennies From Heaven – Arthur Johnston, Johnny Burke
- Here’s That Rainy Day* – Jimmy Van Hensen, Johnny Burke
- Take the A-Train – Billy Strayhorn
- Girl from Ipanema – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel
- Stormy Weather* – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
- Satin Doll – Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn
- Don’t Blame Me – Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields
- A Foggy Day – George and Ira Gershwin
- Honeysuckle Rose* – Fats Waller, Andy Razaf
You’re Invited to a very special Fourth Friday Concert at Bosendorfer Hall in honor and celebration of Eric Hale for 16 years of dedicated service as emcee, booking agent, performer, and friend! Don’t miss Eric’s final performance!
Fourth Friday Concert Program
- Pink Fish by Alan Menken
- Vissi d’arte from Tosca by Giacomo Puccini
- Lucy’s Aria from The Three Penny Opera by Kurt Weill
- To This We’ve Come from The Consul by Gian Carlo Menotti
- Prelude in B flat major, Op. 23, Number 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Etude-Tableaux in a minor, Op. 39, Number 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Etude-Tableaux in b minor, Op. 39, Number 4 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Prelude in g sharp minor, Op. 33, Number 12 by Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Liebesfreud by Fritz Kreisler (arr. Sergei Rachmaninoff)
- The Net
- A Mother to the War Makers
- The Old Suffragist
- The Modern Woman to Her Lover
- The Women’s Litany
Nezhdanova-Placzek Duo
Sunday, July 21st, at 3:00PM
Doors open at 2:30PM
Bösendorfer Hall, Ruggero Piano
Program
Three For All
Sunday, August 11th, at 3:00PM
Doors open at 2:30PM
Bösendorfer Hall, Ruggero Piano
Special Edition Fourth Friday Concert featuring The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute
Now celebrating its 6th year, NCCMI has been recently awarded its first government grants from the City of Raleigh and the United Arts Council of Wake County. The September concert will include many favorite works from the classical repertoire performed by NCCMI’s leading String Quartets and Piano/String mixed ensembles. Students will introduce their music and share their learning experiences with NCCMI in an enjoyable and entertaining program.
The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute-NCCMI was founded by NC Symphony musicians Elizabeth Beilman and Jimmy Gilmore with the mission of inspiring young artists of the future through the medium of great chamber music. Chamber Music as an art form for small ensembles like string quartets and piano trios that teaches musical and technical skills as well as leadership and confidence in a unique way. Based in Raleigh with events spread throughout the Triangle area, this comprehensive program operates during the academic year. In partnership with Chamber Music Raleigh and the North Carolina Symphony, NCCMI offers students (primarily aged 7-19) the benefits of weekly sessions, master classes, workshops and programming with world-class musician/ teachers including members of the NC Symphony and visiting artists. Financial aid is available to those in need.
This program will explore Latin music from different points of view including American composer Adrienne Albert’s Ode to Piazzolla and Cuban Stories; John Williams’s interpretation of Por Una Cabeza by the famous Argentine composer, Carlos Gardel; two trios by Astor Piazzolla; and Pacific Serenade, inspired by an evening on the West Coast by Miguel del Aguila from Uruguay. Teresa Fernandez will round out the program with a selection of Latin songs.
Por Una Cabeza for Violin & Piano
Carlos Gardel/John Williams (arranger)
Ode to Piazzolla for Violin, Cello & Piano
Adrienne Albert
Invierno Porteno for Violin, Cello & Piano
Astor Piazzolla
Primavera Portena for Violin, Cello & Piano
Astor Piazzolla
Pacific Serenade for Clarinet & Piano
Miguel del Aguila
Latin Songs
Teresa Fernandez (vocalist)
Cuban Stories for Flute, Cello, Violin & Piano
Adrienne Albert
Fall Course Live Stream – Wellness for Piano Teachers & Musicians – How to Naturally Stay Healthy in the Neck, Shoulders and Spine for Piano Teachers featuring Chip Moseley, MPT, OCS, CSCS, Clinician
Teachers and musicians of all disciplines are often challenged by chronic tension in the neck, shoulders and back. Learn how to prevent pain and teach and perform more healthfully with these approaches, stretches and exercises. In the comfort of your home or studio, try out these exercises!
