2023 Senior Division Finalists
Cory Wu & Katia Jacoby
Cory Wu is a 17-year-old pianist and a senior at Columbus Academy. He has studied piano with Kathleen Sadoff since 2012 and also with Nina Polonsky since 2020. He has won first place at numerous piano competitions and festivals, most notably the 2020 PianoStar International Piano Competition and the 2019 Carmel Klavier International Concerto Competition. In 2019, Cory made his debut with the New Albany Symphony Orchestra playing Saint-Saën’s second piano concerto after winning the NASO Student Concerto Competition. In addition, he has participated in various other music events such as the Southeastern Piano Festival, Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, MTNA National Finals, Ronald Sachs International Music Competition, and David D. Dubois International Piano Competition. In 2021 and 2022, he received NFMC’s Thelma Byrum award and the Chopin Foundation Scholarship and recognition in the National YoungArts Competition. In 2023, he placed second at the David D. Dubois International Piano Competition. Outside of Piano, he plays soccer and tennis and enjoys cooking.
Katia Jacoby is a junior in New Albany highschool. She's been playing piano since she was 5. She studies music with Kathleen Sadoff and Nina Polonsky and has participated in many piano competitions. In the past year she was a 1st prize winner of OhioMTA, Buckeye State, CMTA, OFMC Senior piano solo competitions as well as MTNA Ohio State and District senior duet. Katia also plays tennis on varsity highschool team and does competitive ballroom dancing.
2023 Artist Division Finalists
AndEs Piano Duo
Andreas Landstedt & Esther Jihye Han
Andreas Landstedt is a pianist hailing from New Mexico and most recently a winner of the 2022 UMKC Conservatory Concerto-Aria competition. He has won several competitions in his home state of New Mexico, including the MTNA state-level competitions and the Jackie McGehee Young Artists Competition, the latter of which gave him the opportunity to debut as soloist with the New Mexico Philharmonic in 2018. Andreas has studied and performed in festivals in Germany and Italy over several years, including the Internationales Klavierfestival Lindlar and the International Summer Piano Camp of Italy. He has performed in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Konstantin Scherbakov and Marc-André Hamelin.
Andreas has a great interest in performing Romantic works from the Iberian Peninsula, in particular the works of Isaac Albeniz, having included his works in three of his four solo recital programs. In February of 2023, Andreas performed Albeniz’s Concierto Fantastico with the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra. He is an active accompanist and collaborator with experience in musical theater, wind ensembles, and choral and church settings.
Andreas holds a B.M. Piano Performance degree and a Graduate Performance Certificate from the University of New Mexico, where he was awarded in the Department of Music as Undergraduate Presser Scholar in 2020 and Outstanding Senior Student of the Class of 2021. He is currently pursuing his M.M. Piano Performance degree at the UMKC Conservatory. Andreas is a longtime student of Falko Steinbach and a current student of Sean Chen.
Esther Jihye Han is a Korean American pianist, having begun her piano studies at age six in Chicago, Illinois. Esther regularly performs as soloist and collaborator, and was invited to perform in Germany at the Internationales Klavierfestival Lindlar during the summer of 2019. She has performed in masterclasses for renowned artists such as Midori Goto, Olga Kern, and Marc-André Hamelin. As an active and enthusiastic teacher, Esther has maintained a successful private studio in the Albuquerque metropolitan area and held instructor positions at the New Mexico School of Music and currently the Music Academy of Kansas City. She is an enthusiastic collaborator with an affinity for string repertoire and serves as accompanist for the Kansas City Women’s Choir.
Esther’s overarching goal in repertoire choice is to celebrate lesser-known and underrepresented composers with a focus in late Russian Romanticism, and her secondary research interests include exploring the Korean cultural concept of han as expressed in post-war and modern-day gugak and contemporary balladry. Esther has also studied organ with Maxine Thevenot and violin with Carmelo de Los Santos, the latter of which earned her positions in the UNM Symphony Orchestra and as first violinist of the Undergraduate String Quartet.
