Skip to Content
Piano ×
  • October 03

    Finished

    Guest artist Vijay Gupta presents a violin master class. This event gives SMTD students an opportunity to work with an esteemed performer and musical advocate, while gleaning insights from his experiences as a soloist, orchestral musician, writer and public speaker. Presented with generous support from the Sally Fleming Master Class Series. Free and open to the public. ABOUT THE GUEST ARTIST VIJAY GUPTA is an acclaimed violinist and inspired storyteller who explores the human condition through music. Vijay has had many chapters to his career: as a child prodigy, he debuted Carnegie Hall at age 8, made his international solo debut with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta at age 11, and became the youngest violinist ever to join the Los Angeles Philharmonic at age 19. In 2011, Gupta founded Street Symphony, the nonprofit that brings live music into shelters, clinics, county jails, state hospitals, and reentry programs across Los Angeles. Over fifteen years, Street Symphony has delivered more than 3,000 performances and workshops. *The New Yorker* called it \"a formidable new model for how musical institutions should engage with the world around them.\" In 2018, Vijay received the MacArthur Fellowship and was listed on *TIME*'s 100 Next list. In addition to his work with Street Symphony, Gupta performs as a soloist and as a founding member of the Darshan Piano Trio. He holds degrees in biology and violin performance and completed graduate study at the Yale School of Music. His three TED Talks have reached millions of viewers. As a speaker represented by the Lavin Agency, he has addressed audiences at the Aspen Institute, Mayo Clinic, Harvard Business School, the American Medical Association, and the U.S. Psychiatric Congress, among others. Vijay’s new memoir *Restrung* tells his story from his earliest memories, to his burnout and collapse of being a classical musician, to transformation through music. It was published by Grand Central / Da Capo on June 9, 2026. *The Los Angeles Times* has called his playing \"brilliant, bold and gripping,\" and *Publishers Weekly* writes that his memoir *Restrung* illustrates how music \"reaches the broken places within us and the broken places between us\" — \"a virtuoso performance.\"

    Piano Violin Symphony Orchestra
    8:00 PM
    Performance:Richard Shao & Rachel Wu, piano
    Saturday, October 3, 8:00 PM EDT

    Undergraduate piano students Richard Shao & Rachel Wu perform a two-piano recital, featuring substantial works by Chopin and Mozart.

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Livestream Piano
  • October 06

    7:30 PM
    Performance:Opera Faculty Recital
    Tuesday, October 6, 7:30 PM EDT

    SMTD Faculty perform works by Bizet, Bolcom, Donizetti, Karamanov, Strauss, and Verdi. David Blalock, tenor Jeni Houser, soprano Valdis Jansons, baritone Caitlin Lynch, soprano Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola Kirk Severtson, piano

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Livestream Piano Viola Soprano Tenor Baritone
  • October 08

    8:00 PM
    Performance:Chamber Choir
    Thursday, October 8, 8:00 PM EDT

    Join us for a choral program showcasing U-M composers, performers, and creative partnerships. Eugene Rogers, conductor Kenneth Sieloff, graduate student conductor (Chatman) Andy Milne, piano (Milne) Jeffrey Lyman, bassoon (Recio) PROGRAM *Try to Fly*, Andy Milne Title TBA (world premiere), 2026 Brehm Composition Prize Winner *Espial*, Matthew Recio, poetry. Aminata R. Sei *It will not change*, Stephen Chatman Mass in D major, Antonín Dvořák ––– *Parking / Traffic alert for attendees:*