Chip Moseley earned his Masters in Physical Therapy and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Chip is one of a few Board Certified Orthopedic Specialists in Physical Therapy in North Carolina. In addition, he has a specialty in strength and conditioning. Chip has earned hundreds of hours of continuing education in Biomechanics of movement and manual therapy. Chip has been with Total Motion PT in Durham for almost two decades. He has been a physical therapist since 1988.
These workshops are complimentary – simply click here and enjoy!
Dr. Carol Ann Larry , Workshop Coordinator
Fall Course Live Stream – Wellness for Piano Teachers & Musicians – Defining and Teaching Well-Coordinated, Injury-Preventive Piano Technique featuring Barbara Lister-Sink, Ed.D.
Pianists of all ages and levels are often frustrated and even tragically hindered by discomfort, pain, and injury related playing. Dr. Barbara Lister-Sink, author of the MTNA-award-winning DVD IFreeing the Caged Bird–Developing Well-Coordinated, Injury-Preventive Piano Technique, will offer an accessible but scientifically informed look into the heart of injury-preventive piano technique. She will demonstrate basic biomechanical principles that can constitute a “basic form” for pianists of any age or level; define how the body is designed to work best with the instrument; and discuss risk factors for injury. Finally, she will offer practical tools for teaching the sensations of good coordination and freedom.
Internationally acclaimed pianist and acknowledged global leader in injury-preventive keyboard technique, is a graduate of Smith College, the Utrecht Conservatory and holds an Ed.D. from Columbia University. A Steinway ARtist since 1977, Lister-Sink has performed and given workshops throughout North America, Europe and Australia. As the current Artistic Director of the Salem College School of Music and Director of the Graduate Music Program, she has also taught on the Eastman School of Music Artist Faculty and was keyboardist for the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. A previewer for Oxford University Press, Lister-Sink was chosen by Musical America Global as one of America’s “30 Top Professionals of 2018” as an innovator, independent thinker, and visionary leader.
These workshops are complimentary – simply click here and enjoy!
Dr. Carol Ann Larry , Workshop Coordinator
Fall Course Live Stream – Wellness for Piano Teachers & Musicians – The Alexander Technique for Pianists – In Introduction featuring Suzanne Faulkner
The Alexander Technique (AT) is the investigation of how intention and habit affect physical coordination and learning capacity. AT has a long history of helping instrumentalists perform with less stress and likelihood of injury. With a mixture of lecture and experiential learning, this workshop will introduce you to the tools and foundations of AT. These tools can be applied to your particular issues regarding injury recovery and prevention, or as a way to deepen your relationship to your instrument and enable a bit more freedom in all that you do.
Over the years Suzanne Faulkner has worked with a wide variety of instrumentalists both amateur and professional. Some sought her AT teaching to get relief from injuries or to improve sound performance issues, others have come out of sheer curiosity. Suzanne has been studying AT since 1987 and for 25 years has been an active member and recognized teacher of The American Society of TEachers of the AT. She continues her studies and development of this technique with Ruth Kilroy and the dynamic AT community in the Boston area.
These workshops are complimentary – simply click on the link and enjoy!
Dr. Carol Ann Larry , Workshop Coordinator
Dr. Carol Ann Barry is a Nationally Certified member of MTNA. Her piano training has included several degree programs as well as study abroad. Selected to serve as a Rotary International Fellow, she studied at the Goethe Institute in Munich, and the Hochschule für Musik und Darsteleende Kunst in Hamburg, Germany. Dr. Barry is interested in the pedagogical work of internationally renowned pedagogue Abby Whiteside. Her doctoral work included extensive studies in New York City with pianist Sophia Rosoff.
