2025 NEW ORLEANS PIANO INSTITUTE AND
JULY 19-27, 2025
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY, NEW ORLEANS
presented by
“

–SERGEI RACHMANINOFF










JULY 19-27, 2025
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY, NEW ORLEANS
presented by
“
–SERGEI RACHMANINOFF
SATURDAY, JULY 19
Institute Orientation 4:30 PM
SUNDAY, JULY 20
Guest Artist Recital Zhu Wang 4:00 PM
MONDAY, JULY 21
Master Class I Igor Resnianski 1:00 PM
NOPI Solo Competition Semifnal Round - Division I Semifinal 3:30 PM
NOPI Solo Competition Semifnal Round - Division II Semifinal 7:30 PM
TUESDAY, JULY 22
Announcement of the 2025 NOPI Solo Competition Winners
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23
Master Class III Hristo Birbochukov 10:45 AM
Master Class IV Dustin Gledhill 3:45 PM
THURSDAY, JULY 24
NOPI Concerto Competition 9:00 AM
Sponsored by the Steinway Society of New Orleans with support from Igor Resnianski
Announcement of the 2025 NOPI Concerto Competition Winners Master Class V Alan Chow 3:15 PM
FRIDAY, JULY 25
Meet the Faculty Q & A Session with NOPI Faculty 10:45 AM Master Class VI Zhu Wang 3:15 PM
SATURDAY, JULY 26
Showcase Recital I 10:30 AM
Showcase Recital II 1:30 PM
ATURDAY, JULY 27
NOPI Student Showcase Recital
All NOPI Master Classes will take place in Loyola University Music/Communications Building, Room 240. The NOPI Solo and Concerto Competitions, Showcase Recital, and Guest Artists Recital will be held in Roussel Hall of the Loyola University Music/Communications Building.
Praised as “especially impressive” and “a thoughtful, sensitive performer” who “balanced lyrical warmth and crisp clarity” (Tommasini - The New York Times), pianist Zhu Wang was awarded First Prize in the 2020 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions. He is also the first prize winner of the 2024 New Orleans International Piano Competition, 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians, 4th Manhattan International Music Competition, Hilton Head Young Artist Piano Competition, the Juilliard Gina Bachauer International Scholarship Piano Competition, and the Juilliard Mieczyslaw Munz Scholarship. In 2019, Zhu was one of three finalists in the Clara Haskil International Piano Competition, and he has been a featured soloist on WQXR’s Young Artist Showcase and WFMT’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts.
Celebrated for his “technical mastery and deep sense of lyricism,” (The Durango Herald), Zhu has appeared in recital at The Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, Caramoor’s Evnin Rising Stars Series, Southampton Rising Stars, Music at Dumbarton Oaks, The Morgan Library & Museum, Hayden’s Ferry Chamber Music Series, Buffalo Chamber Music Society, Salon de Virtuosi, Ridotto Classical Concerts, and Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, which made The New York Times’ “Best of Classical Music 2021” list.
An avid chamber musician, he has appeared with Chamber Music Detroit, Vancouver Recital Society, La Jolla Music Society, Stanford Live, Hamilton College, Howland Chamber Music Series, Chesapeake Music, Clarion Concerts, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Music@Menlo, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Zhu will perform in a chamber music program with musicians from the Orchestra of St. Lukes at Carnegie Hall in March 2025.
Since his orchestral debut at age 14 with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, where he performed Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21, recent and upcoming orchestral performances include the Columbus Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Fort Collins Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Spokane Symphony, and Aiken Symphony, Brevard Philharmonic, as well as a performance this season at Carnegie Hall with the New York Youth Symphony, with conductors such as Rossen Milanov, Paolo Bortolameolli, Robert Moody, and Wes Kinney.
Zhu has performed all over the world in China, Korean, Italy, Poland, Japan, at prestigious venues including the Kammermusiksaal of Berliner Philharmonie, Warsaw Philharmonic Concert Hall, and Shanghai Concert Hall, and as soloist with Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Zermatt Music Festival Orchestra, Brunensis Virtuosi Orchestra, and the Xiamen Philharmonic. This season he will perform with Randall Goosby at Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank.
Zhu has been honored to study with and perform for many influential pianists, including Gary Graffman, Arie Vardi, Fou Ts’ong, Stephen Hough, Murray Perahia, Jerome Lowenthal, Robert Levin, Matti Raekallio, and Jeremy Denk. He is also the recipient of special prizes for the best Waltz, Preludes, and Mazurka in the 5th International Chopin Young Artist Piano Competition and the 16th Asian Chopin International Piano Competition in Japan.