Esther holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and a Graduate Performance Certificate in Piano Performance from the University of New Mexico, where she studied with Falko Steinbach. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the UMKC Conservatory as a student of Dr. Christopher Madden.
AndEs Piano Duo: Andreas Landstedt and Esther Jihye Han began playing piano duo and duet works together in 2018, making the AndEs Duo official with a full-length debut recital at the University of New Mexico in March 2022. The duo has performed on international stages in Germany and Canada to great acclaim, performing at the Internationales Klavierfestival Lindlar in 2019, and as opener for the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo at Orford Musique, Québec in 2022 after an intensive weeklong training with Greg Anderson. The duo received an open coaching with Margo Garrett in Fall of 2022 at the UMKC Conservatory. In January 2023, the duo competed at the United States International Duo Piano Competition in Colorado Springs and won the 2nd Place Award. They are currently training under Jeffrey Savage of the prestigious Ellis award-winning duo, 88 Squared.
Andreas has a great interest in performing Romantic works from the Iberian Peninsula, in particular the works of Isaac Albeniz, having included his works in three of his four solo recital programs. In February of 2023, Andreas performed Albeniz’s Concierto Fantastico with the UMKC Conservatory Orchestra. He is an active accompanist and collaborator with experience in musical theater, wind ensembles, and choral and church settings.
Andreas holds a B.M. Piano Performance degree and a Graduate Performance Certificate from the University of New Mexico, where he was awarded in the Department of Music as Undergraduate Presser Scholar in 2020 and Outstanding Senior Student of the Class of 2021. He is currently pursuing his M.M. Piano Performance degree at the UMKC Conservatory. Andreas is a longtime student of Falko Steinbach and a current student of Sean Chen.
Esther Jihye Han is a Korean American pianist, having begun her piano studies at age six in Chicago, Illinois. Esther regularly performs as soloist and collaborator, and was invited to perform in Germany at the Internationales Klavierfestival Lindlar during the summer of 2019. She has performed in masterclasses for renowned artists such as Midori Goto, Olga Kern, and Marc-André Hamelin. As an active and enthusiastic teacher, Esther has maintained a successful private studio in the Albuquerque metropolitan area and held instructor positions at the New Mexico School of Music and currently the Music Academy of Kansas City. She is an enthusiastic collaborator with an affinity for string repertoire and serves as accompanist for the Kansas City Women’s Choir.
Esther’s overarching goal in repertoire choice is to celebrate lesser-known and underrepresented composers with a focus in late Russian Romanticism, and her secondary research interests include exploring the Korean cultural concept of han as expressed in post-war and modern-day gugak and contemporary balladry. Esther has also studied organ with Maxine Thevenot and violin with Carmelo de Los Santos, the latter of which earned her positions in the UNM Symphony Orchestra and as first violinist of the Undergraduate String Quartet.
Esther holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and a Graduate Performance Certificate in Piano Performance from the University of New Mexico, where she studied with Falko Steinbach. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at the UMKC Conservatory as a student of Dr. Christopher Madden.
AndEs Piano Duo: Andreas Landstedt and Esther Jihye Han began playing piano duo and duet works together in 2018, making the AndEs Duo official with a full-length debut recital at the University of New Mexico in March 2022. The duo has performed on international stages in Germany and Canada to great acclaim, performing at the Internationales Klavierfestival Lindlar in 2019, and as opener for the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo at Orford Musique, Québec in 2022 after an intensive weeklong training with Greg Anderson. The duo received an open coaching with Margo Garrett in Fall of 2022 at the UMKC Conservatory. In January 2023, the duo competed at the United States International Duo Piano Competition in Colorado Springs and won the 2nd Place Award. They are currently training under Jeffrey Savage of the prestigious Ellis award-winning duo, 88 Squared.