    • 2 hr
    Livestream Piano Bass Bassoon
  • October 09

    2:30 PM

    Nathalie Doucet, Director of the Resident Artist Program at Detroit Opera, will lead a master class for students of Voice & Opera and Collaborative Piano, followed by a discussion about the Detroit Opera training program and auditioning for professional young artist programs. Free and open to the public with generous support from the Jessye Norman Master Class Series. GUEST ARTIST BIO NATHALIE DOUCET is an internationally recognized pianist and vocal coach, currently serving as Head of Music and Director of the Resident Artist Program at Detroit Opera. With an illustrious career spanning Europe and North America, she is known for her exceptional artistry, deep musical insight, and dedication to mentoring the next generation of opera talent. Her collaborations include work with leading opera houses and orchestras such as Washington National Opera, Canadian Opera Company, l’Opéra de Montréal, Vancouver Opera, the Dutch National Opera, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. She has also been engaged by renowned institutions including the Bard SummerScape Festival, the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, and the NTR ZaterdagMatinee series. In Europe, Doucet held prominent positions as Head Coach of the Opera Studio Nederland and Principal Coach at the Dutch National Opera Academy. For over a decade, she was a faculty member at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where she played a pivotal role in shaping young artists. She has also contributed her expertise to the Internationale Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, Neue Stimmen, and the International Vocal Competition in 's-Hertogenbosch. At Detroit Opera, Doucet brings unmatched experience and vision to the Resident Artist Program, fostering a culture of excellence, growth, and artistic rigor. She is also in demand as a juror, including for the prestigious Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, where her discerning ear and artistic integrity continue to make a significant impact on the future of opera.

    • 2 hr
    Piano Voice Orchestra
  • October 10

    8:00 PM
    Performance:Berofsky Piano Quartet
    Saturday, October 10, 8:00 PM EDT

    The Berofsky Piano Quartet returns to perform at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Professors Aaron Berofsky (violin) and Kathryn Votapek (viola) are joined by their sons Sebastian (cello) and Charles (piano), who are currently based in New York City. PERFORMERS Aaron Berofsky, violin Kathryn Votapek, viola Sebastian Berofsky, cello Charles Berofsky, piano PROGRAM Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 16 I. Grave - Allegro ma non troppo II. Andante cantabile III. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo Danny Elfman: Piano Quartet (2017) I. Ein Ding II. Kinderspott III. Duett für Vier IV. Ruhig V. Die Wolfsjungen *Intermission* Antonín Dvořák: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 87 I. Allegro con fuoco II. Lento III. Allegro moderato, grazioso – Un pochettino più mosso IV. Finale. Allegro ma non troppo

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Viola Violin Cello
  • October 15

    8:00 PM
    Performance:James Box, trombone
    Thursday, October 15, 8:00 PM EDT

    The Department of Winds & Percussion hosts a guest recital by James Box, trombone, joined by Liz Ames, piano. Mr. Box is Principal Trombonist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Trombone Percussion Symphony Orchestra
  • October 23

    8:00 PM
    Performance:Kotaro Fukuma, piano
    Friday, October 23, 8:00 PM EDT

    The Department of Piano presents a recital by guest artist Kotaro Fukuma. PROGRAM Bach – Kempff : Sicilienne BWV 1031 Bach – Hess : Choral « Jésus, que ma joie demeure » BWV 147 Mozart – Fukuma : Eine kleine Nachtmusik K.525 Schubert – Liszt : Ständchen, Auf dem Wasser zu singen Paganini – Liszt : La Campanella - *Intermission* - Wagner – Fukuma : Overture from “Tristan und Isolde” Wagner – Liszt : Isoldes Liebestod from “Tristan und Isolde” Debussy – Borowick : Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Ponchielli – Vleminckx - Ore : Danza delle Ore ABOUT THE GUEST ARTIST Born in Tokyo, KOTARO FUKUMA began learning piano at the age of five and has received many high awards in international competitions. At the age of 20, Kotaro won both First Prize and the Chopin Prize at the 15th Cleveland International Piano Competition. Since then his concert career has developed in over 35 countries on five continents. Kotaro has performed in major concert venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Konzerthaus, Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, Salle Gaveau, Victoria Hall, Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Beijing Forbidden City Concert Hall and Tokyo Suntory Hall. His performances with orchestras include the Cleveland Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic, Tonkünstler Orchestra, Lille National Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic and NHK Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of such conductors as Yuri Simonov, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, François-Xavier Roth, Dmitry Liss, Juanjo Mena, Asher Fisch, Hannu Lintu, Mihhail Gerts and Kazuki Yamada. In 2016, with 24h-notice he stepped in for Nelson Freire to perform Brahms‘ Piano concerto No.2 with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse under Tugan Sokhiev. Kotaro Fukuma has released 21 commercial CDs and has received critical acclaim in Gramophone, Diapason, American Music Records, Monde de la Musique, Classica, Piano News, BR Klassik, Classic Today, etc. His album *Fantasy – Scriabin & Rachmaninoff* (Naxos) was nominated for the International Classical Music Award 2024. He studied music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with B. Rigutto and M. F. Bucquet, then at the Universität der Künste Berlin with K. Hellwig and at the International Piano Academy Lake Como in Italy. He also studied with several great masters of the piano, including L. Fleisher, M. Uchida, R. Goode, A. de Larrocha, M. J. Pires and A. Ciccolini. Since July 2020 he has also been producing a concert series “Rare Piano Music”, in which he presents colleague pianists and rare piano repertoire. Kotaro Fukuma currently lives between Berlin, Leiden and Tokyo. www.kotarofukuma.com

