Ouachita Stories

Tyler Sanders, a senior music industry major from Arkadelphia, Ark., won first place in Ouachita Baptist University’s 2018 Virginia Queen Piano Competition.

“This win is significant for me because I have been working for this for the past two years,” Sanders said. “It is even better because this year has been all about growing as a musician and artist, and this is a great way to finish the year.”

Sanders received a $500 cash award for his performance of Beethoven’s “Bagatelle, Op.33, No.2” and Brahms’ “Intermezzo, Op. 116, No.6.” He is a student of Dr. Lei Cai, professor of music.

“In this process, I have learned to accept the fact that I’m going to be nervous before playing,” Sanders noted. “I have also learned how to completely relax and have found a preparation process that I think works best for me.”

Isabelle Dodds, a senior piano performance major from Leslie, Ark., earned second place in the competition and received a $300 cash prize. Dodds performed Brahms’ “Intermezzo, Op.118, No.2” and Schubert's “Impromptu.” Dodds also is a student of Dr. Cai.

Zhanxiu Lu, a senior music and studio art double major from Shaoxing, China, earned third place in the competition and received a $100 cash prize. Lu performed Shostakovich’s “Fantastic Dances No.1” and Beethoven’s “Bagatelle, Op.33, No.1.” She also is a student of Dr. Cai.

Elizabeth Anderson, a senior music education major from Salem, Ark., and Sean Carney, a junior music and Spanish double major from Little Rock, Ark., both were recognized with honorable mentions and received $50 each. Anderson, a student of Dr. Cai, performed Chopin’s “Prelude in Db Major, Op.28, No.15” and Debussy’s “Prelude, ‘General Lavine – eccentric.’” Carney, a student of Dr. Mary Chung, assistant professor of music, performed Beethoven’s “Sonata in C Minor, Op.113, Adagio Cantabile” and Khachaturian’s “Toccata.”

This year’s competition was judged by Dr. Shao Xiao Ling, assistant professor at the University of Aveiro in Portugal. The Virginia Queen Piano Competition was established more than four decades ago by Virginia Queen, a former professor of music at Ouachita. Queen established the competition to encourage piano students to continue to grow in their studies of the instrument. All of the students who performed in the competition are piano majors or minors at Ouachita.

For more information, contact Dr. Lei Cai at [email protected] or (870) 245-5140.

 

By Katie Smith // Photo above: Dr. Shao Xiao Ling, judge for the 2018 Virginia Queen Piano Competition (far right), congratulates this year's winners (from left): Elizabeth Anderson, honorable mention; Sean Carney, honorable mention; Zhanxiu Lu, third place; Isabelle Dodds, second place; and Tyler Sanders, first place. Download the full photo.

May 10, 2018