MUSIC AT EMORY
Runyu Huang, flute
Senior Recital
Nicole McGill, bassoon
Sonny Yoo, piano
James Zellers, flute, harpsichord, and piano
From the studio of James Zellers
Sunday, March 23, 2025, 2:00 p.m.
Emerson Concert Hall
Schwartz Center for Performing Arts
Please turn off phones and all electronic devices. Photography, recording, or digital capture of this concert is not permitted.
Program
Flute Sonata in C Major, BWV 1033
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Dr. James Zellers, harpsichord
Nicole McGill, bassoon
Andante in C Major, K. 315 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Dr. James Zellers, piano
Le Merle Noir Oliver Messiaen (1908–1992)
Sonny Yoo, piano
—Intermission—
Sonata for Flute and Piano Verne Reynolds (1926–2011)
Sonny Yoo, piano
Andante and Rondo, op. 25 Franz Doppler (1821–1883)
Dr. James Zellers, flute
Sonny Yoo, piano
This recital is presented by the Department of Music at Emory University. music.emory.edu
This one-hour program is centered around the Reynolds Sonata for Flute and Piano. Though seldom performed, this twenty-three minute piece explores harmony, color, and rhythmic variation, all woven into tight stretti between the flute and the piano. This work, especially the first movement, evokes for me the image of the night sky and the ocean—both monotonously dark, each mirroring and illuminating the other, merging the stars and the waves to the point of non-distinction. The program ends with a flute duet where my studio teacher, Dr. James Zellers, joins me for a spirited and lyrical finale—the night may be missed.
Performer Biographies
Runyu Huang, flute
Runyu Huang, 22, is from Shenzhen, China—a coastal city next to Hong Kong. She is a senior doing a double major in Music performance and Philosophy, and is currently writing an honors thesis in philosophy. Huang began learning music at age four on the piano and moved to the flute at age seventeen. She plays in the Emory Wind Ensemble, Emory Chamber Groups, Emory Gamelan Ensemble, Agnes Scott College Community Orchestra, and the Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra. Though flute is her major instrument, her passion extends to piccolo and all Gamelan instruments (she is currently learning the gendèr). Huang came to Emory with only one year of experience on the flute and could barely play some of the notes. She wants to extend her immense gratitude to her studio teacher, Dr. Zellers, for teaching her most of what she knows about flute performance and western classical music.
James Zellers, harpsichord, piano, and flute
James Zellers holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana University and a DMA from the Juilliard School. Former touring artist for the North Carolina Council for the Arts, Zellers is currently principal flute and orchestra personnel manager with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, as well as principal flute with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (GA). He was principal piccolo with the Florida West Coast Symphony in Sarasota from 2001 through 2023. Currently he is an artist affiliate in flute for Emory University (since 2006) and Agnes Scott College (since 2021). In
addition to his musical activities, Zellers is an active organist as well as a pianist/accompanist in Atlanta. He is also the proud breeder of prizewinning Australian shepherds; competing regularly in confirmation and competitive obedience.
Sonny Yoo, piano
Seung Hyun (“Sonny”) Yoo was born in Gumi, South Korea, and began playing piano at age five and composing at age seven. He holds a bachelor’s degree in composition and two master’s degrees in composition and piano. Currently pursuing a doctorate in piano at the University of Georgia under Dr. Liza Stepanova, he also minors in collaborative piano and music theory. He teaches and performs as a piano artist affiliate at Emory University. Recognized for his versatility, Yoo won the University of Georgia Concerto Competition, performing Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the UGA Symphony Orchestra. Recent highlights include performances at Steinway Hall, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Stow Symphony, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14 with his own cadenza. His early composition studies influence his artistry, and he frequently performs his own works. He was invited to the 2018 American Liszt Society festival for a Maurice Ohana etude performance and recently won First Place in Best Interpretation of the Winning Ohio Call Composition at the Ohio Liszt International Piano Competition for his performance of Sound Echoes by Dolores White. His repertoire includes numerous contemporary works, showcasing his deep engagement with modern and classical traditions.
Nicole McGill, bassoon
Nicole McGill is a sophomore Neuroscience and Behavior Biology major from Friendswood, Texas. After starting to play the bassoon in middle school, she has a strong passion for the instrument and music. In high school, she played in the Houston Youth Symphony as well as the Texas Music Educators Association All-State and All-Region bands. She also participated in the pit band of her school’s production of The Music Man. She has also dabbled in percussion instruments and performed on the drumline for her school’s marching band. At Emory, she enjoys playing a wide repertoire of music in the Emory Wind Ensemble and takes private bassoon lessons with Dr. Shelly Unger. She also participates in Winship Cancer Institute’s Arts in Health volunteer program, playing in a woodwind quintet for patients. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends and family. She looks forward to accompanying Runyu Huang for her senior recital.