Weber State University's Department of Performing Arts Wins Top Honors at Utah Music Teachers Association State Piano Competitions

University's piano students take two of the three top prizes at the competitive statewide Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition in Utah

OGDEN, Utah, Nov. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Weber State University Department of Performing Arts (WSUDP) (http://weber.edu/PerformingArts/music.html), combines world-class instruction with opportunities for students to excel in live theater, music and dance. Today, the department announced it has once again taken top honors at the Music Teachers National Association (Utah) state piano competitions. WSU sophomore piano student, Ling-Yu Lee, was named first place state winner in the MTNA (Utah) Steinway Young Artists Collegiate Piano Competition. In addition, three other students received either second or third place recognition.

"Our piano program has been rapidly earning national and international reputation in the last ten years, and continues to attract some of the most talented piano students in state as well as abroad," said Dr. Yu-Jane Yang, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Piano at Weber State University. "We have strived to provide our piano students with excellent piano instruction in their training and the highest quality music instrument in their daily practice, and nurture them in the most supportive learning environment. Our formula seems to be working well, as this is the second time a Weber State University piano student has taken the first place at this tremendously competitive statewide event. We now have piano students continuing their graduate work and studies at such schools as the Juilliard School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and the Cleveland Institute of Music after graduation from Weber State University."

Other Weber State University music students taking top honors at the event included:

• CJ Hsieh selected as third place state winner in the MTNA (Utah) Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition. 
• Jacob Dame chosen as the second place state winner of the senior category (ages 15 to 18).
• Weber State University Piano Trio comprised of, Stephanie Aston, piano; Jose Flores, violin; Rachel Bigelow, cello; received second place in the State of Utah College Chamber Music Competition.
• Graduate of the piano program, Fan-Ya Lin, who is now pursuing a Master's degree in Piano Performance at Juilliard, was selected as the state winner of the "Student Teacher of the Year." She will go on to compete for the studio fellowship award at the national Music Teacher's National Association Conference in March of 2014.

Lee will represent the state of Utah at the MTNA Southwest Division competition in early January of 2014, where she will compete with first place collegiate state piano winners from five other neighboring states (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and New Mexico). Only the division winner of the competition will advance to the MTNA national competition final in March of 2014 in Chicago where the national first place winner of the MTNA Steinway Young Artist Collegiate Piano Competition will be awarded a Steinway Piano.

For more information on Weber State University's piano program, please visit (www.weber.edu/performingarts).

About Weber State University's Department of Performing Arts
The Weber State University Department of Performing Arts is located in the Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities at Weber State University (www.weber.edu/performingarts). The Department of Performing Arts combines world-class instruction with opportunities for students to excel in live theater, music and dance performances. For more information on the Weber State University Department of Performing Arts, call 801-626-6437 or visit the website at (www.weber.edu/performingarts).

About the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
The Weber State University Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities teaches students to excel as they seek, understand, question and express complexities critical to the experience of being human. The Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities offers five degree programs in the following areas: Communication, English, Foreign Language, Performing Arts and Visual Arts. Master's degrees also are offered in Communication and English. The college serves nearly 2,000 undergraduate majors and 200 graduate students. The Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities is the Western region's foremost institution for student-centered teaching and research that investigates the human experience and aims to educate global citizens who are responsible, creative and critical artists, performers and communicators. For more information please visit (www.weber.edu/cah) or online at (www.facebook.com/WSUartsandhumanities).

Contact:
Christie Denniston
Director of Marketing and PR, Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
Weber State University
Phone: 801-626-6431
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Weber State University, Lindquist College of Arts and Humanities