Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University will host National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Young Artist winner Kwan Yi in a guest piano concert Sept. 18. The recital, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall, is free to the public.

Biennially, the NFMC holds a professional-level competition for young artists in four categories, including piano, strings, women’s voice and men’s voice. Yi is the 2011 winner in piano and has performed throughout Europe, Asia and the U.S.

“Kwan Yi has been praised by audiences and critics alike as a pianist of ‘lyrical elegance’ and ‘ravishing, pitch-perfect clarity,’” according to the NFMC website. He has performed in such venues as Carnegie’s Isaac Stern Auditorium, Chicago Symphony Hall and the Kennedy Center’s Opera House.

“Bringing performers like Kwan Yi,” Dr. George Keck said, “is very important for our students, faculty and audience members to hear the high level and quality of playing expected in major American piano competitions and on the stages of the concert world.” Keck, professor emeritus of music, has served for 12 years as artist presentation chairman for Arkansas’ chapter of NFMC.

Ouachita has hosted a Young Artist winner in concert annually for more than 50 years, and the Sept. 18 concert marks the beginning of Yi’s tour through Arkansas. Dr. Keck and his wife, Dr. Ouida Keck, coordinator of Ouachita’s Keyboard Studies Program, will host Yi during his stay in Arkadelphia.

Yi’s performance at Ouachita will feature selections from his wide concert repertoire, including works by Beethoven, Liszt, Mozart, Rachmaninov, Schumann, Bach, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Dutilleux, Janacek, Prokofiev and Ravel.

Yi, originally from South Korea, is a naturalized citizen of the U.S. He graduated from the Juilliard School with a Master of Music degree after earning his Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. He is currently studying at the Peabody Institute and recently performed with the Russian National Orchestra during its 2011-2012 season.

For more information, contact OBU’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

By Rachel Gregory