A native of Hunan, China, Zhu started learning piano at the age of five. He is a graduate of the Music Middle School affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Zhe Tang and Fou Ts’ong. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music, andis currently pursuing his Masters from The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Emanuel Ax and Robert McDonald. He gratefully acknowledges the support of the Bagby Foundation for the Musical Arts.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
4:00 PM
Roussel Hall • Loyola University New Orleans
Mozart Piano Sonata in F Major, K.332
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro assai
Schumann Humoresque, Op.20
Bartók
Strauss/Grainger
Sonata, Sz.80
Allegro moderato
Sostenuto e pesante
Allegro molto
Ramble on the Last Love-duet in “The Rosenkavalier”
Stravinsky/Agosti
The Firebird Suite
Danse infernale
Berceuse
Finale
Cara McCool Woolf
Executive & Artisitic Director
Stefan Moll
Assistant Director
Alan Chow
Chairman of the Jury of the New Orleans International Piano Compeition
Daniel Weilbaecher Director Emeritus
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
Jason Burge President
William Marshall Immediate Past-President
Robert Edgecombe President-Elect
Bruce Crutcher Treasurer
Terry Voorhies Secretary
MEMBERS
Hristo Birbochukov
Michael Boucree
Courtney Bryan
Louise Bush
David Greenhouse
Rosalind Hinton
Joan Jensen
Leo Landry
Igor Resnianski
Barbara Sands
Megan Shannon
Anne Sumich
Charles Taylor
Victoria Zangara
Emeritus Board Members
Mary Sue Chambers (1928-2021)
Julianne Nice
Bruce Trible (1927-2022)
Madelyn Trible (1930-2023)
MASNO’s vision is to be a primary force in establishing New Orleans as a vital and vibrant center of the musical arts, recognized regionally, nationally and internationally.
MASNO’s mission is:
(1) to create opportunities to hear, participate in, and appreciate performances of the musical arts by established and emerging artists;
(2) to encourage the development of supportive, knowledgeable and enthusiastic audiences for concerts presented by the Musical Arts Society and other musical organizations; (3) to nurture the development of talent; (4) to champion music education.
Originally founded in 1980 as the New Orleans Institute for the Performing Arts (NOIPA) by Melvin Alford and Julianne Nice, the organization aimed to provide students and teachers in the performing arts with masterclasses and workshops, as well as expose them to performances by artists in the mainstream of professional activity.
Since its beginning, MASNO has provided both artists and students an opportunity to perform for appreciative audiences and has assisted students in developing skills necessary to build artistic discipline within a comfortable and supportive environment. MASNO has continued to present performances by emerging as well as established artists and to encourage the community to embrace the arts, particularly classical music. In addition to individual events during the year, a weeklong festival featuring master classes, lectures, and performances has been presented annually since 1981, until its one-year postponement in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1989, Madelyn Trible and Raymond Gitz founded the New Orleans International Piano Competition (NOIPC) as an augmentation to the summer keyboard festival. Without delay, the competition began expanding in scope, attracting competitors and audiences from around the globe, and quickly becoming regarded as one of the finest showcases of pianistic talent.
In the fall of 1994, Melvin Alford stepped down as NOIPA’s first Executive/Artistic Director, and Daniel Weilbaecher was asked to take this position. At that time, NOIPA was renamed the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans.
In 1999, the New Orleans Piano Institute (NOPI) was begun as the educational component of MASNO’s summer event. NOPI is an award-winning, intensive solo performance program for talented college, high school, and junior high pianists that includes private lessons, masterclasses, special presentations, performance, and competition opportunities. All of this is within the inspirational context of the biennial NOIPC and the annual Keyboard Festival. Shearon Horton and Raymond Gitz were the first directors of NOPI, and in 2010, Joni Jensen replaced Raymond as NOPI Local Director. Upon Shearon’s retirement in 2013, Alan Chow and Igor Resnianski accepted the Co-Director positions. In 2017, Joni Jensen joined Igor as NOPI Co-Director. Since 2020, Hristo Birbochukov has served with Igor as Co-Director. The institute format continues to expand and now includes a solo competition on alternate years of the NOIPC as well as virtual components. In addition, the Steinway Society of New Orleans presents the NOPI Concerto Competition of which the winner receives a cash prize as well as the opportunity to perform with the New Orleans Civic Symphony.
In the spring of 2004, MASNO presented its first Concerto Showcase featuring the three medalists of the preceding NOIPC to each perform concerti with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Since only solo repertoire is heard during the competition, Concerto Showcase was envisioned as an extension of the NOIPC allowing our top three prizewinners to be heard in concert with the LPO.