Duo Orchid
Pui Yee Angela Lau & Chi Hoi Jimmy Cheung
Pui-Yee Angela Lau began her musical journey in Hong Kong. After completing her Master of Music degree, she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatoire of Music, under the tutelage of Soyeon Kate Lee. She previously studied at the Royal College of Music, London with Gordon Fergus-Thompson and Ruth Nye, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree.
Lau has performed extensively in the UK including Victoria & Albert Museum, Windsor Parish Church, Pushkin House, Burgh House of Hampstead and Austrian Cultural Forum. She has been selected to work in masterclasses with respected artists such as Boris Berman, Kathryn Stott, Artur Pizarro, Ran Dank, Patsy Toh and Lise de la Salle. She is also a recipient of a full tuition scholarship to the Bowdoin International Music Festival in 2021. Recently, she was named a 2022 Gilmore Festival Fellow and joined the Art of the Piano Young Artist roster. Lau is a laureate of Seattle International Piano Competition, Ann and Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition, Tuesday Musical Scholarship and Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition. She made her concerto debut with the Woking Symphony Orchestra after winning the Woking Young Musician of the year in 2017.
Aside from solo performances, Lau is an active chamber musician. She regularly performs with students from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Ball State University and Corryville Suzuki Project. She is also one half of Duo Orchid, a dynamic piano duo with Jimmy Cheung. Equally dedicated to teaching, she is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in piano at CCM. She also serves as the Chair for OhioMTA Buckeye Audition Southwest District. Recent projects include a recital promoting and premiering compositions by Hong Kong composers, and a lecture about Nikolai Medtner’s Fairy Tales.
Lau has performed extensively in the UK including Victoria & Albert Museum, Windsor Parish Church, Pushkin House, Burgh House of Hampstead and Austrian Cultural Forum. She has been selected to work in masterclasses with respected artists such as Boris Berman, Kathryn Stott, Artur Pizarro, Ran Dank, Patsy Toh and Lise de la Salle. She is also a recipient of a full tuition scholarship to the Bowdoin International Music Festival in 2021. Recently, she was named a 2022 Gilmore Festival Fellow and joined the Art of the Piano Young Artist roster. Lau is a laureate of Seattle International Piano Competition, Ann and Charles Eisemann International Young Artists Competition, Tuesday Musical Scholarship and Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition. She made her concerto debut with the Woking Symphony Orchestra after winning the Woking Young Musician of the year in 2017.
Aside from solo performances, Lau is an active chamber musician. She regularly performs with students from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Ball State University and Corryville Suzuki Project. She is also one half of Duo Orchid, a dynamic piano duo with Jimmy Cheung. Equally dedicated to teaching, she is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in piano at CCM. She also serves as the Chair for OhioMTA Buckeye Audition Southwest District. Recent projects include a recital promoting and premiering compositions by Hong Kong composers, and a lecture about Nikolai Medtner’s Fairy Tales.
Chi Hoi Jimmy Cheung is an emerging musician with a versatile career as a performer, collaborator, and educator.
An accomplished pianist, Cheung is a laureate in numerous national and international competitions, including the Robert B. Beardsley Piano Prize Competition, Ohio Music Teachers Association Young Artist Piano Competition (OMTA), Tuesday Musical Scholarship Competition, and Birmingham International Piano Competition in the United Kingdom. He has performed in major venues including Steinway Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Bridgewater Hall, and the Birmingham Town Hall. An active collaborative pianist and chamber musician, Cheung has performed with students and faculties from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Cincinnati Starling Project, Arkansas State University, Indiana State University, and Ball State University. He has also performed in collaboration with pianist Angela Lau as Duo Orchid.
Cheung has been mentored by Soyeon Kate Lee, Paul Schenly, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Jerome Lowenthal, Ursula Oppens, Hung-Kuan Chen, and Artur Pizarro. He was selected to participate in Pianofest in the Hamptons, where he undertook exceptionally concentrated study and performed in weekly concerts in the Hamptons. He was also awarded the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship to attend the Aspen Music Festival, and a full scholarship to attend the Bowdoin Music Festival.
