"The Amarillo College Music Department is pleased to announce a yearlong schedule of events featuring an international slate of accomplished visiting pianists, and a collection of talented AC students, too.
AC’s Young Artist Piano Series is the brainchild of Dr. Diego Caetano, assistant professor of music, who will be the initial featured performer when the series debuts on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at the Concert Hall Theater.
Individual dates in the inaugural Young Artist Piano Series are earmarked either for solo performances or for recital pieces by a succession of AC students. All are free and open to the public.
The series will build on the momentum sparked by AC’s recent acquisition – thanks to some generous donors – of three fine grand pianos. The College obtained a fully restored 1918 Steinway D concert grand in 2015, and this summer a pair of new Shigeru series grand pianos by Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., arrived at AC.
“I am excited by the prospect of putting Amarillo on the map as a piano destination,” Caetano said. “There are not a lot of piano series dedicated to young and up-and-coming students, so I decided to create one, especially now that we have these beautiful, top-of-the-line pianos.
“To launch this series, I’ve invited some of my friends from around the world,” he said, “but I hope in the years ahead to see this grow to where we can accept proposals from young pianists all over the world. I also hope to open it to our alumni, and of course it will always include performance opportunities for our own students.”
The yearlong series features the following installments, each one at the Concert Hall Theater on AC’s Washington Street Campus:
Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. – Dr. Diego Caetano, assistant professor of music at Amarillo College, performs widely as a soloist and chamber musician and has appeared throughout the U.S., South America, Europe, Asia and Africa, including performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. – Bernardo Santos of Portugal and the University of Aveiro.
Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. – Piano Studio Recital, students under the tutelage of Diego Caetano.
Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. – Chi-Kit Lam of Hong Kong, performing with AC’s Diego Caetano.
April 2 at 7:30 p.m. – Lucy Tan, a Chinese-American and artist-in-residence at Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
April 12 at 2 p.m. – Piano Studio Recital, students under the tutelage of Diego Caetano.
April 26 at 7:30 p.m. – Jaime Santillan, AC sophomore who won honorable mention in the 2017 Salzburg (Austria) International Music Competition.
