WINONA LAKE – This summer the Classic Arts Programs will be hosting the inaugural Summer Music Academy from June 6-9.
The Summer Music Academy is a new event in the Warsaw area, offering an opportunity for pianists, violinists, violists, cellists and string bass middle and high school students, according to a news release. Designed to provide personalized coaching tailored to performer’s solo and ensemble repertoire needs, sessions with experienced and accomplished instructors are dedicated to nurturing skills and guiding students toward reaching a new performance level.
High school and college students are encouraged to attend the Summer Music Academy.
“We are looking for serious students of classical music who are interested in challenging themselves to grow in their musicianship and skill,” stated Dr. Judie Meulink, coordinator of the Summer Music Academy. “We are primarily looking for high school and college students, but we would consider advanced junior high students after having a conversation to determine if they meet our criteria.”
Some of what students can expect from the Summer Music Academy include instrumental focus and personalized coaching, tailored lessons that focus on individual musical and technical goals and experienced instruction from Gert Kumi, Dr. Simona Barbu and Dr. Nariaki Sugiura.
“Our instructors are passionate about teaching and coaching. They are dedicated to growing the next generation of musicians to be independent performers as well as effective collaborators,” stated Meulink.
Besides working individually with these instructors, students will also have the privilege to watch how professional musicians rehearse and hear them perform on June 8.
The Summer Music Academy will culminate in a closing performance on June 9. This concert will feature the students as they showcase their newfound performance skills. Meulink is coordinating this event and expresses excitement about the program.
Looking at the potential outcome for the Summer Music Academy, Meulink said, “We are looking forward to hosting our student musicians in the community. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your musical training with a fresh perspective.”
International concert artist Nariaki Sugiura has performed solo recitals and concerto engagements in the U.S., Europe, South America and Asia. He has appeared as soloist with the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra, University of North Dakota Chamber Orchestra and many others. His arrangements for chamber ensembles and piano ensembles have been frequently performed, and he has also conducted his ensemble arrangements.
A devoted teacher as well as performer, Sugiura has given piano master classes at numerous institutions around the world. He is associate professor of piano and collaborative piano at University of North Dakota while also holding visiting faculty positions at East China Normal University in Shanghai and InterHarmony International School of Music. His students have received prizes and scholarships from local, regional and national music competitions.
Simona Barbu has traveled to Europe, Asia and the United States as a soloist, chamber musician, clinician, and most recently she held residencies at conservatories and universities in China, in Hungary and Romania. She has collaborated with prestigious world class musicians such as Edward Auer, Emilio Colón, Emile Naoumoff, Lydia Artymiw and Milton Masciadri. Barbu has also been an active orchestral musician, performing with Memphis Symphony Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Fargo Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, and serving as principal with the Eroica Ensemble in Memphis, Starkville Symphony Orchestra, Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra and Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra.
Sugiura and Barbu will return to Warsaw as instructors of piano, cello and string bass as part of the Classic Arts Programs Summer Music Academy.
Gert Kumi is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music in New York, where he was a scholarship student of Stephen Clapp, protege of Ivan Galamian and Dorothy Delay. Other teachers and mentors at Juilliard include Itzhak Perlman, Carl Earlyss, and Lionel Party.
Kumi has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician across four continents including North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. He made his Lincoln Center debut in February of 2006 performing as a soloist in the Concerto for Solo Violin, Piano and String Quartet by French composer Ernest Chausson.
As a soloist, he has been featured with many different orchestras including the Anderson Symphony, Staten Island Philharmonic, Symphony of the Lakes, Bacchanalia Chamber Orchestra, Tirana Philharmonic in Albania, Wenzhou Philharmonic in China and Masterworks Festival Orchestra.
Kumi will be making a return visit to Warsaw as the violin and viola instructor for the Summer Music Academy.
Pianist Yeon-Kyung Kim regularly performs as a solo pianist and a chamber musician. She has performed at venues in the U.S. and in South Korea. Recently, she was appointed as a staff pianist at Western Illinois University. She enjoys performing music outside the cannon and working with living composers. Her upcoming engagements include Classic Arts Programs in Winona Lake, Rollins College Piano Festival in Winter Park, Fla., Collaborative Piano Institute in Baton Rouge, La., and a guest recital at Indiana University.
Students are encouraged to join this group of instructors at the Classic Arts Programs Summer Music Academy. All student activities will be conducted at the Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 210 S. High St., Warsaw. Registration is now open and links can be found online at the Classic Arts Programs website and on Facebook (www.classicartsprograms.com or https://www.facebook.com/ClassicArtsPrograms).