Cheung is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in piano and a faculty member of CCM Prep. He serves as the Coordinator of the OMTA Junior/Senior Competitions and Liaison for the Keyboard Club of Cincinnati. An avid researcher, he has presented at the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Symposium and the Northern Kentucky University Winter Piano Pedagogy Conference. His research won the Three Minute Thesis competition and has been featured by the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati. Recognizing his passion for teaching and commitment to ongoing performance, Cheung is named the recipient of the Dorothy Stolzenbach Payne Scholarship by the Keyboard Club of Cincinnati.
A Hong Kong native, Cheung earned his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees as a scholarship student at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied with Leon McCawley and Gordon Fergus-Thompson. He recently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at CCM, under the guidance of Ran Dank and James Tocco.
An accomplished pianist, Cheung is a laureate in numerous national and international competitions, including the Robert B. Beardsley Piano Prize Competition, Ohio Music Teachers Association Young Artist Piano Competition (OMTA), Tuesday Musical Scholarship Competition, and Birmingham International Piano Competition in the United Kingdom. He has performed in major venues including Steinway Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Bridgewater Hall, and the Birmingham Town Hall. An active collaborative pianist and chamber musician, Cheung has performed with students and faculties from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Cincinnati Starling Project, Arkansas State University, Indiana State University, and Ball State University. He has also performed in collaboration with pianist Angela Lau as Duo Orchid.
Cheung has been mentored by Soyeon Kate Lee, Paul Schenly, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Jerome Lowenthal, Ursula Oppens, Hung-Kuan Chen, and Artur Pizarro. He was selected to participate in Pianofest in the Hamptons, where he undertook exceptionally concentrated study and performed in weekly concerts in the Hamptons. He was also awarded the Polonsky Foundation Fellowship to attend the Aspen Music Festival, and a full scholarship to attend the Bowdoin Music Festival.
Cheung is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in piano and a faculty member of CCM Prep. He serves as the Coordinator of the OMTA Junior/Senior Competitions and Liaison for the Keyboard Club of Cincinnati. An avid researcher, he has presented at the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Symposium and the Northern Kentucky University Winter Piano Pedagogy Conference. His research won the Three Minute Thesis competition and has been featured by the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati. Recognizing his passion for teaching and commitment to ongoing performance, Cheung is named the recipient of the Dorothy Stolzenbach Payne Scholarship by the Keyboard Club of Cincinnati.
A Hong Kong native, Cheung earned his Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees as a scholarship student at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied with Leon McCawley and Gordon Fergus-Thompson. He recently completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at CCM, under the guidance of Ran Dank and James Tocco.
Elizabeth Yao & Kyunghoon Kim
Elizabeth Yao is Lecturer of Music in Piano at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she is directs the Young Pianists Program and the Summer Piano Academy, teaches piano pedagogy, and coordinates the secondary piano program.
Yao has been praised for her sincerity of expression and the “intelligent, emotional coherence” of her musical interpretations. She has been featured as guest soloist with the Coeur d’Alene Symphony and as a guest artist on Spokane Public Radio’s “From the Studio” Program. Other distinctions have included prizes and awards at the Southern Illinois Young Artists Organization Instrumental Competition, the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Collegiate Scholarship Competition, the Lima Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and the Ladies Musical Club Award Tour Competition. As a collaborator, she has played with the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and the modern music ensemble Inverted Space.
As an educator and a music advocate, Yao has worked with students of all levels and ages, with an emphasis on accessibility, student self-efficacy, and student wellness. She has toured with the San Francisco Symphony Adventures in Music educational outreach program, performing and teaching about music to thousands of elementary school students throughout the San Francisco Unified School District. She has presented her research at the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Symposium, and has been invited as a guest panelist at the Jacobs Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development and the CCM collegiate chapter of MTNA.
