CANYON, Texas — Registration is now open for a new West Texas A&M University summer camp for young pianists.
WT’s first Summer Piano Institute is scheduled for July 22 to 26 on the University’s Canyon campus.
Video auditions are due May 1. They may be submitted at apps.ideal-logic.com/wtamureg?key=T6DM-JF52T_K9KH-5PTF_bc52ca92b1f3.
Tuition and fees are $235, due June 15.
“We are thrilled to offer this opportunity for young pianists to continue developing their skills over the summer,” said Dr. Choong-ha Nam, professor of piano at WT. “The Institute provides an opportunity for students to hone their skills as individual performers as well as a chance to create community through duet and ensemble work. Students also will explore keyboard harmony, featured composers, Western classical music history, and more.”
Students will take individual lessons, get chamber music coaching, and take music theory and history classes. Students also will have practice and rehearsal times throughout the day.
Camp hours will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the week; students should provide their own lunches.
A student showcase recital is set for 5:30 p.m. July 26 in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall.
Camp faculty includes:
- Nam, who teaches piano, piano literature and improvisation at WT. She co-directs the Grace Hamilton Piano Festival and the WT Music Academy. Her forthcoming album, “Schubert Piano Sonatas in A,” featuring a lineup of compositions by Franz Schubert, soon will be available on all streaming platforms.
- Dr. Sarah Rushing, assistant professor of piano at WT, where she teaches piano and piano pedagogy. Rushing has performed around the U.S. and is co-director of the Grace Hamilton Piano Festival and the WT Music Academy.
- Denise Parr-Scanlin, former piano instructor at WT, where she taught for 22 years. She has presented recitals and participated in music festivals across the U.S., Europe and Asia. She recently served as an adjudicator at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival.
The Summer Piano Institute is one of several music camps offered by WT, among many other activity-based camps. For a full list, visit wtamu.edu/academics/extended-studies/eod-summer-youth-programs/registration-dates.html,
Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.
