Piano
The piano program is dedicated to creating an environment of mindful and artistic growth for the developing artist-musician, including working with the artist faculty on solo repertoire, performance, and the broadening of the musicians’ artistic horizons.
The piano program is focused on student-teacher intensive work and private one-to-one instruction, preparing students for public performances, shared masterclasses, and the artistic refinement of their repertoire. In addition to private lessons, students will attend studio classes, lectures by artist faculty, and artist concerts.
Students are highly encouraged to utilize this special setting and the opportunities given by the academy to explore mindfulness in performance, practice, and preparation. Students and artist faculty will together create a community of growth, encouragement, and artistic maturation.
Yaoyue Huang
Artist Faculty
Yaoyue Huang is a pianist who celebrates new music and lesser performed modern works, explores experimental and creative projects that challenge convention, and aims to break away from common performance practice. Huang has worked with composer peers from Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, and the United States in premiering and commissioning their works. She was recently awarded the Prix Alberto Ginastera from the 14th International Piano Competition of Orléans, where she premiered a newly composed work that she commissioned for the André Chevillion-Yvone Bonnaud composition prize.
Huang was invited as a guest artist for the Porto Pianofest in Portugal, Wave Elements Global Music Festival in Portland, Oregon, and Music for All Seasons Cincinnati. Huang has performed at venues worldwide, including Shenzhen Poly Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Xinghai Concert Hall, Ongaku-No-Tomo Hall in Tokyo, Nihon University, White Rock Theatre in the U.K., and Salle de l’Institut in France. Huang has performed with the Lima Symphony Orchestra, College-Conservatory of Music Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra.
Huang was the first prize winner of the Lima Symphony Orchestra National Young Artist Competition, CCM Piano Concerto Competition, Tuesday Musical Scholarship Competition, Birmingham Young Artist Concerto Competition, and MSU College of Music Concerto Competition. She also won top prizes in the Japan International Duo Piano Competition and the Alexander & Buono International Piano Competition.
Huang is a co-artistic director of MusicXHabitatXArt, an interdisciplinary art and performance collective based in the U.K., China, and the United States. Huang’s mentors and teachers include Soyeon Kate Lee, Minsoo Sohn, Sandra Rivers, and Mei Xiao. Huang is a DMA candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Yaoyue has worked with artist-teachers Ursula Oppens, Julian Martin, Emanual Krasovsky, Deborah Moriarty, Leif Ove Andsnes, Aviram Reichert, Frank Weinstock, and John Perry.
Scott Lowell Sherman
Artist Faculty
Scott Lowell Sherman is an American pianist, composer, and visual artist working in interdisciplinary project-based practices. Sherman is co-artistic director of MusicXHabitatXArt, an experimental art and performance collective based in China, USA, and UK. Sherman has performed in France, China, Japan, Israel, Spain, USA and has lectured at Shantou University, Meilin Arts School, The College-Conservatory of Music, and The Evergreen State College.
Sherman’s collective was founded on the “habitat” created by marrying the visual and auditory: exploring archetypal symbolism through the digital, concrete, and subconscious. MHA’s mission is to further the appreciation of contemporary music, engaging audiences through these juxtapositions. Their ongoing digital works—based on the piano repertoire post-1900—have been exhibited in Paris, China, Portland, L.A., and The Jupiter Museum. Their ongoing project “Audible Light” is an immersive communal performance-installation set to be first premiered in Zürich in 2024.
Sherman’s current recording project features György Kurtág’s works for solo piano; joined will be an interdisciplinary art-book extending beyond the recorded medium: reflecting similar multidisciplinary practices of Kurtág. His project, The Pianist’s Eyes, explored the relationship between audience, music, and performer’s visage. The project “Stillness” presented Hans Otte’s Das Buch der Klänge as an installation of sonic architecture, exploring meditative stillness and ephemerality.
Sherman’s compositions premiered at the 14th and 15th Competition d’Orleans in France, Porto Pianofest Portugal where he was guest artist, and in the USA. His influences are Asian literature, Buddhist philosophy, and Gagaku imperial court music. His two volumes of Preludes d’Interprétation, with homage to Ohana, will be completed in 2023. Ongoing compositions include his 10 Études Poétiques, begun in 2019.
Sherman’s mentors and teachers include Minsoo Sohn, Soyeon Kate Lee, Ran Dank, Ronald Cavaye, Sandra Rivers, Deborah Moriarty, Catherine Rollin. Sherman has worked with artist-teachers Richard Goode, Robert McDonald, Julian Martin, Emanual Krasovsky, Dmitri Bashkirov, Ursula Oppens, Jerome Lowenthal, Tatiana Zelickman, Frederic Chiu. Sherman is a current DMA candidate at the College-Conservatory of Music in piano performance where he also completed his Artist Diploma. Sherman is a laureate of the Tel-Hai International Piano Masterclasses in Israel, Bowdoin, Gijon, and Orford International Festivals.
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