Topeka, Kan. – Pianists and organists in grades 6th through the first year of college will be on the Washburn University campus July 24 – 28, 2023 for the Washburn Summer Keyboard Academy. These musicians will have the opportunity to play with and learn from some of the finest, nationally recognized musicians and educators in the country, including Dr. Lucy Tan, piano, Dr. Cynthia Neufeld Smith, organ, Dr. Kristi Baker-Lampe, piano, Joseph Piontek, piano and composition, and Dr. Kelly Huff, music history and music theory. The faculty include Washburn University professors and guest artists. Students must have previously registered for this camp to attend.
Along with daily lessons, students participate in keyboard workshops, recreational activities, music history/literature classes, performance classes and have designated practice time. They have opportunities to listen to artist-level performances and they will perform their own gala concert in White Concert Hall. The public is welcome to attend these free concerts throughout the week.
Monday, July 24
- Faculty Recital
- 7:30 p.m., White Concert Hall
The Washburn Summer Keyboard Academy Faculty Recital will feature performances by Dr. Lucy Tan, piano, Dr. Cynthia Neufeld Smith, organ, Dr. Kristi Baker-Lampe, piano, and Joseph Piontek, piano and composition. This concert will feature diverse works by popular classical music composers, as well as music by under-represented women composers. Some of the composers' works will include those by Franz Liszt, Clara Schumann, Chen Yi, Joseph Piontek, Antonio Soler and Frederic Chopin.
Wednesday, July 26
- Guest Artist Performance, Featuring Lio Kuok-Wai- 2 p.m., White Concert Hall
Concert pianist Lio Kuok-Wai, top prize-winner in many international piano competitions and graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, will perform Joseph Haydn's “Andante” and “Variations in F minor,” and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano “Sonata K. 310” and “Sonata K.533/494.”
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music under Gary Graffman, Lio Kuok-Wai is a recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant administered by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Career Advancement Award given by the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, Scholarship Awards by the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Feltsman Piano Foundation.
Kuok-Wai is currently a student of Stanislav Ioudenitch at the International Center for Music at Park University. A former student of Gabriel Kwok at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Peter Frankl and Boris Berman at Yale University and Jack Winerock at the University of Kansas.
As a concerto soloist, Kuok-Wai has performed with orchestras that include the China Philharmonic, Macau Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra and conductors Li Xin-Cao, Edo de Waart, Francois Xavier-Roth and Michael Stern.
Friday, July 28
- Guest Artist Performance, Featuring Dr. Fanny Po Sim Head- 9 a.m., White Concert Hall
Dr. Fanny Po Sim Head will perform under-represented piano works by diverse Latin American composers. The featured composers include Luis Humberto Salgado, Roberto Carpio, Francisco Pulgar-Vidal, Sadiel Cuentas, Guarnieri, Marlos Nobre and Beetholven Cunha.
Born in Hong Kong, Dr. Head received a doctorate degree in piano performance and pedagogy at the University of Kansas under the instruction of Dr. Scott McBride Smith. She completed her undergraduate degree in music composition and production at Hong Kong Baptist University. Later she received her master’s degrees in piano performance and musicology from the University of Missouri- Kansas City.
Head has more than 25 years of teaching experience with students of all ages. In addition to her private studio in Kansas City, she serves as an adjunct instructor at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City. She is invited to judge in local and international competitions as well as an active member of local music teacher associations which coordinate local music events.
Friday, July 28
- Washburn Summer Keyboard Academy Student Gala Concert- 2 p.m., White Concert Hall
This concert features the students who participated in the week-long Washburn Summer Keyboard Academy and their performance accomplishments. Applaud them and show your support of youth in the arts! Student performers feature students ages 12 through 18. Most of the performances will feature solo piano music by classical composers.
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For further information, contact:Joy Bailes
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Telephone: 785-670-2153
Cell: 785-230-1648
Email: joy.bailes@washburn.edu