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Symphony Orchestra
  • October 24

    12:30 PM
    Performance:In-Ae Ha, piano
    Saturday, October 24, 12:30 PM EDT

    DMA candidate In-Ae Ha performs a dissertation recital.

    • 1 hr
    Piano
  • October 30

    5:00 PM

    All are welcome as the Department of Piano hosts a lecture by guest scholar Barbara Fast. Practice smarter with high-performance strategies from sports research. Discover powerful, often counterintuitive learning methods that help musicians practice more effectively, making every minute count. Strategies from Dr. Fast’s forthcoming chapter in *Cambridge Handbook for Piano Pedagogy* will be shared. ABOUT THE SPEAKER BARBARA FAST, David Ross Boyd Professor Emerita, University of Oklahoma, presents workshops internationally and nationally. She received the Frances Clark Center’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. Her publications include a chapter in the forthcoming *Cambridge Handbook for Piano Pedagogy* and co-authorship of *iPractice: Technology in the 21st Century Music Practice Room* (Oxford).

    • 1 hr
    Piano
  • November 06

    8:00 PM

    The William P. Malm Performance Series and the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments present an SMTD faculty recital by Matthew Bengtson and Joseph Gascho, featuring a pristine copy of one of the very first pianos: Bartolomeo Cristofori's 1722 gravicembalo col piano, e forte. The program will include solo keyboard and collaborative repertoire by Scarlatti, Marcello, Vivaldi, and more. Preceding this performance, all are welcome to a pre-concert talk beginning at 7:00 pm in Watkins Lecture Hall, just across the hallway from McIntosh Theatre. *One of three events in a series featuring early keyboards and the Cristofori piano, November 6-7, 2026.*

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Cello
  • November 07

    11:00 AM

    Renowned instrument builders Thomas and Barbara Wolf present an historical and acoustical account of their study and recreation of Bartolomeo Cristofori's 1722 piano. Hailed as the inventor of the piano, Cristofori was an unrivalled builder and designer and only three of his pianos have survived. This presentation is sponsored by the Virginia Martin Howard Lecture Series and the William P. Malm Performance Series. *One of three events in a series featuring early keyboards and the Cristofori piano, November 6-7, 2026.*

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano
    3:00 PM

    The William P. Malm Performance Series and the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments present an SMTD student recital, performed by the students of Matthew Bengtson and Joseph Gascho. Featuring a pristine copy of one of the very first pianos – Bartolomeo Cristofori's 1722 gravicembalo col piano, e forte – the program will include solo keyboard and collaborative repertoire by a variety of 18th century composers. *One of three events in a series featuring early keyboards and the Cristofori piano, November 6-7, 2026.*

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano
  • November 09

    8:00 PM
    Performance:University Symphony Orchestra
    Monday, November 9, 8:00 PM EST