After almost two years, the Free Spirits Ensemble is back in Bosendorfer Hall at Ruggero Piano – and ready to dance! Our concert begins with Michele Mangani’s “Tre Danza Latine”. Next is featured “Four Unknown Dances” by Lanette Lind. We then shift to South American with four selections from Jobim and Piazzolla, arranged by Jim Williams – all designed to warm an early spring evening with Terpsichore.
MICHELE MANGANI
Tre Danza Latine for clarinet and piano
LANETTE LIND
Four Unknown Dances for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA
Inveirno Porteno for violin, cello and piano
Oblivion for violin, cello and piano
FOUR LATIN SELECTIONS (ARRANGED BY JIM WILLIAMS)
FOR CLARINET, VIOLIN, CELLO AND PIANO
Girl from Ipanema | Antonio Carlos Jobim
Shadow of Your Smile | Johnny Mandel
Ausensias | Astor Piazzolla
Street Tango | Astor Piazzolla
You’re invited to support Carolina Ballet! Monday, September 26th through Saturday, October 1st. We will be offering institutional sale pricing on all in-stock new & used pianos, 0% interest financing for 25 months will be available, all piano purchases include up to four complimentary Ballet tickets, and a portion of each selection will be donated to Carolina Ballet. New and used pianos from Yamaha | Bosendorfer | Estonia | Schimmel | Hallet & Davis | Clavinova | Steinway | Kawai | Mason & Hamlin & others will be available, including uprights, grands, hybrids, digitals, player pianos, and more!
We are excited to host the 2023 Fourth Friday Concert Series. Masks are optional and seating is limited to the first 100 guests on a first-come, first-served basis. This concert series will be available to attend via live stream on our YouTube channel and a link to each concert will be available on the home page of our website, www.ruggeropiano.com. Please contact our office at 919-839-2040 with any questions!
We are excited to host the 2023 Fourth Friday Concert Series. Masks are optional and seating is limited to the first 100 guests on a first-come, first-served basis. This concert series will be available to attend via live stream on our YouTube channel and a link to each concert will be available on the home page of our website, www.ruggeropiano.com. Please contact our office at 919-839-2040 with any questions!
Presto was founded in 2007 in San Diego. The club was started to offer amateur pianists an outlet for performance. The club meets once a month at members’ homes. When one of the founders moved to Carrboro in 2011, a second section was created for the Chapel Hill/Durham area and then expanded to a third section for the Raleigh/Cary area in 2015. Presto’s mission is to bring serious pianists together to share classical piano music through performance and to inspire growth and instill confidence in all participants. Presto also organizes and develops musical opportunities for the group such as piano master classes, social gatherings, recitals, and workshops. The group offers a nurturing environment to its members, honoring each at their particular performance level. Presto promotes a lifelong study and enjoyment of piano performance. New members join by referral. Please contact any of the performers at the concert if you’d like to join or learn more about Presto. http://www.prestopiano.org/index.htm
We are excited to host the 2023 Fourth Friday Concert Series! This series will be available to attend in person or via live stream on our YouTube channel – a ink to each concert will be available on the home page of our website, www.ruggeropiano.com. Please contact our office at 919-839-2040 with any questions!
This Special Edition Fourth Friday Concert will feature UNC Chapel Hill Music Department Pianists & Meredith College Faculty!
We are excited to host the 2023 Fourth Friday Concert Series! This series will be available to attend in person or via live stream on our YouTube channel – a ink to each concert will be available on the home page of our website, www.ruggeropiano.com. Please contact our office at 919-839-2040 with any questions!
This Special Edition Fourth Friday Concert will feature Meredith College Department of Music Faculty & Staff!
As we celebrate two decades of Fourth Friday Concerts, we are excited to announce the return of our original emcee, Eric Hale, and accompanist, Sue Timmons, for this extraordinary evening. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of the performers and devoted audiences who have supported Fourth Friday Concerts over the last 20 years. We hope you will be able to join us!