From the strategic viewpoint, a new path was established for the evolution of MASNO’s premiere offering in 2009. The NOIPC, which had always been open to pianists without age restriction, began a biennial alternation with the New Orleans international Piano Competition for Young Artists, open to pianists between 14 and 18 years of age. In 2012, the MASNO Board of Directors decided to end the international competition for young artists and to present NOIPC every other year. Despite its postponement in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic causing a 4-year pause, the NOIPC continues as a biennial event.
In 2013, after 20 years as both Executive and Artistic Director of MASNO, Daniel Weilbaecher resigned his position as Executive Director while continuing to serve as Artistic Director. In the fall of 2014, Cara McCool was named MASNO’s Executive Director, and in 2018, she also took the position of Artistic Director upon Daniel’s retirement. At this time, Alan Chow was named Chairman of the Jury of the New Orleans International Piano Competition, as it had formerly been one of Daniel’s roles.
One of Cara’s goals was to broaden MASNO’s presence in the New Orleans musical community extending beyond the summer-centered events. During her tenure, she has led the organization to expand their presence locally, nationally and internationally by extending their calendar to a full annual season featuring an increasingly diverse roster of talent presented in collaboration with a growing number of partners. Under her leadership and with the support of the Board of Directors and Friends, MASNO continues increasing the number of educational and community outreach opportunities they provide as well as both virtual and live events throughout the area such as their virtual mini-concert series MASNOtes, Le Petit Salon Concert Series and other online offerings in an effort to stay connected to the community while continuing to support artists Post-Pandemic.
The New Orleans International Piano Competition continues to expand in its global reach as well as its reputation for excellence. A member of the Alink-Argerich Foundation for many years, the NOIPC was inducted into the World Federation of International Music Competitions in 2024. It also boasts a strengthening partnership with Steinway & Sons using all Steinway pianos for the competition and being the recipient of a Recording Prize on the Steinway & Sons label for the 1st Place Winner of the NOIPC.
Celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2025, MASNO proudly holds true to its vision and mission continuing its efforts to make New Orleans a vital and vibrant center for the musical arts recognized locally, nationally and internationally; and by supporting artists, encouraging supportive audiences, nurturing the development of talent, and championing music education.
Semifinal Round: Monday, July 21 final Round: Tuesday, July 22
Participation in this event is limited to students of the New Orleans Piano Institute. There are two Divisions based on the age of the contestant. Each pianist will be heard twice. Winners are announced following the conclusion of the Final Round.
diviSion i: 17 years of age and younger
First Prize
$500
Awarded by Terry and Rand Voorhies
Second Prize
Awarded by Rosalind Hinton
Third Prize
$200
$100
Awarded by Sarah and Robert Edgecombe
diviSion ii: 18 years of age and older
First Prize
$700
Awarded by William Marshall and Tessa Izdepski
Second Prize
Awarded by Rosalind Hinton
Third Prize
$300
$150
Awarded by Sarah and Robert Edgecombe
Solo Competition JuRoRS
Faina Lushtak
Zhu Wang
Robin Williams
diviSion i CompetitoRS
Noah Albatrosov
Daniel Cezair
Ethan Mihaescu
Annie Reale
Samuel Sachs
Jayden Yoon
Bobby Yuan
ConCeRto Competition JuRoRS
Faina Lushtak
Charles Taylor
Zhu Wang
diviSion ii CompetitoRS
Mario Gomez
Annabel Morgan
Chindanai Nukulvutthiopas
Sean Skinner
Manyi Wu
Anthony Zamora
ConCeRto CompetitoRS
Aiden Hart
Ethan Mihaescu
Chindanai Nukulvutthiopas
Ruthie Sommer
Jayden Yoon
Bobby Yuan
Anthony Zamora
INstItute CO-DIreCtOrs
Hristo Birbochukov
Igor Resnianski
faCulty
Kevin Chance
Alan Chow
Dustin Gledhill
Zhu Wang
JurOrs
Faina Lushtak
Charles Taylor
Zhu Wang
Robin Williams
New Orleans Piano Institute Directors Igor Resnianski and Hristo Birbochukov have selected twenty-two pianists to participate in the 2025 New Orleans Piano Institute – a piano academy taking place concurrently with the New Orleans Keyboard Festival. Being in its 25th year, NOPI invites talented college, high school and junior high pianists from across the United States and around the world to participate in an intensive solo performance program, including private lessons with distinguished faculty, masterclasses, special presentations in piano literature and performance practice, and an opportunity to perform in the Showcase Recital.