    Step beyond the footlights into a musical world that traverses from magic to masquerades, comedy to romance, and elegance to spectacle. The University Symphony Orchestra presents an evening of music inspired by the stage, featuring 2026 SMTD Concerto Competition winner Grace Ryan (MM ’26, voice), mezzo-soprano, in two very different portrayals of Cinderella: the tender and lyrical *Cendrillon* by Massenet, and the dazzling and playful *La Cenerentola* by Rossini. Mozart’s sparkling *Magic Flute* Overture sets the stage for the evening, which culminates in Richard Strauss’s exuberant *Le Bourgeois gentilhomme*, featuring virtuosic violin, cello, and piano soloists. Witty, energetic, and full of theatrical flair, Strauss’s music brings this journey to a rollicking conclusion. Kenneth Kiesler, conductor Grace Ryan, mezzo-soprano (Massenet and Rossini) PROGRAM Overture to *The Magic Flute*, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart \"Enfin je suis ici\" from *Cendrillon*, Jules Massenet \"Nacqui all'affanno... Non più mesta\" from *La Cenerentola*, Gioachino Rossini *Le bourgeois gentilhomme, op. 60*, Richard Strauss Concert Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes ––– *Parking / Traffic alert for attendees:*

    • 1 hr 15 min
    Piano Flute Violin Soprano Mezzo-Soprano Voice Cello Symphony Orchestra
  • November 10

    7:30 PM

    The mazurka, one of Poland’s most distinctive musical dance forms, continues to inspire composers far beyond its traditional origins. While often associated with Frédéric Chopin, this recital explores the broader and evolving story of the mazurka through the voices of both celebrated and lesser-known composers from Poland and around the world. The program presents a diverse collection of works that reveal how composers have transformed this Polish dance into a vehicle for artistic expression, cultural identity, and contemporary creativity. It includes mazurkas by Karol Szymanowski, whose innovative language expanded the genre in the twentieth century, as well as works by composers inspired by Chopin’s legacy, including Zygmunt Stojowski, Julian and Nathalie Janotha. The program also features mazurkas by lesser-known Polish composers such as Wojciech Kilar and Mikołaj Piotr Górecki, whose individual musical voices offer new perspectives on the evolution of the genre. Special attention is given to the contributions of female composers, whose works enrich the mazurka’s continuing legacy. Alongside these historical works, the program features newly commissioned mazurkas created for the international 21st Mazurkas project—a visionary artistic initiative conceived, developed, and realized by pianist Anna Kijanowska. Bringing together composers from Poland, Europe, North America, South America, and New Zealand, the project presents the mazurka as a living international form. These contemporary works demonstrate the remarkable adaptability of the genre, blending elements of folk tradition, personal expression, modern compositional techniques, and diverse cultural influences. Each composer offers a unique perspective, transforming the mazurka into a global musical language while maintaining its connection to its Polish roots. Among the contributors is Matthew Bengtson, Associate Professor of Piano Literature at the University of Michigan, whose commissioned mazurka forms part of this international collection. All of these new works were written especially for pianist Anna Kijanowska and recorded on the award-winning DUX album 21st Mazurkas (DUX 2149). The recording received the Platinum Prize at the Golden European Piano Awards 2025, together with the Special Regional Representative Award (Cieszyn, Poland) and the Artist of the Month distinction. Through a dialogue between historical voices and contemporary creators, *Mazurka: Dance of a Polish Soul, Voice of the World* celebrates the mazurka as a living art form—one that continues to evolve across generations, cultures, and continents, while remaining deeply connected to Poland’s rich musical heritage. *This event is supported in part by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia, and partially funded by a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Republic of Poland.*