Founded in June, 2003, the Fourth Friday Concert series, formerly know as the 4th Friday Mix, stands as one of our area’s longest-running concert series. We remain committed to providing free and inclusive concerts that welcome musicians with a passion for sharing their talents. All attendees, including children capable of listening attentively, are warmly welcomed. Fourth Friday Concerts typically feature 2-4 performers or performance groups, although special occasions may showcase a single performer or group for the entire concert. Contact Richard Ruggero at richardcruggero@gmail.com if you or your group are interested in performing!
Click here for Livestream link!
Performer Bios
15-year-old Olivia Li from Cary, NC studies the piano with Florence Ko and has over the years garnered myriad awards and scholarships. She placed first in various competitions including the North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs (NCFMC) Young Artist Auditions, 6 years consecutively from divisions Senior I until Concerto IV, as well as the Princess category of the NCFMC Royalty Competition, the SYMF Southwestern Youth Music Festival Competition, the USA IMAE Music & Art Exchange International Piano Competition where she had a masterclass with the renowned Gary Graffman, RTPA Scholarship Competition, CAPTA Bullard Competition, and 2nd prize of the prestigious NC symphony concerto competition and 3rd Annual Hayes School of Music Piano Competition. In her spare time, Olivia enjoys sharing her music with others and frequently hosts performances at local retirement centers, and hospitals. She has also been invited to perform at various events, such as 5 consecutive meetings for the 2023 Cary Environmental Symposium at the Cary Arts Center, where many esteemed speakers and mayor are invited as well.
Chris (Yuanduo) Li, who is 17 years old and currently in the 11th grade, attends Green Level High School in Apex, North Carolina. He was born in China in 2006 and began his musical journey when he was just six years old. He started taking piano lessons in June 2021 after moving to the United States, and he’s been guided by Florence Ko. Since then, Chris has achieved some impressive accomplishments: he came in second place in the 2022 Young Artist Auditions (YAA) competition at the Prince level. He also got first place in the Senior level of the 2022 Raleigh Piano Teacher Association (RPTA) scholarship competition, the Bullard piano competition (High School level), and the Raleigh Music Club Scholarship Auditions. It’s worth noting that he got second position in the Senior division of the 2022 Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) competition, and he won in the Senior division of the International American Protege competition. Additionally, he had the chance to be part of the East Carolina University piano festival and their master classes. In 2023, he achieved second place in the North Carolina Royalty Competition at the King level. He also won the National Federation of Music Clubs competition at the King level and the Hinda Honigman piano scholarship in Statesville, NC, performed in Environmental Symposium at Cary Arts Center. Apart from his dedication to playing the piano, Chris enjoys taking part in basketball and tennis, which brings him joy.
Jared Alan Yoakem is a pianist from Grand Rapids, MI. As a recitalist, he has performed at the Brendle Recital Hall, Wake Forest University, NC; Covington Arts Center, Radford University, VA; Katzen Arts Center, American University, DC; and Porter Arts Center, Brevard College, NC. As a collaborative artist, he has performed with ACDA, NATS, the National Orpheus Competition, and a variety of choral projects including two national PBS broadcasts at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. He has been awarded with the Dean’s Advisory Council Award for outstanding achievement in music from Belmont University in 2019. Yoakem has participated in the Collaborative Piano Institute at Louisiana State University, the Leon Fleisher Academy of Washington D.C., and the Vivace Music Foundation of Wilmington, NC. He has participated in masterclasses by Stanislav Ioudenitch, Marina Lomazov, Julian Martin, Anne-Marie McDermott and Robert McDonald. Yoakem holds degrees from Belmont University & East Carolina University, under the instruction of Elena Bennett and Kwan Yi. He currently serves as a piano faculty member at the Cary School of Music and as a teaching assistant to Kwan Yi.
Click here for Livestream link!
