Our Students in Sacramento
Robert Knickerbocker, age 14, student of Dorothy Drake, and Nicholas Berkner, age 16, student of Karen Hagberg, performed in the Sacramento International Suzuki Piano Basics 10-Piano Concert on Saturday, August 18, 2007. Both students and their teachers were in residence in Sacramento for over two weeks before the concert to participate in rehearsals with students from Japan and from around the United States. Robert performed the Gigue from the Bach Partita in Bb major, and Nicholas played Debussy's Golliwog's Cakewalk. The next 10-Piano Concert will take place in Matsumoto, Japan on April 27, 2008. Karen Hagberg is the organizer of a group of 27 teachers and 18 students from the United States and Canada who will participate in that event.
Our Students Shine at Philadelphia Workshop
Students Michael Cash, age 11, Nicole Franki, age 8, and Emma Nugent, age 8 (Hagberg Class) and Evan Lyons, age 13 (Drake Class) performed at the Friendship Concert on Sunday, March 4 in Rock Hall at Temple University in Philadelphia in conjunction with a 4-day Suzuki Piano Basics Teacher Training Workshop that was attended by 33 teachers and 12 students from around the United States. Joining seven local Philadelphia performers were students from Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia in addition to our four from Rochester.
Michael Cash and Emma Nugent performed pieces from Book 2 (Cradle Song and Happy Farmer) and Nicole Franki and Evan Lyons performed Book 3 (Wild Rider and Spiritoso) in a program that spanned all seven books of the Suzuki repertoire and included a few non-Suzuki pieces as well. Needless to say, these students came away with renewed enthusiasm for their piano studies after being in the company of so many accomplished players from around the country. The Philadelphia teachers provided a reception following the concert, during which the players, their parents, and teachers had the opportunity to get better acquainted.
A highlight of the Philadelphia experience was the performance of pianist Martha Argerich with the Philadelphia Orchestra on Saturday, March 3. Not only is it a rare opportunity to hear this performer, generally considered to be the best pianist in the world, but even more special that she treated the audience with a solo encore, the Bourée from Bach’s English Suite #2, after performing Beethoven’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the orchestra. Teachers were grateful to have the incomparable Argerich sound in their ears as they taught students during the workshop.
January 5 Alumni Presentation
On the evening of January 5, three alumni of the Hagberg Suzuki Piano Program performed and talked about their lives as collegiate music students and professional musician. Aaron Hyzen, now a professional jazz player in New York City, performed on guitar and spoke of his various activities as a performer, arranger, composer, and teacher, and about the famous people he has accompanied. Edward Wooten III, now a junior in music education at Mansfield College in Pennsylvania, performed a gorgeous Mozart Fantasy on the piano and spoke about his aspiration to pursue a Ph.D. in music in order to become a college professor. Tina Naumenko, a freshman at the Eastman School of Music in vocal performance, sang three pieces and talked about life in a major music conservatory. Two of her pieces were sung in Italian, the language singers learn in their first year of study. (Interestingly, English, considered the most difficult language to sing, is not studied until the senior year.)
All three admitted they were difficult as young children when their mothers tried to get them to practice.
After the presentations, the attending 12-and-Over Club members asked several lively questions, and then we all enjoyed pizza. Our alumni have become a great resource for younger students in our program who may want to pursue music as a career, and we look forward to inviting them back for future contact with our students and parents. (Several parents expressed regret at not having been invited to this presentation. You’ll be invited next time!)
Alumni News Briefs
Tina Naumenko (Hagberg class, 2004) made the Dean’s List in her first semester as a voice performance major at the Eastman School of Music. She will travel to Russia in April with her mother, and will visit the Moscow Conservatory, where she hopes to have a voice lesson. This summer she will study privately with renowned Baroque soprano, Julianne Baird.
Edward Wooten III (Hagberg class 2004), a music education/piano major at Mansfield University, will perform his senior solo recital on Friday, November 2, 2007 with a program devoted exclusively to composers of African origin. Edward will spend the spring semester student teaching here in the Rochester area.
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Hagberg Suzuki Piano Program