Recital Program, 03/25/2006
Le petit nègre.……………………………………………Claude Debussy
Fountain in the Rain……………………………………...William Gillock
Felicia Zhang
Impromptu, D.899 No.2…………………………………..Franz Schubert
Danza de la moza donosa, from Danzas Argentinas..….Alberto Ginastera
Sonata, K.330……………….……………….Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
I.Allegro Moderato
Songyao Wang
Valse…………………..……….…………………………Francis Poulenc
Sonata, Hob. XVI:23,…………………….…………...……Joseph Haydn
I.
Impromptu, D.899 No.3…………………………………..Franz Schubert
Wendy Xiao
La soirée dans Grenade, from Estampes..………………..Claude Debussy
(The Evening in Granada)
Jardins sous la pluie, from Estampes
(Gardens in the Rain)
Philip Feng
About the Performers
Songyao Wang was born in Nanjing, China. She is thirteen years old and has been playing piano for almost three years, all with the instruction of Philip Feng. In 2005, her performance was ranked as “Superior Plus”, which the National Piano Playing Auditions consider to be a “Top Talent Circle Rating”.
Formerly a Merrimack [NH] student, she had been the first chair flute in Concert Band, and lead piano in Jazz Band. She represented Merrimack Middle School in the National Junior High School Music Competition in NYC. Her school won two gold medals consecutively.
Now a RJ Grey [Acton, MA] 8th grade student, Songyao participates in numerous extra-curricular activities including the Concert and Jazz Bands. Her deepest appreciation, however, lies within playing piano. Songyao enjoys playing piano because it helps her maintain necessary balance in life. While not committing to practice every professional piece, she has played quite a few in the name of “Impromptu”, “Danza”, or “Sonata”, and she has squandered just as much time enjoying herself on piano. Songyao believes, in the long run, that music will accompany her for a successful and joyful life.
She is looking forward to the Granite State Piano Competition in April.
Wendy Xiao, 14,is an 8th grade student at Fairgrounds Middle School, Nashua, NH. In 1997, she startedtaking pianolessons with Mrs.Kathy Fogal, the director of "Grow in Tune". Since June of2002, Wendyhas been studyingpiano with Mr. Feng.Sheparticipated in the National PianoPlaying Auditionsin 2005,receivinga "Superior" rating at the level of PreparatoryA. In middle school,Wendyhas takenguitar lessons under Mrs. Mary Pispitsos, and is a member of the Fairgrounds Middle School Select Choir. When she enters high school this September, Wendy intends to join both concert and Jazz band.
Felicia Zhang is a 7-year old second grade student at the Miller School, Westford, MA. She started her piano lessons at Philip Feng’s piano studio in September, 2004.
Philip Feng, sought after for his musicality and command of the piano, has been recognized as a gifted young pianist of passion and integrity. He has presented well-received concerts with orchestras as well as solo recitals with appearances in cities in Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, New York, and Taiwan.
A native of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China, Philip Feng joined a
Yamaha Children Music Class at the age of 4, and a year later began his piano training under the tutelage of Fang-Chen Kung and Hsu Yang. In both 1980 and 1981, he was a prize-winner in the Taiwan National Piano Competition. He also won an award in the Young Stars Intercollegiate Music Competition of Southeast Asia Area in 1991 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Fu-Jen Catholic University that same year. He continued private study with Steven Ballard in 1993 and in the following year came to the State University of New York at Binghamton where he studied with Seymour Fink, Walter Ponce, and John Covelli. He received a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance with two Achievement Awards and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science in 1998. He pursued a Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he was a student of Luba Edlina-Dubinsky, Edmund Battersby, and Reiko Neriki. There, he was also appointed Associate Instructor for the Piano Department in 1998. His return appearance in Binghamton, New York to perform in December 1998 was a result of his winning First Prize in the 1997 SUNY Concerto Competition. Mr. Feng also received a Performer Diploma from Indiana University in 2000.
Philip Feng's 19 years of piano-teaching experience to date includes coaching individual piano students as well as giving master classes at all levels in Taiwan and US, at such institutions as the State University of New York, Indiana University, Rivier College, as well as in his private studio in Nashua, New Hampshire.