Performer Bios
[caption id="attachment_10955" align="alignleft" width="150"] Grace Ueng[/caption]
Grace began studying piano last year to honor the memory of her mother, her first teacher. With an older sister who consistently placed first in their state and would go on to compete nationally and internationally, Grace quit after only a few years of lessons. She went on to study at MIT and Harvard Business School, pursuing interests outside music. Her sister, Vivian Fang, went on to earn two degrees from Juilliard and her doctorate from Peabody Conservatory. Vivian teaches in her private studio, serves on faculty at The Fay School outside Boston, and is President of New England Piano Teachers’ Association. After purchasing her Steinway from Ruggero, Grace started studying with Teddy Robie. Additionally, Vivian provides sisterly coaching. Grace also enjoys being a part of the Presto piano performance group. Grace is an ardent lifelong student of positive psychology studying under Tal Ben Shahar, the creator of Harvard’s most popular course ever on happiness, Arthur Brooks of Harvard Business School and Noa Kageyama, Juilliard’s performance psychologist. Grace is the founder of Savvy Growth, a leadership coaching and strategy consulting firm, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Prior to that, she served on the leadership teams of five technology companies. She writes a weekly column on Happiness & Leadership and has been covered in Inc. Magazine, The Daily Beast and The Wall Street Journal.
[caption id="attachment_10957" align="alignleft" width="150"] Triocha[/caption]
This trio features Erin Munnelly, flute, Sanford Enslen, cello, and Stephanie Schmidt, piano.
[caption id="attachment_10956" align="alignleft" width="150"] Newnew Hong[/caption]
Kangqi Hong, also known as “Newnew,” is a 14-year-old student born in Zhuhai, China, and currently resides with her aunt and uncle, Hong Schulte and Stuart Schulte, in Moore County, North Carolina. She attended Episcopal Day School from 3rd to 5th grade and is now a 9th grader at the O’Neal School. Newnew started learning to play the piano at the age of 6 in China, taught initially by her mother. She studies under Dr. Kristina Henckel and practices daily on a 1931 Baldwin grand piano. In February 2023, Newnew had her first public performance at a sold-out concert sponsored by the Arts Council of Moore County. She performed pieces by Mendelssohn, Chopin, Beethoven, and Saint-Saëns, impressing the audience with her skills. Newnew has taken part in numerous music competitions, winning first place in the solo piano category at Carmel Klavier 2022, Carmel IN, Fayetteville Piano Teacher’s Association competition in 2022, Fayetteville, NC, and Weymouth Young Musician’s Festival in 2020, Southern Pines, NC. Furthermore, she was a finalist in the 2023 North Carolina Symphony Concerto Competition. Newnew is also a laureate of the Piano League competition, participated in the MTNA competition, and received the Grand Prize in the Rising Talents Festival 2021, allowing her to perform at Carnegie Hall. Apart from concerts and competitions, Newnew has performed for local nursing homes, art shows, fundraisers, and Habitat for Humanity. In addition to her love for music, she is also interested in art, history, and science-fiction.
Click Here for Livestream Link
Program Notes
Mozart: Sonata KV 570 in B-flat Major
Mozart’s Sonata K570 is a late work which shows the composer at his absolute best. The opening movement is unusual: each theme serves as a springboard to the next one. Thus, the opening melody is a counterpoint to the second one, and the second transfigures to become the third one. In fact, the contrapuntal mastery must have been so appealing that soon after Mozart’s death the Sonata was reworked for violin and piano by an admirer, and is still sometimes performed in that manner, ostensibly as an authentic Mozart piece.
The second movement is an extensive rondo, drawing on the wealth of vocal and instrumental traditions, almost ready to be orchestrated. The frequent use of strophic variation allows the performer to introduce a variety of ornaments, something which was expected in both vocal and instrumental performances of the time.
The last movement is yet another, very much abbreviated rondo; in its center lives a pecking bird, engulfed by contrapuntal lines, very reminiscent of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 and violin sonata K. 378. In both cases, the tempo suddenly accelerates for the sake of that very bird, and I have taken the brazen liberty of doing the same.
