Celebrating 100 years of Leonard Bernstein: An American Musical Legend

Goodwell, Okla. — Oklahoma Panhandle State University is proud to present “Celebrating 100 years of Leonard Bernstein: An American Musical Legend” on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in Centennial Theatre on campus.

Made possible through the Masonic Endowment for Cultural Enrichment Fund, this is a free, public concert that commemorates the centennial of renowned American composer, Leonard Bernstein. Works to be performed include popular melodies from West Side Story and Candide, the whimsical Bridal Suite (piano duet), Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, selections from the Anniversaries (solo piano vignettes of Bernstein’s friends and family), and the I Hate Music! song cycle.

Dr. Lucy Tan is the artistic director and pianist. Collaborating with her will be international guest artists Dr. Diego Caetano (Brazil/Texas, pianist) and Yunjung Lee (South Korea/ New York, violinist), as well as Brandon Brady (adjunct music instructor at Panhandle State, saxophonist/clarinetist) and Theresa Royse (Panhandle State alumna, soprano).

Lucy Tan, pianist, has performed at notable venues including Jordan Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center. Her young performing career began with her live radio debut at age eleven on “Morning Pro Musica,” followed by her concerto debut at age twelve with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Tan’s numerous media appearances include performances on NPR and on the recording, KuÅŸ Dili: The Language of Birds. Music festival engagements include performances at Bowdoin International Music Festival, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West. She also won prizes at the XXVIII Incontro Internatiozionale Giovani Pianisti, the Chiang Wen Yeh International Piano Competition, the Harvard Musical Association Award, the NEC Piano Concerto Competition, and more. Dr. Tan’s former teachers include David Korevaar, Bruce Brubaker, Veronica Jochum, Bob Spillman, Tatyana Dudochkin, and Hui-Yen Chang. Dr. Tan received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in piano performance from the New England Conservatory, and was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Tan is the Artist-in-Residence at Oklahoma Panhandle State University where she teaches courses in piano and music theory, and also serves as a collaborative pianist.

Brazil-born Diego Caetano graduated with a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a Master of Music degree from the University of Wyoming, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Universidade Federal de Goiás (Brazil). Dr. Caetano has studied under the guidance of Dr. David Korevaar, Bob Spillman, Dr. Theresa Bogard, Dr. Maria Helena Jayme, and Lílian Carneiro de Mendonça. He was also able to study with Dr. Nadezhda Eysmont at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, in Russia. As a soloist and chamber musician, he has appeared throughout the USA and internationally, including performances at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Lisbon’s Palacio da Foz, Yokohama’s Philia Hall, and London’s Royal Albert Hall. He has also concertized with orchestras such as the Orquestra Filarmônica de Goiás, New York Concert Sinfonietta, Boulder Philharmonic, and many more. Feature performances in festivals include the Grand Teton Music Festival, Belo Horizonte’s PianoFest, Durango’s Conservatory Music of the Mountains, Bangkok’s Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy, and Brasília’s International Music Festival. Dr. Caetano received the top prizes in more than forty national and international piano competitions. He is an Assistant Professor of Piano at Amarillo College and a Shigeru Kawai Artist.

Yunjung Lee, violinist, is originally from South Korea, and began her studies in violin at the age of five. A seasoned performer, she has performed with orchestras around the world, including the Greece Symphony Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic, Korean Symphony Orchestra, and many others. Notable appearances in international music festivals include participation in the Music Academy of the West in 2010 and 2011, the Brevard Music Festival in 2013, the Orford Music Center in 2015, and International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico in 2017. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in violin performance at Eastman School of Music, under tutelage of Zvi Zeitlin and Federico Agostini. She is now working towards a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Eastman School of Music under the guidance of Federico Agostini. Currently, Ms. Lee is Artist-in-Residence at Valley Manor in Rochester, NY. While serving her artist residency, she is also a teaching assistant of Federico Agostini and Jean M. Barr, instructing secondary violin at Eastman School of Music. Ms. Lee is passionate about playing solo violin, chamber music, and teaching.

Brandon Brady graduated from Emporia State University with his Bachelor’s in Music Performance in 2006 and his Master’s in Saxophone Performance in 2008. He has ABD status towards his Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree. He has served as an Adjunct Woodwinds Instructor at East Central University, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Cameron University. He has also taught applied saxophone at the University of Oklahoma. As a performer he has toured internationally with the E.S.U. Jazz Ensemble, performed as a soloist with the Oklahoma Baptist University Wind Ensemble, and gave the U.S.A. premier of Barbara York’s, Encountering Baba Yaga, with the East Central University Wind Ensemble. Mr. Brady currently teaches band for the Guymon Public School District and teaches applied lessons at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He is a devoted husband and father of two.

Theresa Royse, soprano, is an accomplished alumna of Oklahoma Panhandle State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in music education in the summer of 2013. Ms. Royse is an active educator in the Panhandle community, and was offered her first teaching job in Guymon, Oklahoma in 2014. Currently, she is faculty at Guymon High School where she holds the position of Assistant Choral Director and instructs fifth grade music. An avid performer, Ms. Royse was featured in several musical productions with Panhandle State and with the Guymon Community Theatre. She is enthusiastic about performing whenever the opportunity arises. She is also involved with Guymon First Baptist Church and performs regularly as a vocalist in the church choir. Ms. Royse is married and has two beautiful daughters under age four. She is passionate about singing and performing—she loves to share her love of music with the greater community. When she is not focused on her musical career, she is busily chasing her daughters around and working on her side business. Ms. Royse plans on returning to Guymon Community Theatre’s stage once her children are older.

This special event is sure to be amazing! Join us for a spectacular evening!