Sept. 17: A Midday Musical Menu Returns!
A Midday Musical Menu luncheon concert series begins its 45th season on Wednesday, September 17 at 12:15 with pianist Jiao Sun playing a varied program of Scarlatti, Chopin, Debussy, and Ravel. Lunch is available for $7.00 in the May Room from 11:30 a.m. with the free concert in the church beginning at 12:15 p.m.
Laureate of the Washington International Piano Competition, Jiao Sun has been lauded by New York Concert Review as a pianist “whose gifts are prodigious, who has all the skills needed for a successful career as a performing artist, and who is the perfect ambassador for classical music,” by WFMT Chicago for “expressive range and stunning technique.” Born in Harbin, China, she relocated to Beijing after winning the 1st place in admission to the Central Conservatory of Music at age 9 with full scholarship. This was followed by her solo debut with orchestra at age 11; a year later, she became a semifinalist at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition for Young Musicians. Jiao holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance and an Artist Diploma with Soyeon Kate Lee from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where she also minored in piano pedagogy with Michelle Conda. Sun gained a Master of Music degree in piano performance and literature and a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, both at the Eastman School of Music. From 2021-2024, Dr. Sun served as a piano faculty member and collaborative artist-in-residence at the Ohio University School of Music, where she also taught as a Master Teacher of Piano at the affiliated Athens Community Music School.
Other performers to look forward to this season are Moyen Age (Medieval Music with Medieval Instruments); a return of the Clark & Jones Trio performing Celtic and International Music; violinist Vincent Phelan with pianist Steve Phillips, organist Mattilda Middleton; CCM Organ Students; Jim Lambert and friends playing Viennese Chamber Music; organist John Deaver with narrator Jax Cox performing William Albright’s The King of Instruments. Concerts are always on the third Wednesday of the month, September through May. If you are interested in helping with the luncheons, please contact Emery Schmidt.