Yao completed her doctoral degree at Indiana University, with double minors in Music Theory and Music History and Literature, under the tutelage of Distinguished Professor André Watts. Her doctoral document, “Let the Record Show,” analyzes historical and recent recordings as an entry point for contextualizing and understanding the evolution of performance practices over the past hundred years. She completed her master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the teaching of Mack McCray, and she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington with double bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance (with Honors) and Chinese.
Yao has been praised for her sincerity of expression and the “intelligent, emotional coherence” of her musical interpretations. She has been featured as guest soloist with the Coeur d’Alene Symphony and as a guest artist on Spokane Public Radio’s “From the Studio” Program. Other distinctions have included prizes and awards at the Southern Illinois Young Artists Organization Instrumental Competition, the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Collegiate Scholarship Competition, the Lima Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and the Ladies Musical Club Award Tour Competition. As a collaborator, she has played with the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and the modern music ensemble Inverted Space.
As an educator and a music advocate, Yao has worked with students of all levels and ages, with an emphasis on accessibility, student self-efficacy, and student wellness. She has toured with the San Francisco Symphony Adventures in Music educational outreach program, performing and teaching about music to thousands of elementary school students throughout the San Francisco Unified School District. She has presented her research at the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Symposium, and has been invited as a guest panelist at the Jacobs Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development and the CCM collegiate chapter of MTNA.
Yao completed her doctoral degree at Indiana University, with double minors in Music Theory and Music History and Literature, under the tutelage of Distinguished Professor André Watts. Her doctoral document, “Let the Record Show,” analyzes historical and recent recordings as an entry point for contextualizing and understanding the evolution of performance practices over the past hundred years. She completed her master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the teaching of Mack McCray, and she graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington with double bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance (with Honors) and Chinese.
Pianist Kyunghoon Kim is Visiting Lecturer in Chamber and Collaborative Music at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
A native of South Korea, Dr. Kim made his debut at the age of 12 with Solideo Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been featured as a piano soloist with numerous orchestras in South Korea, Vietnam, and the United States, including two appearances with the Indiana University Symphony Orchestra as a concerto competition winner. His performance of Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Maestro Arthur Fagen was praised as being “not only bombastic, but intensely musical, rich in nuances, introspective, lyrical” (Herald Times). His solo performing career involves prizes and awards from the Chautauqua Solo Piano Competition, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition, Ben L. Gomez Piano Competition, NSAL (National Society of Arts and Letters) Instrumental Competition, Hanoi International Piano Competition, Haneol Music Competition, and Korea Piano Society Competition.
Kim is a sought-after collaborator, having experience with repertoire ranging from major violin duos and art songs to a variety of orchestral reductions. His collaborative activities also extend to ensemble performances, including piano trios and orchestral pieces. During his studies at Indiana University, he was selected as an orchestral pianist by violin professor Jorja Fleezanis to be part of the IU Chamber Orchestra’s concert tour to South Korea in 2015.
As an active teacher and scholar, Kim has participated in multiple MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) events, such as the Collegiate Chapters Symposium, where he presented his doctoral dissertation, “Strategies to deal with the challenges of the piano solo recital: Interviews with piano faculty members and university piano majors,” and his research on “Vertical and Horizontal Listening through Basso Continuo,” utilizing his specialties in Early Music. Recently he joined “Tunaweza Kimuziki (Through Music All is Possible),” a project that connects music educators in the US and students in Kenya, led by IU professor Kimberly Carballo.
Kim’s early education in music composition in his teenage years led him to his current activities as an arranger of classical, jazz, and pop songs for solo piano and four-hands piano settings. These arrangements are performed by him and his wife, pianist Elizabeth Yao, and uploaded to his YouTube channel. More than 2000 copies of his music have been sold on Musicnotes through his official partnership with them as a Signature Artist.