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Voice
  • November 13

    8:00 PM

    Duo Dolce presents an all-American program celebrating 250 years of American music, featuring works by composers including George Gershwin, Amy Beach, and Aaron Copland, alongside music shaped by immigrant and multicultural experiences. Together, these works create an American mosaic that reflects the country’s diverse cultural heritage, voices, and musical traditions. PROGRAM Antonín Dvorák: *Silent Woods op. 68 no. 5* (1891) Aaron Copland: *Old American Songs* (1952) - *Simple Gifts*, *I Bought Me a Cat*, *At the River* Harry Bulow: *Taegeuk* for solo cello (2024) Allen McCullough: Trilogette for solo cello (2025) - *Homage - J.S.B.*, *Night Song*, *Perpetuum Mobile* Erich Korngold: Romance Impromptu in E-flat major op. posth. (1946) Chen-Yi: Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in (1995) George Gershwin (arr. Ka-Wai Yu): Three Preludes (1926) - *Allegro ben ritmato e deciso*, *Andante con moto e poco rubato*, *Allegro ben ritmato e deciso* William Grant Still: *Summerland* (1935) Elliott Bark: *An-Nyoung: Goodbye/Hello* for cello and piano (2026) Amy Beach: Romance, Op.23 (1893) ABOUT THE GUEST ARTISTS KRISTEN YEON-JI YUN is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Music in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University. She is an active soloist, chamber musician, scholar, and clinician. She has toured internationally, performing and giving master classes in countries including Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, France, Germany, and Taiwan. Her CD *Summerland* has received excellent reviews from *New Classics UK* and *American Record Guide* and was broadcast nationwide by major radio stations such as WQXR, WCNY, WBAA, and NPR’s *Sonatas and Soundscapes*. She earned her Doctor of Music degree in cello performance in 2012 from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she studied with the world-renowned cellist János Starker. Yun plays a 1766 Guersan cello. PHOENIX PARK-KIM, Professor of Piano at Indiana Wesleyan University, has performed throughout the United States and internationally across Asia, Europe, and Latin America. A prizewinner in numerous competitions, she has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Korean Philharmonic and Atlantida Orchestra (Spain), performing concertos by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Hummel, and Florence Price. A passionate advocate for African-American composers, she has received a Lilly Research Grant and special congressional recognition. Dr. Park-Kim is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator whose students have earned regional and national honors, including MTNA National Competition finalist placements.

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Voice Cello Orchestra
  • January 30

