WT to Host Free Piano Extravaganza Concert

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A dozen acclaimed regional pianists will join forces for a free concert at West Texas A&M University.

High Plains Piano Extravaganza will feature an assortment of piano ensemble combinations performing an array of styles and genres, including some beloved favorites from the likes of George Gershwin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

The concert will begin at 5 p.m. July 31 in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Admission is free.

“The piano repertoire for multiple players on one or more pianos has held a special place for centuries, and I am thrilled to present this fun and enjoyable program with my colleagues,” said Dr. Choong-ha Nam, professor in the School of Music in WT’s Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.

The lineup of performers will include Nam; Dr. Sarah Rushing, WT assistant professor of music; Stephen Simpson, WT administrative associate and piano teacher; Denise Parr-Scanlin, retired WT professor of music; Dr. James Rauscher, retired Amarillo College professor of music; Minkyoung Song, a WT graduate student from South Korea; and Sandy McQueen, a WT alumnus who lives in Dallas. Performers also will include area piano teachers Debra Wilcox, Adrianne Sage, Eileen Moss, Andreanna Hawbaker and Debra Simpson; all but Simpson are WT alumni.

Most of the pianists performing in the concert are actively teaching the next generation of this region’s musicians, Nam said.

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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