Pianist Andrew Staupe has appeared as soloist with many of the top orchestras throughout the United States and in Europe, including the Baltimore Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, the George Enescu Philharmonic in Romania, the Orquestra Filarmónica de Bogotá in Colombia, and many others. Andrew has performed recitals across the globe, including at Carnegie Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Rachmaninov Hall in Moscow, the Schumann Haus in Leipzig, and the Salle Cortot in Paris.
An avid chamber musician, Andrew has jammed with legendary vocalist Bobby McFerrin, played Tangos with the Assad Brothers, and his debut recording of the complete works for piano and violin of Carl Nielsen was recently released on the acclaimed Naxos label. Other notable performances include concerts at Steinway Hall in New York, and the Kennedy Center and Library of Congress in Washington DC. He has been a featured guest on American Public Media’s “Performance Today,” and on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” in 2004.
Deeply committed to teaching, Andrew is an Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Houston, and previously taught at the University of Utah. He earned his Doctorate at Rice University with Jon Kimura Parker, and previously studied at the University of Minnesota with Lydia Artymiw.
Todd Van Kekerix is Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy and Coordinator of Class Piano in the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. He has over fifteen years of high-level teacher training and spent nine years at The New School for Music Study in Princeton, NJ as a teaching artist. His performance highlights include recitals at Carnegie Hall in New York City, at the Steinway Society of Greater Princeton, and at the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, Austria. He has given numerous biennial fundraiser concerts for his hometown hospital, Hegg Memorial Health Center, raising over $10,000 with each recital. In addition to teaching and performing, Van Kekerix has given presentations and workshops for local, national, and international audiences including the International Conference Association of Music and Medicine, The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, and the MTNA National Conference. Internationally, he has given recitals and workshops at Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and Shaoxing University in China. He is currently serving as the Commissioned Composer chair for the Texas Music Teachers Association. Van Kekerix’s research interests include keyboard music making, teacher expertise, and popular music pedagogy. During his downtime, he enjoys downhill skiing, traveling, and exploring new gastronomic delights and cookbooks
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 Moores Opera House 7:30 pm
Meditation
PROGRAM
Cécile Chaminade
(1857-1944)
Tali Morgulis, piano
Bourée Fantasque
Rondo in C Major, Op. 73
Emanuel Chabrier
(1841-1894)
Todd Van Kekerix, piano
Tali Morgulis and Todd Van Kekerix, piano
La Valse (poème chorégraphique pour orchestre)
Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)
ABOUT THE ARTISTS….
Native Houstonian Timothy Hester is Professor of Piano at the Moores School of Music where he also enjoys instructing students in the skills of sight reading, collaborative techniques and also serves as Chair of the Keyboard Studies Division and Director of Keyboard Collaborative Arts. Named Outstanding Collegiate Teacher of the Year (2014) by the Texas Music Teacher’s Association, Mr. Hester has worked with internationally known vocalists and instrumentalists. He has also taught Opera Studies at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and served on the faculty of the Houston Grand Opera Studio. Mr. Hester has appeared worldwide and has performed in major venues as well as performing locally with Da Camera, Musiqa and the KUHF chamber players. Mr. Hester graduated from The Juilliard School as a student of the renowned pedagogue Adele Marcus. He was previously a pupil of the late Professor Emeritus of the University of Houston, Albert Hirsh.
Maurice Ravel
(1875-1937)
Arr. Lucien Garban
Timothy Hester and Andrew Staupe, piano
INTERMISSION
Rêverie
Andrew Staupe, piano
Germaine Tailleferre
(1892-1983)
Israeli-American pianist Tali Morgulis is a passionate performer and a dedicated pedagogue. Prize winner of several international competitions, Dr. Morgulis continues to present critically acclaimed solo, chamber music, and orchestral performances worldwide. An expert collaborator, Tali has shared the stage with such renowned musicians as soprano Albina Shagimuratova, cellist Misha Quint, violinist Uri Pianka, mezzo-soprano Sonja Bruzauskas and many others. Tali’s recordings can be found on Delos, Albany, and Navona labels.
Dr. Morgulis’ students come from many different countries and backgrounds. They describe her as a great motivator and an inspiring mentor. She takes pride in supporting not only their performance and teaching but also in becoming important members of their respective communities.
Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52
Frédéric Chopin
(1810-1849)
Timothy Hester, piano
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Paul Dukas
(1865-1935)
Arr. Adam Stern
Tali Morgulis, Timothy Hester, Todd Van Kekerix, Andrew Staupe
Tali started her music education in her native Ukraine at age 4. Dr. Morgulis holds degrees in piano performance from Tel Aviv Academy of Music (BM and MM), the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA (DMA). She holds diplomas from the Manhattan School of Music and the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles. She was fortunate to study with such wonderful musicians as Esther Balasha, Mikhail Boguslawski, Wha Kyung Byun, Lev Natochenny, Alexander Gorin (organ) and Patricia Zander (chamber music).