    5:30 PM

    Steven Whiting, Kathryn Votapek, and Christopher Harding will present a lecture concert concerning Beethoven, to include the violin sonata in C Minor, Op. 30 #2. This sonata was written at the same time as Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament, in which he explains his deafness and inability to relate normally with the world. Presented in the 200th anniversary year of Beethoven’s death. PRESENTER BIOS Professor STEVEN WHITING taught at the University of Illinois, where he took his MM and PhD, before joining the University of Michigan faculty. Following his undergraduate education, he studied at Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel, Germany, on a Fulbright study grant. Whiting has published twenty articles and book chapters about Beethoven, Satie, French cabaret music, and E.T.A. Hoffmann, and has co-edited A. L. Ringer’s *Musik als Geschichte*. His book *Satie the Bohemian: From Cabaret to Concert Hall* (Oxford University Press, 1999) was recognized as an outstanding academic book by *Choice*. A former director of the University’s Center for European Studies and associate director of its International Institute, Whiting served SMTD as associate dean for graduate studies from 2003 to 2014. --- A member of the Chester String Quartet for 15 years, violinist KATHRYN VOTAPEK now maintains an active career as a soloist and guest artist at chamber music festivals throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. She has participated in numerous commissioning projects and premieres and can be heard with the Chester Quartet on the Koch International Classics and New Albion labels. Along with pianist Ralph Votapek and clarinetist Paul Votapek, she performs as violinist and violist with the Votapek Trio. She has also given numerous duo performances with her husband, violinist Aaron Berofsky. Votapek has been on the faculty of the Chautauqua Institution, the Meadowmount School of Music, the Interlochen Arts Camp, the Madeline Island Music Musi Camp, the Quartet Program, the Banff International Festival, the Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Italy), the Peter de Grote Summer Academy (Holland), and the Music & More Summerfest (Bosnia and Herzegovina), as well as performing at the Klosterkammerfest (Germany), Speedside Festival (Canada), the International Deia Festival (Spain), the Garth Newel Festival, the Fontana Festival, and with the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and the Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings. Votapek is currently on the faculty at the University of Michigan and is the associate concertmaster of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. In prior years she was an associate professor of violin and artist-in-residence at Indiana University – South Bend. Votapek received her bachelor of music degree at Indiana University and master’s degree from The Juilliard School. Her teachers were Robert Mann, Franco Gulli, and Angel Reyes. --- Pianist CHRISTOPHER HARDING maintains an international presence as a noted teacher and performer. He has given solo, concerto, and chamber music performances in venues as far flung as the Kennedy Center and Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the IBK and Recital Halls of the Seoul Art Center, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the National Theater Concert Hall in Taipei, the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, and halls and festival appearances in Newfoundland, Israel, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Romania, Russia, and China. His concerto performances have included concerts with the National Symphony and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestras, the San Angelo and Santa Barbara Symphonies, and the Tokyo City Philharmonic, working with such conductors as Andrew Sewell, Eric Zhou, Taijiro Iimori, Gisele Ben-Dor, Fabio Machetti, Randall Craig Fleisher, John DeMain, Ron Spiegelman, Daniel Alcott, and Darryl One, among others. Mr. Harding’s chamber music and duo collaborations have included internationally renowned artists such as clarinetist Karl Leister, flautist Andras Adorjan, and members of the St. Lawrence and Ying String Quartets, in addition to frequent projects with his distinguished faculty colleagues at the University of Michigan. He has recorded solo and chamber music CDs for the Equilibrium and Brevard Classics labels. He has additionally edited and published critical editions and recordings of works by Claude Debussy (Children's Corner, Suite Bergamasque, the Arabesques and shorter works) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Viennese Sonatinas) for the Schirmer Performance Editions published by Hal Leonard. Professor Harding has presented master classes and lecture recitals in universities across the United States and Asia, as well as in Europe, Israel, and Canada. He is a Permanent Guest Professor at the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China; he has additionally served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist at the Sichuan Conservatory (2008) and Seoul National University (2011) and Ewha Womans’ University (2023). He has taught masterclasses and performed lecture recitals at all the major universities and schools of music in South Korea, and throughout China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. In addition to serving as Chair of Piano and teaching undergraduate and graduate piano performance and chamber music at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Mr. Harding also serves on the faculty of the Sicily International Piano Festival and is a regular guest artist and teacher at the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival in Tampa, Florida. Harding was born of American parents in Munich, Germany and raised in Northern Virginia. His collegiate studies were with Menahem Pressler and Nelita True. Prior to college, he worked for 10 years with Milton Kidd at the American University Department of Performing Arts Preparatory Division, where he was trained in the traditions of Tobias Matthay. He has taken 25 first prizes in national and international competitions and in 1999 was awarded the special \"Mozart Prize\" at the Cleveland International Piano Competition, given for the best performance of a composition by Mozart.

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Clarinet Violin Symphony Orchestra
  • February 27

