48th Annual President’s Concert – Arizona Symphony Orchestra 

 

48th Annual President’s Concert – Arizona Symphony Orchestra
with 2021-2022 Concerto Competition winners
Min Liu, soprano
Anthony Jefferson Perkins, clarinet
Levi Powe, cello
Greta Pastor, piano

February 5, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
February 6, Sunday, 3:30 p.m.
Crowder Hall, $10

The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music presents the 48th annual President’s Concert on Saturday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, February 6, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. The concert will feature the Arizona Symphony Orchestra and student soloists who won the highly competitive University of Arizona Concerto Competition.

 

Featured on this 48th annual President’s Concert are soprano Min Liu performing Lu Zaiyi’s “I love this land” and Liu Cong’s “Birds are singing in the wind”; clarinetist AJ Perkins, performing Artie Shaw’s Concerto for Clarinet; cellist Levi Powe performing the first movement of Robert Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, op. 129; and pianist Gréta Pásztor performing Franz Liszt’s Totentanz, S. 126 Paraphrase on Dies irae.

 

The students are selected from each area of the Fred Fox School of Music – strings, voice, wind and percussion, and keyboard. They represent the depth of talent at the school, shining in this performance with the Arizona Symphony Orchestra. Graduate students Yudai Ueda and Lorena Suárez will conduct the student’s performances. The program will also include “Dance Suite” Sz. 77, BB 86a by Béla Bartók, under the baton of Dr. Thomas Cockrell.

 

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About the soloists:

 

Min Liu, soprano

 

Min Liu obtained her bachelor’s degree in music education at Wuhan Conservatory of Music in 2016 under Professor Rong Zhang. Min graduated from the Boston Conservatory in voice performance for her Master of Music degree in 2019, where she studied with Professor Monique Phinney. Min is currently pursuing her DMA in voice performance at the University of Arizona under the direction of Professor Yunah Lee. Min will be featured as the role of Angelica of Puccini’s Sour Angelica in the Spring 2022.

 

 

Anthony Jefferson Perkins, clarinet

 

AJ Perkins is a third-year music education major at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music. He was raised in Tempe, Arizona and attended Corona Del Sol High School, where he was the recipient of the John Philip Sousa award and a member of the AMEA All-State Bands. AJ is currently principal bass clarinet with the UA Wind Ensemble, a member of 7REED5 reed quintet, and clarinet section leader of the Pride of Arizona Marching Band and pep band. AJ is a student of Dr. Jackie Glazier.

 

 

Levi Powe, cello

 

Levi Powe, age 21, started playing cello with the Suzuki method at the age of three, and is currently studying with Dr. Theodore Buchholz at the University of Arizona. In 2018, Levi was selected as the first-place laureate of the Sphinx Competition, and throughout his career has been a participant in numerous local competitions. Levi has performed as a soloist with many orchestras, including New World Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, the Sphinx Symphony, South Bend Symphony, the Tucson Symphony, Battle Creek Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Tucson, and Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra. In 2016, Levi was a member of National Youth Orchestra 2 in its inaugural season, with Carnegie Hall. Currently, Levi studies at the University of Arizona, majoring in economics and minoring in cello performance. He is a black belt in Shotokan Karate, and enjoys outdoor things such as hunting, fishing, and hiking from time to time.

 

Greta Pastor, piano

 

Gréta Pásztor is a first year DMA student pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona in piano performance, studying with Dr. John Milbauer. She previously earned master’s degrees in piano performance and choral conducting from Kent State University (2021), as well as bachelor’s degrees in keyboard performance and music theory from Baldwin Wallace University (2018). Her former piano teachers include Dr. Donna Lee, Dr. Sungeun Kim and Zoltán Horváth. Her passion for music has started at an early age and has grown since. Gréta was born in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and started playing the piano at the age of six. To date, she has participated in several local and national piano competitions and has been awarded for her academic and musical achievements. In 2011 and 2013 she received 2nd Prize at the Romanian National Instrumental Competition and 2nd Prize at the National Piano ArtIs Competition in 2012. Gréta also received the Franz Liszt Prize (2012) and the Special Prize (2013) and at the Pro Piano Romania Festival. Gréta and her piano duo partner, Alexandre Marr recently won 1st Prize in the 2021 Gloria Artis International Music Competition. Gréta also won several concerto competitions during her studies, giving her opportunities to perform with the Sigismund Toduta High School Orchestra, Kent State University Symphonic Orchestra, Stow Symphony Orchestra, and this year with the Arizona Symphony Orchestra. Her goal is to become an active performer and an inspiring pedagogue.

 

 

 

Past winners of this competition include:

 

2021
Yongjae Lee, baritone

Carissa Powe, violin

Colin Nossek, clarinet

Soo Yoen Kim, piano

2020
Diana Peralta, mezzo-soprano
Yaowen Mei, piano
Charles du Preez, clarinet
Jaeook Lee, violin

2019
Erika Burkhart, soprano
Ivo Shin, flute
Diana Yusupov, cello
Minjun Dong, piano

2018
Emily Garcia, soprano
Michael Pratt, vibraphone
Juan Mejía, cello
Tyler Ramos, piano

2017

Kyle DeGraff, tenor

Amy Shea, oboe

Stella Kim, violin

Melissa Radtke & Rachael Radtke, piano

 

2016

Caroline Crawford, soprano

Immanuel Abraham, violin

Daniel Becker, clarinet

Yi Qing Tang, piano

 

2015

Erin McMullen, mezzo-soprano

Tiezheng Shen, viola

Christine Yi, alto saxophone

Nino Bakradze, piano

 

2014

Humberto Borboa Beltrán, tenor

Natalia Duarte, viola

Trevor Barroero, percussion

Jinny Huh, piano

 

2013

Emily Spirk, mezzo-soprano

Evgeniya Belinskaya, violin

Matt Viesca, euphonium

Chien-I Yang, piano

 

2012

Kyongyun Park, soprano

Lauren Hayes, harp

Alex van Duuren, trombone

Chia-Chun Ko, piano

 

2011

Greg Guenther, baritone

Orquídea Guandique, viola

Brian Hicks, tenor saxophone

Elena Miraztchiyska, piano

 

2010

Robyn Rocklein, mezzo-soprano

Garrick Woods, violoncello

Jonathan Wintringham, saxophone

Kyung Lee, piano

 

2009

Seth Kershisnik, bass baritone
Amber Reed, viola

Tori Hauk, flute

Rouzbeh Tebyanian, piano

2008

Nathan Krueger, baritone

Yeon Jin Kim, violin
Daniel Puccio, saxophone
James Stopher, piano

2007

Christi Amonson, soprano
Heidi Tims, harp

Martin Patfield, trumpet
Miroslava Panayotova, piano

2006

Heather Ribblett, soprano

Wayne Shen, violin
Pablo Rosas Cabrera, flute
Thomas Azar, piano

2005

Maureen Papovich, soprano

Rebekah Butler, violin

Christopher Habeeb-Louks, marimba
Yelizaveta Beriyeva, piano

2004

Martina Chylikova, mezzo-soprano

Melissa Meléndez, viola
Kara Yeater, clarinet
Sarah Wu, piano

 

2003

Todd Strange, tenor

Jared Scott, cello

Matt Jacklin, marimba
Devin Wiley, piano

2002

Kimberly Hubartt, soprano

Erin Veale, violin
Lisa Timm, bassoon
Aryo Wicaksono, piano