This summer, students are invited to compete for cash awards in the NOPI Solo Competition held for ages 17 and younger (Division I) and ages 18 and older (Division II). Students also have the opportunity to compete in the NOPI Concerto Competition sponsored by The Steinway Society of New Orleans with support from Igor Resnianski. The winner of the Concerto Competition will receive a $500 cash prize and an invitation to perform with the New Orleans Civic Symphony in the fall.
The public is invited to attend all events of the Piano Institute and Keyboard Festival. Throughout this exciting event, there will be opportunities to hear masterclasses and special presentations, the NOPI Solo Competition Rounds, the Concerto Competition, the NOPI Student Showcase Recital, and the New Orleans Keyboard Festival guest artist recital of Zhu Wang, winner of the 2024 New Orleans International Piano Competition. All masterclasses, NOPI student performances and all Competition Rounds are free of charge to attend.
The NOPI teaching faculty this year includes Hristo Birbochukov (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts), Kevin Chance (University of Alabama), Alan Chow (The Eastman School of Music), Dustin Gledhill (New York), and Igor Resnianski (West Chester University of Pennsylvania). Masterclasses will be given by all NOPI faculty as well as guest artist Zhu Wang.
The Bulgarianborn pianist Hristo Birbochukov has performed extensively as a solo and collaborative pianist across Eastern Europe and the United States, including a New York debut solo recital in 2012. Known for his “superb artistry” and “sensitivity” (Edward Lein, Intermezzo Concert Series), Birbochukov is a prize-winner of national and international competitions and has participated in international music festivals, including the International Festival for Contemporary Piano Music ppIANISSIMO (Sofia, Bulgaria), and the Festival of New Music (Florida, USA). Birbochukov’s awards include Phi Kappa Phi Artist of the Year (Florida, 2007), and Tallahassee Music Guild (2005 and 2007). His television and radio appearances have included broadcasts in both Bulgaria and in the United States and he has been featured in national and international press, including the official website of BBC Music Magazine.
Hristo Birbochukov holds a Doctor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Florida State University, a Master of Music degree from Southeastern Louisiana University, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from the National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, under Prof. Dimo Dimov.
A sought-after educator, Dr. Hristo Birbochukov was named Steinway & Sons Top Teacher for 2017 and 2018. Students of Dr. Birbochukov are frequent winners of state, regional, and national piano competitions, and were selected as finalists for NPR’s program “From the Top.” Presently, Dr. Birbochukov is the Chair of the Classical Instrumental Department of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and an Artist Teacher in Applied Piano. In addition, he is on the Music Faculty of NOBTS, where he teaches Applied Piano to DMA piano students, he is a Co-Director of the annual New Orleans Piano Institute (NOPI), and on the Board of Directors of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans (MASNO). More info: www.birbochukov.com
Igor Resnianski, a Steinway Artist with formal training in Russia and the United States, has garnered numerous international piano accolades. Notable achievements include the First Prize at the New Orleans International Piano Competition, the Bronze Medal at the World Piano Competition, the Bronze Medal at the Nena Wideman International Piano Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Fifth Prize at the First China International Piano Competition. Additionally, Resnianski has received the Second Prize in the All-Russia Piano Competition Sodrujestvo.
He has performed extensively as a soloist and in chamber ensembles in Russia, the United States, South America, China, Hong Kong, and others. He has collaborated with orchestras such as Fort Worth, Novosibirsk, Louisiana, Acadiana, Kennett, Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Mission College and Helena Symphonies. His performances have been televised and broadcast in Russia and the United States, including PBS/ WHYY, Y-Arts, and WRTI 90.1 television and radio stations. He was named Steinway and Sons’ Top Teacher from 2016 to 2024 and Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association’s Teacher of the Year in 2012. In 2023, he was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.
Dr. Resnianski teaches master-classes in the USA, Russia, China, Hong Kong, and abroad. He regularly judges local, state, national, and international piano competitions, among them are: New Orleans International Piano Competition and New Orleans International Piano Competition for Young Artists, Chicago International Music Competition, Kaufman International Youth Piano Competition, Weather-
ford College International Piano Competition, MTNA National Competition, GMC Festival and Competition in Hong Kong, Marian Garcia International Piano Competition in State College, PA, Texas Music Teachers Association annual piano competition, MTNA Texas Music Teachers Association and MTNA New Jersey Music Teachers Association piano competitions, MTNA Utah Music Teachers Association Piano Competition, etc.