Kim earned his Doctor of Music in Piano Performance with double minors in Music Theory and Early Music (Harpsichord) at Indiana University, as a protégé of Professor Arnaldo Cohen, with whom he also completed his Master of Music degree. His studies in early keyboard were with renowned harpsichordist and fortepianist Elisabeth Wright. Kim earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Seoul National University, where he studied with Professor Hyoung-Joon Chang, and graduated as valedictorian of his class.
A native of South Korea, Dr. Kim made his debut at the age of 12 with Solideo Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been featured as a piano soloist with numerous orchestras in South Korea, Vietnam, and the United States, including two appearances with the Indiana University Symphony Orchestra as a concerto competition winner. His performance of Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Maestro Arthur Fagen was praised as being “not only bombastic, but intensely musical, rich in nuances, introspective, lyrical” (Herald Times). His solo performing career involves prizes and awards from the Chautauqua Solo Piano Competition, Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition, Ben L. Gomez Piano Competition, NSAL (National Society of Arts and Letters) Instrumental Competition, Hanoi International Piano Competition, Haneol Music Competition, and Korea Piano Society Competition.
Kim is a sought-after collaborator, having experience with repertoire ranging from major violin duos and art songs to a variety of orchestral reductions. His collaborative activities also extend to ensemble performances, including piano trios and orchestral pieces. During his studies at Indiana University, he was selected as an orchestral pianist by violin professor Jorja Fleezanis to be part of the IU Chamber Orchestra’s concert tour to South Korea in 2015.
As an active teacher and scholar, Kim has participated in multiple MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) events, such as the Collegiate Chapters Symposium, where he presented his doctoral dissertation, “Strategies to deal with the challenges of the piano solo recital: Interviews with piano faculty members and university piano majors,” and his research on “Vertical and Horizontal Listening through Basso Continuo,” utilizing his specialties in Early Music. Recently he joined “Tunaweza Kimuziki (Through Music All is Possible),” a project that connects music educators in the US and students in Kenya, led by IU professor Kimberly Carballo.
Kim’s early education in music composition in his teenage years led him to his current activities as an arranger of classical, jazz, and pop songs for solo piano and four-hands piano settings. These arrangements are performed by him and his wife, pianist Elizabeth Yao, and uploaded to his YouTube channel. More than 2000 copies of his music have been sold on Musicnotes through his official partnership with them as a Signature Artist.
Kim earned his Doctor of Music in Piano Performance with double minors in Music Theory and Early Music (Harpsichord) at Indiana University, as a protégé of Professor Arnaldo Cohen, with whom he also completed his Master of Music degree. His studies in early keyboard were with renowned harpsichordist and fortepianist Elisabeth Wright. Kim earned his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Seoul National University, where he studied with Professor Hyoung-Joon Chang, and graduated as valedictorian of his class.
Abigail Olson & Emma Theberge
Holding multiple degrees in piano performance, collaborative keyboard, and pedagogy, Abigail Olson values the connections available through sharing music, both as a performer and teacher. She currently lives in Athens, Ohio, teaching privately and performing.
Emma Theberge is a master's student at Ohio University studying collaborative piano and music theory. Previously, she studied piano performance at the University of New Hampshire. She loves working on music with other people, from duos, to chamber music, playing duets with her students, and everything in between.
Kelly Bohan & Philip Roragen
Kelly Bohan is a junior majoring in piano performance at Michigan State University. Initially self-taught, she began lessons with Gerardo Ascheri when she was 14 and has been studying with Professor Deborah Moriarty since 2019. Under the instruction of Zhihua Tang in accompaniment classes, Kelly has also discovered a love for collaborative piano. Her collaboration with Philip Roragen began in the summer of 2022; through this project she has additionally received instruction from professors Derek Polischuk and Eric Zuber.
Philip Roragen is a Michigan-born pianist who is currently studying on scholarship at Michigan State University under Derek Polischuk. He has performed in several masterclasses, including with Ralph Votapek at the Blue Lake Fine arts camp, where in 2019 he received the outstanding pianist award. He also enjoys collaborating with other musicians and pianists. Outside of piano, he appreciates music theory and is an undergraduate tutor in music theory at Michigan State University.
