Category Archives: keyboard-alumni

Nicole Biggs performs in Israel

Nicole Biggs, assistant professor of class piano, performed in Israel Oct. 21- Oct. 31.  Her performances included two solo piano recitals and a collaborative recital with string players from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Works by by Philip Glass, Howard Ferguson, and Franz Liszt were featured in the solo recitals. The collaborative recital featured the Mozart Piano Quartet in G Minor and the Mendelssohn Piano Quartet in B Minor, and was performed with Saida Bar Lev, Zvi Carmel, and Hillel Zori. Nicole performed at the Tiberias Conservatory (in Tiberias), the Felicja Blumenthal Music Center in Tel Aviv, and the Mormon University in Jerusalem. The Tiberias and Jerusalem concerts were sold out.

 

The Jewish Agency for Israel, Partnership2gether, and the Oklahoma Israel Exchange sponsored the concert tour.

Solungga Fang-Tzu Liu’s CD reviewed by American Record Guide and Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The CD titled “The Pleasure-Dome of Kubla Khan: Piano Works by Charles T. Griffes” (Centaur, 2010), by Solungga Fang-Tzu Liu, has recently been reviewed by both American Record Guide (issue of September/October, 2011) and Seattle Post-Intelligencer (October 24, 2011).

Alan Becker, critic of American Record Guide, praised Liu’s interpretation “with excellent sound, sensitivity and beguiling color”.  Sang Woo Kang, piano professor at Providence College and music critic, wrote “Overall, this is an excellent recording. Liu has done justice to this sometimes overlooked body of work with her playing, as she pays tribute to a unique and evocative composer.”

Read more:
http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Solungga-Fang-Tzu-Liu-The-2234460.php#page-1

Piano Faculty Solungga Liu to judge and perform at the International Mozart Competition in Bangkok, Thailand

Dr. Solungga Liu, Assistant Professor of Piano, has been invited to adjudicate the International Mozart Competition in Bangkok between June 3-10, 2011. The international jury consists of pianists from the US and Europe. During the week-long competition contestants from all over the world will perform works by Mozart as well as a wide selection of piano repertoire.

Dr. Liu will also give a recital at the Thai German Cultural Center (Goethe Institute) on June 5.

(Submitted by Solungga Fang-Tzu Liu)

12th Annual Conrad Art Song Competition winners announced

The 12th Annual Conrad Art Song Competition at BGSU was held on Saturday, April 2, 2011.  Congratulations to the following winners:

UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION

  • First place: Melissa Penkava, mezzo-soprano and Jacintha Ratnasamy, piano
  • Second place: Rachel Taylor, mezzo-soprano and Melinda Sondag, piano
  • Third place: Cassandra Utt, soprano and Sara Tobe, piano

GRADUATE DIVISION

  • First place: Christine Amon, mezzo-soprano and Heidi Clausius, piano
  • Second place: Theresa Zapata, soprano and Tatiana Gorbunova, piano
  • Third place:  Amanda Deboer, soprano and Karl Larson, piano

Congratulations to all the participants and their coaches on a job well done!

(Submitted by Susan Knapp)

Faculty member, Thomas Rosenkranz to perform with Signal Ensemble in New York City

Assistant Professor of Piano, Thomas Rosenkranz will join ensemble Signal in performances and a recording of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians at the The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) in Troy, New York and at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on March 12th and 13th.

In the Fall of 2008, Signal gave two sold-out performances of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians and You Are (Variations) at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC. The New York Times hailed the group for its “vibrant, euphoric performances that seemed to electrify the remarkably youthful audience.” Rosenkranz and Signal will be recording the work for New Amsterdam Records in celebration of Steve Reich’s 75th birthday.

For more information please visit:

EMPAC
http://empac.rpi.edu/events/2011/spring/reich/

Le Poisson Rouge
http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/2118

(Submitted by Thomas Rosenkranz)

Results 5th Annual BGSU Chamber Music Competition

Below please find the results of the final round of the 5th Annual
Chamber Music Competition held Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3:00 PM in Bryan
Hall.

Congratulations to all those who participated, their studio teachers
and coaches!!!

UNDERGRADUATE DIVISION

First Place: FOUR CORNERS QUARTET (Noa Even, coach)
Xiao Han, soprano saxophone
Ryan Hurd, alto saxophone
Corey Whitt, tenor saxophone
Anthony Nicolia, baritone saxophone

Second Place: FLOW LIKE WATER (Roger Schupp, coach)
Alvin Dawson, percussion
Jacob Bori, percussion
Elizabeth Hall, percussion

GRADUATE DIVISION

First Place: YING QUARTET (John Sampen, coach)
John Cummins, soprano saxophone
Drew Sevel, alto saxophone
Pin-hua Chen, tenor saxophone
Elissa Kana, baritone saxophone

Second Place: COLOR FIELD ENSEMBLE (Jane Schoonmaker Rodgers, coach)
Amanda DeBoer, soprano
Karl Larson, piano
Spencer Prewitt, clarinet

(Submitted by Douglas Wayland)