Internationally known pianist Wei-Yi Yang to dedicate recital to victims of terrorism

Internationally known pianist Wei-Yi Yang to dedicate recital to victims of terrorismSeptember 17, 2001Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

Pianist Wei-Yi Yang will present “A Schumann Triptych” faculty piano recital at 8 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Rose and Jules R. Setnor Auditorium in Syracuse University’s Crouse College. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of the more than 5,000 people who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, two of whom were Yang’s classmates. Students from SU’s Center for Public and Community Service will be on hand to collect donations for the American Red Cross Relief Fund and the United Way September 11^th Fund.

The program will consist of three piano masterpieces by the German romantic composer Robert Schumann-“Kinderszenen,” op. 15; “Kreisleriana,” op. 16; and “Fantasie,” op. 17.

“These pieces are among the most expressive and emotional music ever written,” Yang says. “The music ranges from tender miniature pieces to grand sonata proportion. All were composed during periods of time that Schumann was separated from his beloved Clara, the most desperate and lovelorn periods of his life.”

A native of Taiwan and assistant professor of piano at SU, Yang has performed throughout the United States, the British Isles and Asia as a soloist with orchestras and in recitals. He has garnered top prizes and awards in the Manhattan Concerto Competition, New York’s Five Town Arts Foundation Competition, the San Jose International Piano Competition, the Long Island Young Artist Competition and Yale’s Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition. He also won a gold medal in the Fifth San Antonio International Piano Competition.

Yang is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Russian pianist Arkady Aronov. He earned a M.M.A. degree from Yale University where he studied under Boris Berman, Claude Frank and Peter Frankl.