Philip Roragen is a Michigan-born pianist who is currently studying on scholarship at Michigan State University under Derek Polischuk. He has performed in several masterclasses, including with Ralph Votapek at the Blue Lake Fine arts camp, where in 2019 he received the outstanding pianist award. He also enjoys collaborating with other musicians and pianists. Outside of piano, he appreciates music theory and is an undergraduate tutor in music theory at Michigan State University.
Echo Piano Duo
David Mach & Mimi Zhang
Mimi Zhang is a pianist, instructor and collaborator based in Norman Oklahoma, where she is pursuing a DMA in piano performance and pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma (A.B.D) under the tutelage of Dr. Jeongwon Ham and Dr. Barbara Fast. Zhang has been invited to present her research at the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Symposium, MTNA National Conference, CMS Regional Conference, and NCKP National Conference. Ms. Zhang has been a prize winner at numerous competitions including the Orbetello International Competition, University of Oklahoma Solo and Concerto Competition, Memphis International Competition, and numerous MTNA competitions. She enjoys teaching at her private home studio and maintains an active performance schedule with her duo partner, David Mach.
David Mach is a pianist, teacher, and regular collaborator based in Norman, Oklahoma. He is in the process of finishing his doctorate in piano performance & pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma (A.B.D.) where he studies with Dr. Jeongwon Ham and Dr. Barbara Fast. David has been invited to present his research at national conferences including NCKP, MTNA National Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Symposium, and regional conferences including Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and CMS Central Regional Conference. David has received prizes in multiple international competitions including the United States New Star International Competition, the Virtual New Orleans Piano Institute International Competition, and the Orbetello International Piano Competition. When he is not teaching or performing, David enjoys reading and learning about music production.
David Mach is a pianist, teacher, and regular collaborator based in Norman, Oklahoma. He is in the process of finishing his doctorate in piano performance & pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma (A.B.D.) where he studies with Dr. Jeongwon Ham and Dr. Barbara Fast. David has been invited to present his research at national conferences including NCKP, MTNA National Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Symposium, and regional conferences including Oklahoma Music Teachers Association and CMS Central Regional Conference. David has received prizes in multiple international competitions including the United States New Star International Competition, the Virtual New Orleans Piano Institute International Competition, and the Orbetello International Piano Competition. When he is not teaching or performing, David enjoys reading and learning about music production.
Gabriel Landstedt & Joseph Stacy
Gabriel Landstedt has appeared in festivals such as Klavierfestival Lindlar in Germany, Salzburg International Summer Academy in Austria, Val Tidone and Brindisi Piano Camps in Italy, and Chautauqua Piano Program, Art of the Piano, Eastern Music Festival, New Mexico Chamber Music Festival, the John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, and Southwest Piano Festival in USA. He was Grand Prize winner in the 2022 Royal Sound Music Competition, runner-up in the 2020 UBC Concerto Competition, and has been awarded numerous prizes in his home state of New Mexico, including First Prize in the 2012 Jackie McGehee Young Artists’ Competition, after which he made his orchestra debut with the New Mexico Philharmonic. Landstedt has performed solo and collaborative recitals throughout the United States, particularly in the American Southwest. In 2016, Landstedt recorded Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Albuquerque-based Duke Symphonette. He made his New York debut the next year. An avid collaborative pianist, Landstedt has played with choirs and ensembles in New Mexico, New York, and Vancouver, Canada. In 2021 he established the vocal-piano ensemble Keyprano Duo with soprano Allison Anderson.
Landstedt began studying piano with his mother at age five. He graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Music degree and Second Major in German from the University of New Mexico, where he studied under Falko Steinbach and was the collaborative pianist for the UNM Wind Symphony and UNM Symphony Orchestra. He has made additional studies at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg in Germany, where he studied under Markus Bellheim and Silke-Thora Matthies, as well as the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied under Arkady Aronov. In 2020 he graduated with his Master of Music degree at the University of British Columbia, where he was as a student of Mark Anderson. Landstedt is now pursuing his DMA degree there as a recipient of UBC’s premier Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship.
