WT’s Grace Hamilton Piano Festival Offers Performance Opportunities for Regional Students, Recital by Acclaimed Pianist 

Chip Chandler

Photo provided by WT Communication and Marketing

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]  

 

CANYON, Texas — An internationally renowned pianist will open the 2022 Grace Hamilton Piano Festival at West Texas A&M University with a public recital. 

Andrew Brownell, prizewinner of both the Leeds Piano Competition and the J.S. Bach Competition, will perform works by Handel, Beethoven, Hummel and Liszt at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. 

Admission is $10 for the general public, $5 for non-WT students, and free for WT students, faculty and staff with a Buff Gold Card. 

Brownell’s concert is only part of the festival, which is at least 60 years old. In 2016, it was named for Hamilton, an influential area piano instructor who cofounded the Amarillo Symphony and was its first pianist. 

Fifteen students from around the Panhandle and Eastern New Mexico perform throughout the day Feb. 26, concluding with an honors recital at 2 p.m. in the recital hall inside the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex. 

“The festival is about celebrating the art of music-making at the piano by providing a meaningful performance outlet in a non-competitive atmosphere,” said Dr. Choong-ha Nam, WT professor of piano and festival co-director. “It not only acknowledges students’ hard work, dedication, and passion for music, but is also about empowering and validating the excellent work of the independent piano teachers in this region.” 

By its very nature, the festival offers regional piano students an opportunity to make music in a more social setting than they are used to, said festival co-director Dr. Sarah Rushing, assistant professor of piano. 

“Typically, piano playing is a solo endeavor; students spend hours perfecting their craft alone throughout the week,” Rushing said. “The festival gathers pianists together from all over the Panhandle and surrounding regions and aims to foster a collaborative atmosphere where students can interact as they work toward their common goal of advancing as musicians.” 

Instructors also benefit from the festival, which will include a piano teachers workshop that features a masterclass by Brownell and clinics on effective communication and piano technique. 

Brownell, described by Musical Opinion as “potentially one of the most significant pianists of his generation,” is the first American pianist to win a prize at the Bach competition. He has been soloist with orchestras such as the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Slovak Philharmonic, and the Calgary Philharmonic, and has appeared in recital in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Salle Cortot, and the Philharmonie. He is a faculty member of the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas. 

To register for the workshop or purchase tickets, visit wtamu.edu/music or call 806-651-2840. 

Fostering an appreciation of the arts and meeting regional needs are key goals of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World. 

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised more than $85 million. 

 

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 39 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.