His students were winners of local, state, national, and international piano contests. They appeared with many orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Fort Worth Symphony, New Orleans Civic Symphony, Lansdowne Symphony, Ambler Symphony, etc. Dr. Resnianski is a regular faculty/guest artist of such festivals as PianoTexas International Academy and Festival, Fort Worth, TX; New Orleans Piano Institute, LA; California Concerto Festival, CA; GMC Music Festival in Hong Kong, etc. Since 2014, Dr. Resnianski is a co-director of the annual New Orleans Piano Institute, and since 2024, he is the director of the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Annual National Pre-Collegiate Piano Competition. Dr. Resnianski is an Assistant Professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, and also teaches at the Nelly Berman School of Music in Haverford, PA.
Kevin Chance serves as Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Alabama where he coordinates the Gloria Narramore Moody Piano Area. As soloist and collaborator, Kevin has performed throughout the United States and abroad, and recent orchestral appearances have included Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, Bernstein’s Age of Anxiety, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a
Theme by Paganini, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and SaintSaëns’s Le Carnaval des animaux. Performing regularly as a chamber musician, Kevin has been a member of the Semplice Duo with flutist Cristina Ballatori for the past 20 years, and their performances have included world premiers at the National Flute Association Conference as well as recitals in Wisconsin, Texas, Colorado, Virginia, Alabama, New York, and Europe.
Kevin has recently received a number of accolades for his teaching. Most recently, he was named a 2020-2022 Leadership Board Faculty Fellow for the University of Alabama College of Arts and Sciences, which recognizing excellence in teaching and research. In 2019, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the Steinway and Sons Music Teacher Hall of Fame in New York City and was named 2019 Music Educator of the Year by the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. Additionally, he was named the 2015 Teacher of the Year by the Alabama Music Teachers Association. Kevin maintains an award-winning studio of college and pre-college students, and his students have garnered awards at the state, regional, and national levels. In demand as a clinician and adjudicator, he frequently presents at the MTNA National Conference as well asstate and local music teacher organizations throughout the country. In January 2021, Kevin served as the headliner clinician for the University of Georgia Piano Symposium, and each summer, he serves on the faculty of the New Orleans Piano Institute each summer.
Dr. Chance holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Louisiana State University, and Birmingham-Southern College, and his former teachers include Barry Snyder, Constance Knox Carroll, Anne Koscielny, Ann Schein, William DeVan, and Betty Sue Shepherd. He has recently served as President of the American Matthay Association for Piano and recently finished his term as Vice President of MTNA as well as President-Elect and since the spring of 2025 Dr. Chance is the President of Music Teachers National Association.
alaN ChOw
Noted for his “elegant poetry and virtuosic fire,” Alan Chow has won First Prize in the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the UCLA International Piano Competition, and the Palm Beach Invitational International Piano Competition. Winner of the Silver Medal and Audience Favorite Prize at the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition, he was also a prizewinner in the William Kapell International Piano Competition.
A Steinway artist, Mr. Chow has performed in recital and in concert with orchestras from coast to coast in almost all of the 50 states. His recitals have brought him to the major music centers including New York (Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Steinway Hall), Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago (Symphony Center and Ravinia), Washington, D.C., Cleveland, Seattle, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami. Concerto performances include appearances with the National Symphony, Utah Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, Kansas City Symphony, and Omaha Symphony. Mr. Chow regularly tours Asia with performances in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, including performances with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Shanghai Philharmonic and the Pan-Asia Symphony. An avid chamber musician, he has collaborated with the American, Pacifica, Miami, and Escher String Quartets and has been guest artist at the Grand Canyon Chamber Music Festival, Bowdoin Music Festival, Juneau Jazz and Classics, San Juan Islands Chamber Music Festival, Kent Blossom Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, Music Festival of Arkansas and Music Mountain. In addition, he appears in joint recital engagements in the Cheng-Chow Trio with pianists Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow.
Also in demand for his teaching, Mr. Chow has given master classes throughout North America and in Asia and Europe at conservatories, universities and summer festivals including Indiana University, Manhattan School of Music, New Orleans International Piano Festival, Gina Bachauer International Piano Festival, Chicago International Music Festival, Bay PianoFest, Leon Fleisher Academy, John Perry Academy, Las Vegas Piano Festival, Classical Music Festival (Austria), Tunghai International Piano Festival (Taiwan), MK Piano Academy (Korea), Yunnan International Piano Festival (China) and in Singapore. Recently a guest professor at the Central Conservatory in Beijing and honored visiting professor at the Shenyang Conservatory, he is currently a Visiting Professor of Piano at the Menuhin School in Qingdao. He has also presented recitals, master classes, and lectures in China for the conservatories in Shanghai, Chengdu, Xian and Wuhan.
