“Peripheral Perspectives”
Andrew Voelker, current DM Collaborative Piano student, recently returned to Illinois Wesleyan University, where they were Adjunct Lecturer of Accompanying/Opera Coach from 2016 to 2019. The occasion was “Peripheral Perspectives”, a concert featuring works by Hugo Wolf, Erich Korngold, Florence Price, and Margaret Bonds.
“Peripheral Perspectives” featured Voelker’s former student and current colleague, Kelly Riordan, mezzo-soprano (pictured together here, Voelker at left.) The event, held Saturday, September 10, was organized by IWU voice faculty Dr. Ingrid Kammin. The concert was given in preparation for Kelly’s send-off to Vienna for her Fulbright study at the Exilarte Center for Banned Music. She will be studying the life and works of Robert Fürstenthal, a contemporary of Korngold’s, who, lacking in any established reputation as a composer, had to flee Nazi occupation. He was greatly influenced by Hugo Wolf.
“Peripheral Perspectives” engages with the question of influence during stylistic periods. This recital focused on such perspectives surrounding these composers in early 20th-century Vienna, and in the Harlem Renaissance. After Kelly’s study in Vienna, Andrew and Kelly plan to embark on a lecture/performance tour with the works of Fürstenthal.
Summer Projects!
Watcharit (Jean) Kerdchuen
Current PD Collaborative Piano Major Watcharit (Jean) Kerdchuen is in his native Thailand this summer. He and his violin partner Thanatat Sriaranyakul are presenting charity concerts to raise funds for students with learning disabilities. Jean studied with Prof. Anne Epperson for his first year at IU and will be in Dr. Aram Arakelyan’s studio starting Fall 2022. He earned his MM in Collaborative Piano from the University of Southern Mississippi School of Music in 2021.
Michele Wong
Michele Wong, current MM student in the Balanced Track was a fellow at Songfest this summer in its new location at the San Francisco Conservatory. Here she and her singer are coaching with internationally renowned pianist Graham Johnson.
Michele and mezzo-soprano Shir Ordo (student of Heidi Grant Murphy at IU) with eminent American composer John Harbison after performing one of his songs.
Timothy Wong
Timothy Wong (MM Collaborative Piano 2022) is currently PDCP in the Balanced Track studying with Dr. Futaba Niekawa and Professor Kevin Murphy. He spent the summer as one of nine collaborative piano fellows at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. Participation in this festival comes through competitive auditioning and is an eight week intensive study with many performance opportunities and valuable coaching. Here Timothy is shown in a public masterclass with Jonathan Feldman.
Ting-Ting Yang
Incoming DM Collaborative Piano Major Ting-Ting Yang was a collaborative piano fellow at the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. Here she is performing in concert with a vocal student. Ting-Ting earned her MM in Piano Chamber Music and Accompanying at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas. She will be studying with Prof. Anne Epperson.
Yoshino Toi
Incoming PD Collaborative Piano major Yoshino Toi was accepted into the Young Artists Program at the Manchester Music Festival (MMF) in Vermont. It is a full scholarship, 5 week chamber music intensive for string players and pianists. Here Yoshino is performing Joaquin Turina Piano Quartet in A minor, Op. 67 at the MMF in concert. Yoshino completed her MM in Piano Performance in May of 2022 as a student of Norman Kreiger and will be pursuing her Performer Diploma with Prof. Anne Epperson.