Beethoven: Sonata Op. 28 in D Major
The so-called “Pastoral” Sonata owes its nickname to a publisher. This is, without a doubt, inspired by the ostinato in the left hand, prominent in movements one and four, clear stand-in for bagpipes. Yet, while as certain pastoral feeling cannot be denied, it by no means shapes the entire work. In his second and last D Major sonata, Beethoven chooses yet again to keep all four movements in the home key, with the second, slow movement, taking the minor mode. But the contrast between major and minor in our sonata is much less violent then in the earlier Op. 10 No. 3. A possible musical twin for the work is rather the “Spring” sonata for violin and piano, written at about the same time; undeniably handsome, tender, poignant, and positive, with a dash of humor.
Schumann: Kreisleriana Op. 16
Every December, our country falls under the spell of the German author E. T. A. Hoffmann. In fact, we eagerly await the experience of seeing a most garbled version of his short novel “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” now in the form of a famous ballet. Hoffmann, a near-contemporary of Schumann and his undeniable alter ego, had a double career as an author and a musician (Schumann’s stated aspiration as well); his views, aesthetics, and artistic goals were also very close to Schumann’s. And just like Schumann with his Florestan and Eusebius, the fiery and the meek aspects of oneself, Hoffmann had invented for himself a literary stand-in, a certain Kapellmeister Kreisler, is whose bizarre personality these aspects are fused in a strange way, compelling in the eyes of some, repulsive for most others. Such split personality is more than a child of an erratic mind, sophisticated one moment and childish the next; here, we also have the inability, and the unwillingness to put up with the world the way we see it. Kreisler’s life, inasmuch as Hoffmann’s or Schumann’s, is a struggle against a mounting tide of mediocrity, indifference, and pointless small talk. Ironically, Hoffmann tells us, Kreisler’s unpublished autobiography became scrap paper for a memoir by… a cat. Schumann’s eight scenes are not, apparently, descriptive of specific Hoffmann moments; they describe mental states.
Performer Bio
A native of Moscow, Dmitri Shteinberg holds a Doctorate in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and is currently the Clifton Matthews Distinguished Professor of piano at UNCSA. His performance credentials include Jerusalem Symphony, The Italian Filarmonica Marchigiana, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Camerata Orchestra and Porto National Symphony under the batons of Massimo Pradella, Roger Nierenberg, Florin Totan and David Shallon, among others. In the United States, he appeared with the Baton Rouge, Richmond, Charlottesville, Salisbury and Manassas symphony orchestras. In 1995, he won the first prize at the Senigallia International Piano Competition in Italy, where he was the youngest competitor. Shteinberg was a guest artist at the Mostly Mozart Festival, Summit Music Festival, Music Festival of the Hamptons, the ”Oleg Kagan” Festival in Germany, Festival Aix-en-Provence in France and Open Chamber Music in Cornwall, England. Chamber music appearances include the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Alice Tully Hall in New York and the Saunders Theatre in Boston. Most recently, he gave the world premiere of Permutations for piano and orchestra by Robert Chumbley.
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We are so excited to have students and faculty from Community Music School performing for this month’s Fourth Friday Concert Series! Repertoire to include selections from Bach, Liszt, Tchaikovsky and others from a variety of genres and styles.
Performer Bio
Founded in 1994, CMS is the only organization in Wake County that provides private, 1:1 personalized music instruction in multiple genres at just $1 per lesson for children who have limited or no access to music education. For the last 30 years, CMS has worked to ensure that every child with a passion for music has access to affordable, high quality music education; and empowers families to foster their children’s love for music; and raise awareness of the benefits of musical instruction in the development of the whole child. Please join in supporting the young musicians of Community Music School by donating $30.00 in honor of the school’s years of service OR become a CMS sustainer at $19.94/month, reflecting on the school’s year of establishment! Learn More Here
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Performer Bio
Czech pianist Kristina Henckel and Cuban pianist Amanda Virelles formed 4HANDS Piano Duo in 2019. Their duo repertoire includes master pieces from the Classical, Romantic and 20th century periods. Both pianists started performing careers in their countries of origin, and completed doctoral degrees in piano performance and pedagogy in the United States. Currently, both Kristina and Amanda hold faculty positions in North Carolina, at Sandhills Community College and Fayetteville State University.