Mr. Chow studied with Nelita True at the University of Maryland where he graduated Co-Valedictorian with his twin brother Alvin, and received the Charles Manning Prize in the Creative and Performing Arts given to the outstanding graduate; with Sascha Gorodnitzki at The Juilliard School where he was awarded the Victor Herbert Prize in Piano; and with Menahem Pressler at Indiana University where he was the recipient of the Joseph Battista Memorial Scholarship. He also studied at the Mozarteum Sommerakademie with Carlo Zecchi.
Mr. Chow has previously served on the piano faculty of the University of Arkansas and Northwestern University. He is currently Professor of Piano and Chair of the Piano Department at the Eastman School of Music.
Dustin is an international prize-winning pianist, composer, songwriter, producer, educator, director, writer, and actor. As a child and young adult pianist, he garnered over twenty first-prize awards in international competitions.
As a composer and performer, he has collaborated with modern dance companies and choreographers including Russell Maliphant, Parisa Khobdeh, Maya Taylor, and Brad Landers, and has appeared in productions of the late Pina Bausch.
In 2022, Dustin became President of The Bohemians: New York Musicians’ Club—a nonprofit established in 1907 that supports young musicians through an annual concert series and artist residency. He fully produced the club’s virtual concert series in 2021 for its 115th season and launched the inaugural Bohemians Young Artists Piano Competition in 2022 for performers aged 18 and under. He now serves as Executive & Artistic Director, producing career assets for recipients of the Robert A. Levinson and Patricia S. Levinson Arts Achievement Award and the Bohemians Artists Residency, in collaboration with New York’s Concert Artists Guild.
Dustin is also the director of Gledhill Arts Collective, a group of private teaching studios in New York City, complemented by collaborative professional events and workshops. Students of the Collective have won top prizes in international young artist competitions and have consistently earned state and national gold medals in the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Certificate Program, at every level offered.
In collaboration with writer and director Nathan Wright, Dustin composed electronicclassical–inspired music for the collage-theater piece Manifesto, which explores the life of Serge Diaghilev.
He has been commissioned to compose original music for podcasts including Autism Speaks, as well as for other commercial projects. In 2016, Dustin and his sister-in-law, singer-songwriter Mindy Gledhill, formed the synth-pop duo Hive Riot, releasing an award-winning album, music videos, and additional singles.
Dustin recently released an independent album featuring highlights from his second Wigmore Hall concert, Live at Wigmore Hall, 2010. This concert was made possible by sponsorship from the late Richard Goula, following Dustin’s gold medal win at the 2006 New Orleans International Piano Competition.
He is currently writing a series of twentyfour short pieces in the soft-piano genre titled Pink Preludes, and is set to release a new album in Fall 2025 featuring Rameau’s Nouvelle Pièces de Clavecin and Fauré’s Préludes, Op. 103.
A native of Provo, Utah, Dustin holds degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (BM), The Juilliard School (MM), the Royal Academy of Music (PGDip), and earned his DMA from Stony Brook University. He currently resides in New York City.
Zhu waNg see page four
Faina Lushtak was born and raised in the Soviet Union. A child prodigy, she began her piano and composition studies at the age of six. Following her early instruction under her mother, Genya Lushtak, Faina went on to study and graduate from the Stoliarsky School for Musically Gifted Children under the tutelage of Eleonora Levinson in Odessa, Ukraine. She continued her studies at the Moscow Tchaikowsky Conservatory, where she earned degrees in piano performance and composition under the apprenticeship of Genrietta Mirvis, Yakov Zak, and Tikhon Khrennikov. Subsequently, she became a faculty member at the Moscow Conservatory until emmigrating to the United States. Since her debut at the age of ten, Ms. Lushtak’s performances have inspired audiences throughout Ruissa, Western Europe, Canada, and the United States. She has appeared as a guest artist with numerous symphony orchestras under the batons of noted conductors, including Klauspeter Seibel, William Henry Curry, Maxim Shostakovich, and Alfred Savia. She has also performed as a solo recitalist in major cities throughout the United States, including repeat performances at the Lincoln Center. Faina Lushtak has had numerous invitations to appear as a guest artist and judge at international competitions and festivals, including the Nena Wideman Competition, the Gina Bachauer International Junior Competition, the Canadian National Music Competition, the Eastman Young Artists International Piano Competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition, the Yamaha-Bosendorfer Competition, and the New Orleans International Piano Competition. At the Bachauer Festival, The Salt Lake Tribune
commented: “that two hours spent basking in her glorious music wasn’t enough.”