Joseph Stacy is an American pianist based in Vancouver, BC. An accomplished soloist, collaborator, and chamber musician, he has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Austria. In 2021, he graduated with his Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia, where he held the distinction of the Faculty of Arts Graduate Award. Prior to earning his master’s degree, he graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance/Pedagogy from Ohio University in 2019. While a student at Ohio University (OU), he was awarded an honorable mention in the Student Soloist Competition (2016), received 1st prize at the Graves/OhioMTA Piano Competition Adult Duo Division (2018), was selected as a finalist for the US Virtuoso Artists’ International Piano Competition (2018), and he served as principal pianist for the OU symphony orchestra, performing pianistic staples such as Stravinsky’s Petrushkaand Saint-Saëns’ Les Carnaval des Animaux. Upon graduating, he was recognized with the School of Music’s award for Undergraduate Achievement in Performance (2019).
In addition to his attainments in performance, Stacy has also presented sessions at multiple national conferences throughout the U.S., including the Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA) Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. He also participated in the highly selective Eastman Leadership Academy in 2020. His former piano teachers include Steinway Artist, Mark Anderson, Yamaha Artist, Dr. Christopher Fisher, Rena Sharon, and Dr. Stephanie Wu. Having played for various competitions, recitals, choirs, churches, and ballet classes, he enjoys a diverse career as a freelance musician in Vancouver. When not teaching piano lessons or racing to his next gig, he can likely be found running along the beautiful Vancouver beaches as he prepares for his first marathon in May.
Landstedt began studying piano with his mother at age five. He graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Music degree and Second Major in German from the University of New Mexico, where he studied under Falko Steinbach and was the collaborative pianist for the UNM Wind Symphony and UNM Symphony Orchestra. He has made additional studies at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg in Germany, where he studied under Markus Bellheim and Silke-Thora Matthies, as well as the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied under Arkady Aronov. In 2020 he graduated with his Master of Music degree at the University of British Columbia, where he was as a student of Mark Anderson. Landstedt is now pursuing his DMA degree there as a recipient of UBC’s premier Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship.
Joseph Stacy is an American pianist based in Vancouver, BC. An accomplished soloist, collaborator, and chamber musician, he has performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Austria. In 2021, he graduated with his Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia, where he held the distinction of the Faculty of Arts Graduate Award. Prior to earning his master’s degree, he graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance/Pedagogy from Ohio University in 2019. While a student at Ohio University (OU), he was awarded an honorable mention in the Student Soloist Competition (2016), received 1st prize at the Graves/OhioMTA Piano Competition Adult Duo Division (2018), was selected as a finalist for the US Virtuoso Artists’ International Piano Competition (2018), and he served as principal pianist for the OU symphony orchestra, performing pianistic staples such as Stravinsky’s Petrushkaand Saint-Saëns’ Les Carnaval des Animaux. Upon graduating, he was recognized with the School of Music’s award for Undergraduate Achievement in Performance (2019).
In addition to his attainments in performance, Stacy has also presented sessions at multiple national conferences throughout the U.S., including the Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA) Conference, the MTNA Collegiate Chapters Piano Pedagogy Symposium, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. He also participated in the highly selective Eastman Leadership Academy in 2020. His former piano teachers include Steinway Artist, Mark Anderson, Yamaha Artist, Dr. Christopher Fisher, Rena Sharon, and Dr. Stephanie Wu. Having played for various competitions, recitals, choirs, churches, and ballet classes, he enjoys a diverse career as a freelance musician in Vancouver. When not teaching piano lessons or racing to his next gig, he can likely be found running along the beautiful Vancouver beaches as he prepares for his first marathon in May.