Dr. Kristina Henckel, an accomplished pianist and teacher, is a native of the Czech Republic. She is a graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, under the tutelage of Professor Peter Toperczer. During her study she received several awards in competitions held in the Czech Republic: third prize in the Chopin Piano Competition and Smetana International Piano Competition, and first prize in the National Piano Competition of Conservatories, including an award for best performance of Antonín Dvořák’s composition. At 18 Kristina debuted with Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 Op. 73 “Emperor” with the Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra. She further collaborated as a soloist with other regional orchestras in the Czech Republic.
After relocating to the United States in 1999, Kristina continued her studies by earning a doctorate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma. In Oklahoma she acquired additional awards for her performances: first prize in the Donna Turner-Smith Piano Competition and first prize at the Graduate Concerto Competition 2012. In addition, her dissertation “Pianistic Analysis of Bedřich Smetana’s Piano Cycle Dreams” was nominated for the University of Oklahoma Provost’s Dissertation Prize 2016.
Kristina has performed numerous solo and collaborative recitals in Europe and United States. She also made several recordings for Radio Vltava, Czech Republic. In the fall of 2015 she became a Ritmüller piano artist. In May 2016, she released a CD with the piano trio Turnía featuring the piano trios of Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana. In April 2016 the ensemble was featured on the radio show Northwest Focus on King FM 98.1 in Seattle, WA. Kristina is also a member of the 4HANDS Piano Duo with Cuban-American pianist Amanda Virelles.
Currently she serves as music faculty at Fayetteville State University and Sandhills Community College in North Carolina.
Amanda Virelles has played for audiences around the world captivating them with her unique sound and deep interpretations. Her performances have been described as sensible, profound, and energetic. She has performed as a soloist as well as collaborative artist throughout the United States, Europe, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Amanda began her piano studies in Cuba with Emilio Morales, and later with Serguei Leschenko, continued with Heirinch Neuhaus’ protegé Margarita Fyodorova at Moscow State Conservatory Tchaikovsky, and received her Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Russian Academy of Music Gnessins in Moscow, Russia, under the guidance of Inna Malinina, former disciple of Alexander Goldenwieser. Virelles also holds a Master Degree and a Doctoral Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi, where she received both a full assistantship and a fellowship as the winner of the Doctoral Assistantship Competition. While at USM, Amanda was a student of Dr. Lois Leventhal.
After winning First Prize and an Special Prize for best Cuban and Latin-American music performance in the “Amadeo Roldan” Piano Competition, in Cuba, she was given a full scholarship to study in Russia. She appeared as a soloist with several orchestras in Europe and South America under the direction of renowned conductors such as Yoshikatsu Fukumura, Mikhail Shervakov, Dmitir Manolov, Fillipo Zigante, Kimbo Ishii – Eto, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya. She was a featured winner of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition with the USM Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jay Dean. She has also performed under the baton of Raul Munguia and Alejandro Drago.
As a pedagogue Dr. Virelles has served as an Associate Professor of Music at Universidad del Atlántico in Colombia, in the fields of classical piano, theory, and chamber music from 1997 to 2003. Previously, she was on the piano faculty at the Conservatorio Nacional in Lima, Peru. Since her arrival to the United States, she has also served at Lane College, Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music and at the School of Music of Belmont University. Currently, Dr. Virelles is an Associate Professor of Music at Fayetteville State University, in Fayetteville, North Carolina and teaches piano at Fayetteville School of Music
Amanda is an avid performer of chamber music and plays regularly with “Duo Guitiano” with Colombian-American guitarist Carlos Castilla and 4HANDS Piano Duo, with Czech pianist Kristina Henckel. Her solo and duo recordings are available in digital platforms.
Founded in June, 2003, the Fourth Friday Concert Series, formerly know as the 4th Friday Mix, stands as one of our area’s longest-running concert series. We remain committed to providing free and inclusive concerts that welcome musicians with a passion for sharing their talents. All attendees, including children capable of listening attentively, are warmly welcomed. Fourth Friday Concerts typically feature 2-4 performers or performance groups, although special occasions may showcase a single performer or group for the entire concert.