Currently Ms. Lushtak is a Downman Professor of Music at Tulane University. She also serves on the faculty of the Orfeo International Music Festival in Italy. Ms. Lushtak’s performance of works by Rachmanioff, Scraibin, and Chopin’s Mazurkas have been recorded on the Centaur label. Fanfare Magazine described her “vibrant, dynamic readings, delicate expressiveness and a dazzling virtuosity.” Ms. Lushtak’s compositions for piano have been published by Willis Music and Boosey & Hawkes, England. Faina Lushtak is a Steinway artist and her latest CD: “My Mother’s Music Box” has also been published by Centaur Records.
Dr. Charles Taylor is Professor of Music and Director of the School of the Arts. Dr. Taylor holds the degrees Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Music Education and Doctor of Musical
Arts in Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He studied conducting with Rodney Winther and Terence Milligan and clarinet with Carmine Campione and Emil Schmactenberg. Prior to his appointment at the University of New Orleans, Dr. Taylor taught middle school and high school instrumental music in Ohio. Dr. Taylor also serves as the conductor of the New Orleans Concert Band and the New Orleans Civic Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. Taylor has been a guest conductor throughout the United States and Canada
and a guest clinician at the Mid-West Clinic, the International Conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the Southern Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association, and the Louisiana Music Educators Association. Under his direction, the New Orleans Concert Band performed at the National Convention of the Association of Concert Bands in Houston, Texas and the University of New Orleans Wind Ensemble performed at the Louisiana Music Educators Association State Conference. As an advocate for new music, Dr. Taylor has premiered over 50 works in various media and has worked collaboratively with many composers and performers, including Michael Torke, Steven Bryant, John Mackey, James Syler, Lisa Kaplan, Brad Garner, Mark Babbitt, and Helen Kim.
At UNO, Dr. Taylor teaches graduate and undergraduate theory and conducting; he additionally serves as the conductor of the New Orleans Civic Symphony Orchestra, the New Orleans Concert Band, and several new ensembles. He has presented sessions at the Mid-West Clinic, Southern Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association, and the Louisiana Music Education Association.
Under his direction, the New Orleans Concert Band performed at the National Convention of the Association of Concert bands in Houston, Texas. He has served as guest conductor for ensembles in Louisiana, Ohio, Michigan, and New York. During the 2010-11 year, Dr. Taylor also served as Visiting Associate Professor at Louisiana State University, where he conducted the Wind Ensemble.
Robin Holtz Williams is a former Chair of the Department of Music at the University of New Orleans and a member of the Board of Directors of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans (MASNO). Growing up in Kansas City, Dr. Williams earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Missouri - Kansas City and then studied at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where she was awarded Masters and Doctorate degrees in Piano Performance.
Since joining the University of New Orleans faculty in 1990, Dr. Williams has been a frequent solo and chamber musician in New Orleans and the surrounding region, with many of her performances rebroadcast over WWNO-89.9 FM. She has also presented recitals across the country, most recently in the Midwest. In addition to teaching and performing, she maintains an active schedule as an adjudicator. She has served as Louisiana State Coordinator for the Senior Performance Competition sponsored through the Music Teachers National Association. Dr. Williams has presented sessions at the Louisiana State Teachers Convention and will be a presenter in March 2007 in Kansas City for the National Federation of Music Clubs. In July 2006 she served as a competition judge for the 18th Annual New Orleans International Piano Competition.
Dr. Williams’ philosophy is that piano music encompasses a full range of emotions, from very personal expression within an intimate setting to thrilling concert audiences through dazzling virtuosity. She has pursued both. Her CD, A Piano in the House, features rarely performed examples of the domestic
repertoire: miniature, sweetly tuned, expressive pieces composed for hearth and home. In the Fall of 2005 Dr. Williams was named a Virginia Kock Professor at the University of New Orleans. This professorship enabled her to produce Bridge, Brahms and Blue, a collection of bravura concert pieces designed to dazzle both at home and on the stage.
Dr. Williams is an active member of MTNA and currently is a President Elect of LMTA (Louisiana Music Teachers Association).
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We at MASNO are privileged to be able to present these kinds of musical opportunities in New Orleans as well as play significant roles in the development of young talent and future musical careers through our programming. However, we could not do so without the generous support of our Friends, Donors, Partners and Sponsors.
Our annual membership level starts with a taxdeductible donation of $35 per year. This annual membership includes a subscription to MASNO’s E-Newsletter, Advance Notice and Pre-sale Privileges for exclusive MASNO events, and Recognition in the program book of the New Orleans International Piano Competition and New Orleans Keyboard Festival.
Monetary donations can be made by mail, by phone 504.899.4826, or securely online at masno.org.
