Music Department Hosts Piano Festival

During the weekend of Feb. 19 to 21, talented young pianists will venture onto Eastern’s campus for the inaugural Eastern University Piano Festival. Last year, the event began as a one-day Piano Day, and this year marks its passage into a two-day affair.

Piano faculty member, accomplished pianist, and Artistic Director for the event Young-Ah Tak explains, “My idea for this event was to share the gift of music.” She believes that the weekend will be “a great learning experience for the students, teachers, and any music lovers.” Although the joy of music making will serve as the focus of the weekend, there are also notably generous prizes for Saturday’s competition, given to middle- through high-school-aged performers. The grand prize is a full tuition, four-year scholarship to Eastern and a $500 cash prize.

Slated for Friday are auditions for prospective music majors, festival registration, and a campus tour for the young artists. A dinner with the music faculty will precede a must-see performance at 7:30 p.m. featuring music faculty, entitled, “Amadeus Under the Stars.” Audience members at the concert in McInnis Auditorium may also observe the wonders of the cosmos in the Julia Fowler Planetarium, included in the general admission ticket price of $10. Tak remarks, “This year, we are very fortunate: Jacobs Music is lending us their Steinway Grand [piano] for the Amadeus concert and competition.” Come Fri., Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. to hear talented performers playing a state-of-the-art instrument, and gaze at the Great Musician’s handiwork, too.

Saturday will be full of learning for music appreciators: lectures from faculty and guest artists, performances, and master classes pepper the day (all of which take place in McInnis Auditorium). Susan Starr, world-renowned concert pianist, will be giving a guest artist recital from 2-3 p.m., which promises to be a memorable milestone for our community. At 3 p.m., the competition commences! Ms. Tak wants all readers to know, “Observers come for free! They can come at any time to see the faculty and talented young students perform.”

For the schedule and other festival details, visit Eastern’s website or www.eastern.edu/pianofestival.