    7:30 PM

    Professor Aaron Berofsky, new Professor of Cello Yeonjin Kim, and Professor Christopher Harding will present a concert of Beethoven’s first published works: three very great piano trios in E-flat Major, G Major, and C Minor, which announced an immensely talented and ambitious young composer to the world. Presented in the 200th anniversary year of Beethoven’s death. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Violinist AARON BEROFSKY has toured extensively throughout the United States and abroad, gaining wide recognition as a soloist and chamber musician. As soloist, he has performed with orchestras in the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain and Canada. He has performed the complete cycle of Mozart violin sonatas at the International Festival Deia in Spain and all of the Beethoven sonatas at New York’s Merkin Concert Hall. His 2011 recording of the complete Beethoven sonatas with Phillip Bush has been met with great acclaim. France’s *Le Figaro* calls his playing “Beautiful, the kind of music-making that gives one true pleasure”. He has appeared in such renowned venues as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd Street Y, the Corcoran Gallery, Het Doelen, L'Octogone, Seoul National University, the Teatro San Jose and the Museo de Bellas Artes. Mr. Berofsky has been featured on NPR's *Performance Today* and on the Canadian Broadcasting Company. His acclaimed recordings can be found on the Sony, Naxos, New Albion, ECM, Audio Ideas, Blue Griffin and Chesky labels. Recent recital tours have taken him to Germany, Italy and Korea, and he was featured soloist on the 2009 NAXOS recording of music by Paul Fetler, performed by the Ann Arbor Symphony, including the debut recording of his Concerto No. 2. His recording of the complete chamber music of Franz Xavier Mozart was released in 2013 on Equilibrium. Mr. Berofsky was the first violinist of the Chester String Quartet for fifteen years. The quartet has been acclaimed as \"one of the country's best young string quartets\" by the *Boston Globe*. Tours have taken them throughout the Americas and Europe and the quartet members have collaborated with such artists as Robert Mann, Arnold Steinhardt, Franco Gulli, members of the Alban Berg quartet, Andres Diaz, Eugene Istomin and Ruth Laredo. Some notable projects over the years have included the complete cycles of the quartets by Beethoven and Dvorak, and numerous recordings by such composers as Mozart, Haydn, Barber, Porter, Piston, Kernis and Tenenbom. The Chester Quartet has served as resident quartet at the University of Michigan and at Indiana University South Bend. An alumnus of the Juilliard School, Mr. Berofsky was a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay. Other important teachers have included Robert Mann, Felix Galimir, Glenn Dicterow, Lorand Fenyves and Elaine Richey. Mr. Berofsky is known for his commitment to teaching and is Professor of Violin at the University of Michigan and served as visiting Professor at the Hochschule fur Musik in Detmold, Germany. He taught at the Meadowmount School of Music for many summers and is currently on the violin faculty of the Chautauqua Institution. He has also given masterclasses throughout the world, including a 2013 tour of Korea which included classes at Seoul National University, Ewha Women’s University, Seoul Arts High School and many others. He has also given class at the Cleveland Institute, Oberlin, Eastman, the Peter de Grote festival in the Netherlands, Domaine Forget in Quebec, Interlochen, the Adriatic Chamber Music Festival and the Conservatorio Palma Mallorca. Mr. Berofsky's interest in early music led him to perform with the acclaimed chamber orchestra Tafelmusik on period instruments, also makingseveral recordings with them for the Sony label. He co-runs University of Michigan’s Baroque Chamber Orchestra with harpsichordist Joseph Gascho. With a strong dedication to new music as well, he has worked extensively with many leading composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, performing, commissioning and recording music by John Cage, William Bolcom, Zhou Long, Michael Daugherty, Aaron Jay Kernis, Susan Botti, Morton Subotnick, Paul Fetler and Bright Sheng. Aaron Berofsky has been concertmaster of the Ann Arbor Symphony since 2003. He has also served as guest concertmaster for many orchestras throughout the US and Europe. --- Cellist YEONJIN KIM has received international acclaim as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Kim has performed at major venues including the Kennedy Center, Konzerthaus Berlin, Berlin Philharmonie, Seoul Arts Center, and Suntory Hall, and as a soloist with orchestras in Cleveland, Ann Arbor, Colorado, Seoul, Tianjin, and Manila. Her concerts have been broadcast on television and radio across the United States, Korea, China, and Japan. She has been a top prizewinner in several international competitions, including the Sorantin International Competition, Dichler-Sato International Competition, Viva Hall Competition, and the Korea Philharmonic Orchestra Competition. Her solo recording of Max Reger’s Three Suites for Cello Solo has been praised for its depth and expressive power. An avid chamber musician, Kim has also collaborated with numerous world-renowned artists and performs regularly with her sisters as part of Trio