NSU Presents the Piano Festival and the Young Artist Competition

Ashley Duke TNE Writer

Courtesy Photo Brian Hsu is the featured artist of the NSU Piano Festival. He will perform and teach a master class Feb. 21-22 NSU presents a weekend of talent showcasing the piano styling of new and experienced artists. It is the annual NSU Piano Festival and Young Artist Competition. This year, the Piano Festival features guest artist Brian Hsu. I met our guest artist, Brian Hsu, teaching at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan a few years ago, said Dr. Ronald Chioldi, professor of music. Brian is a phenomenal pianist and a real monster of a player. He was a child prodigy type. Hsu moved from Taiwan to New York to study piano at Juilliard. At Juiliard, he studied with Yoheved Kaplinsky, who is one of the most famous piano teachers in the country. He also studied with Peter Frankl at Yale University and Logan Skelton at the University of Michigan. He has won numerous awards in the United States and Asia. Some of Hsus awards include Wideman Competition, Juilliards Gina Bachauer, Isabel Scionti International, Corpus Christi International, Young Artists Competition, and the National Piano Competition in Taiwan. He has also received awards for concert competitions at the University of Michigan and Juilliard. His most recent accomplishment was appointment as an assistant professor at Loyola University in New Orleans. If NSU students have any interest at all in instrumental music, classical music, or any music that is not mainstream, they should go to the recital, said Erica Daniell, Elk City junior. There is beauty and grace in the art form of classical piano that is unique to the

genre. Oftentimes, in one recital, there will be extremely challenging passages of music followed by pieces more simple and pure. It's a great experience for anyone. The Young Artist Competition is the day after the guest artist recital. Students in ninth through 12th grade are eligible to participate. The guidelines for the competition include performing two contrasting pieces lasting seven to 15 minutes each and memorizing both pieces. The registration fee is $10 per participant, and the deadline is Feb. 13. The Young Artist Competition is designed to encourage high school pianists from the region to visit our campus and to experience what we have going on here, said Chioldi. We attract high schoolers from Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma almost every year. I believe the students, parents and teachers who have taken part in the NSU Young Artist Competition have had a very positive experience in past years. A master class is offered at 1 p.m. after the Young Artist Competition. The master class will be an open music lesson taught by the guest artist, Brain Hsu. NSU piano majors will perform and be critiqued by Hsu. Brian Hsu will then give advice on interpretation, technique, practicing, etc. to the pianists, said Chiodi A master class really is an educational experience for both the student-performer and the audience. There will also be a faculty recital featuring Chioldi after the master class. Chioldi teaches music theory, piano and class piano. He has performed recently in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas. He was a student of Ian Hobson at the University of Illinois, where he received a doctorate in musical arts in piano performance. The Young Artist Competition awards ceremony will take place after the faculty recital. Awards are given for first, second and third place. The first place winner will receive $250, second place will receive $100, and third place will receive $50. The money received from the recital helps pay for the guest artist and goes into a scholarship fund for the NSU music students. The NSU music program has many ensembles that are available, said Annie Lindsey, Wagoner freshman. These include wind ensemble, university singers, community chorus, marching band, community concert band, opera workshop and many more. The guest artist recital is at 7 p.m., Feb. 21, at the NSU Center for the Performing Arts. Registration for the Young Artist Competition begins at 9 a.m., Feb. 22, at the CPA. For more information, call Chioldi at 918-444-2707.

Published 2/4/14