K. Kim has taught and mentored students from around the world, drawing on her extensive experience across Korea, the United States, China, and Japan. She has served on the faculty of the Tianjin Juilliard School and has held teaching appointments at the University of Michigan, Oberlin Conservatory, and Furman University. She has presented master classes at leading institutions such as the Juilliard School, Korean National University of Arts, Liszt Academy, YST Conservatory, Taipei National University of the Arts, and the Shanghai Conservatory. Many of her students have gone on to win international competitions and secure positions in leading orchestras and institutions. A graduate of Seoul National University, Kim earned her orchestra certificate from Toho Gakuen in Japan, her MM from the Cleveland Institute of Music, and her DMA from the University of Michigan. --- Pianist CHRISTOPHER HARDING maintains an international presence as a noted teacher and performer. He has given solo, concerto, and chamber music performances in venues as far flung as the Kennedy Center and Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the IBK and Recital Halls of the Seoul Art Center, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the National Theater Concert Hall in Taipei, the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, and halls and festival appearances in Newfoundland, Israel, Italy, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Romania, Russia, and China. His concerto performances have included concerts with the National Symphony and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestras, the San Angelo and Santa Barbara Symphonies, and the Tokyo City Philharmonic, working with such conductors as Andrew Sewell, Eric Zhou, Taijiro Iimori, Gisele Ben-Dor, Fabio Machetti, Randall Craig Fleisher, John DeMain, Ron Spiegelman, Daniel Alcott, and Darryl One, among others. Mr. Harding’s chamber music and duo collaborations have included internationally renowned artists such as clarinetist Karl Leister, flautist Andras Adorjan, and members of the St. Lawrence and Ying String Quartets, in addition to frequent projects with his distinguished faculty colleagues at the University of Michigan. He has recorded solo and chamber music CDs for the Equilibrium and Brevard Classics labels. He has additionally edited and published critical editions and recordings of works by Claude Debussy (Children's Corner, Suite Bergamasque, the Arabesques and shorter works) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Viennese Sonatinas) for the Schirmer Performance Editions published by Hal Leonard. Professor Harding has presented master classes and lecture recitals in universities across the United States and Asia, as well as in Europe, Israel, and Canada. He is a Permanent Guest Professor at the Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, China; he has additionally served as a Fulbright Senior Specialist at the Sichuan Conservatory (2008) and Seoul National University (2011) and Ewha Womans’ University (2023). He has taught masterclasses and performed lecture recitals at all the major universities and schools of music in South Korea, and throughout China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. In addition to serving as Chair of Piano and teaching undergraduate and graduate piano performance and chamber music at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Mr. Harding also serves on the faculty of the Sicily International Piano Festival and is a regular guest artist and teacher at the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival in Tampa, Florida. Harding was born of American parents in Munich, Germany and raised in Northern Virginia. His collegiate studies were with Menahem Pressler and Nelita True. Prior to college, he worked for 10 years with Milton Kidd at the American University Department of Performing Arts Preparatory Division, where he was trained in the traditions of Tobias Matthay. He has taken 25 first prizes in national and international competitions and in 1999 was awarded the special \"Mozart Prize\" at the Cleveland International Piano Competition, given for the best performance of a composition by Mozart.

    • 1 hr 30 min
    Piano Clarinet Violin Cello Symphony Orchestra
  • March 05

    7:30 PM
    Performance:DMA Piano Concerto Concert
    Friday, March 5, 7:30 PM EST

    Students pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Piano Performance / Pedagogy will perform piano concertos in collaboration with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. This partnership is sponsored by the School of Music, Theatre & Dance with generous support from the Dr. Naomi J. Oliphant Endowed Music Fund established by alumna Naomi Oliphant (DMA ’82, piano).

    • 2 hr
    Piano Symphony Orchestra
  • March 06

    7:30 PM
    Performance:DMA Piano Concerto Concert
    Saturday, March 6, 7:30 PM EST

    Students pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Piano Performance / Pedagogy will perform piano concertos in collaboration with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. This partnership is sponsored by the School of Music, Theatre & Dance with generous support from the Dr. Naomi J. Oliphant Endowed Music Fund established by alumna Naomi Oliphant (DMA ’82, piano).

    • 2 hr
    Piano Symphony Orchestra