MASNO offers multiple levels of Corporate and Individual Event Sponsorship Opportunities. These levels of donation are accompanied by benefits to the sponsor. Examples of Individual Event Sponsorships include the sponsorship of Artist Fees, Salon Concert Events, Nocturne, Prizes for the New Orleans International Piano Competition and more. More information is available for download on our website.
Please note the IRS requires that the Fair Market Value of certain benefits be subtracted from the amount of your gift on your tax return. You may waive any benefits by notifying our office.
MASNO very gratefully acknowledges and relies on the support of our volunteers and hosts to ensure the success of our events. Examples of some of these volunteering and hosting opportunities are:
• Volunteering at events including the New Orleans International Piano Competition
• Hosting a contestant for the New Orleans International Piano Competition
• Hosting a Juror and Faculty Dinner for the New Orleans International Piano Competition
• Hosting a Salon Concert*
• Other volunteer opportunities
*Salon Concerts feature artists in intimate concert settings often accompanied by delectable food and drink. From private homes to art galleries, these performances outside of the traditional concert hall have become
some of MASNO’s most popular offerings.
Many companies have programs in place to match or even double the donations of their employees or their employees’ spouses. You can acquire a Matching Gift Form from your company’s Human Resources Office.
Gifts that generate income are excellent vehicles for your retirement plan. By placing assets in a Charitable Remainder Trust for the benefit of the Musical Arts Society, one or another beneficiary may:
• Receive fixed or variable income payments for life
• Enjoy a current income tax deduction
• Eliminate capital-gains tax when using appreciated assets
• Convert low-income property or securities into a higher income stream
• Reduce estate taxes
With a Charitable Lead Trust, you may provide income to the Musical Arts Society for a period of time, passing on the assets to your heirs in the future. Lead Trusts can also help save estate or gift taxes while at the same time providing a major contribution.
If you already have an established will, or will soon be having one prepared, consider leaving a bequest to the Musical Arts Society. If you already have a will, naming MASNO can be done very simply by an amendment (codicil) so that your entire will does not need to be redrafted. To leave a bequest to the MASNO Endowment Fund, please name the beneficiary as the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans.
Qualified retirement plan benefits are excellent choices for funding a testamentary charitable gift. Because such benefits are subject to estate taxes and income tax liability to the ultimate recipient, directing those assets to the Musical Arts Society could be eligible to bypass double taxation.
Naming MASNO as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy will allow an estate tax deduction for your estate.
Contributions of stocks or bonds can be designated for the MASNO endowment Fund, directed to benefit a specific aspect of programming or directed to the support of MASNO’s general operating expenses.
For more information, visit masno.org, call 504.899.4826, or email director@masno.org
The following are gratefully acknowledged for their gifts to MASNO between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Keyboard Circle Gold - $25,000+
Richard Goula | Thistlewood Foundation
Steinway & Sons
Keyboard Circle Silver - $10,000+
Gauthier Family Foundation
Nocturne Premiere Sponsorship - $10,000+
Allan Ledbetter In loving memory of Toni Ledbetter
Prestissimo - $5,000+
Mary and Doug Albert
Arts New Orleans
Louisiana Division of the Arts
Loyola University New Orleans
Presto - $2,500+
Trey Cassels
Sarah and Robert Edgecombe
Rosalind Hinton
Sebastian Koga
Elizabeth and Leo Landry
Steinway Piano Gallery of New Orleans
Terry and Rand Voorhies
WWNO Clasical Network
Drs. Emel and Ranney Mize
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation
Julianne Nice and Herb Larson
Fauré Level Nocturne Sponsorship - $2,500+
Lexus of New Orleans
Field Level Nocturne Sponsorship - $1,500+
Acadian Ambulance Services
Vivace - $1,000+
Michael Boucree
Jane and Henry Casselli
Robin and Bruce Crutcher
David Greenhouse
Margarita and Kim Harvey
Steven Kinchen
Edward Levy
Jonathan McCall
Everett Robert
Barbara and Thomas Sands
Betty and Greg Speyrer
Steinway Society of New Orleans
Jason Burge and Rebekka Veith
Donna Vitter
Cara and Vance Woolf
“…dynamic power and scorching virtuosity.” – South Florida Classical Review 2023
INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PIANIST
6th Annual
“…simply one of the best classical pianists working today…”
– The Herald, Scotland 2024
SUNDAY
OCTOBER 19 2025
featuring the Electric Yat Quartet, pianist André Bohren, trumpeter Vance Woolf, and Friends.
Allegro - $500+
Juan Barroso
Barbara Beckman
Susan Berry
Roselyn Boneno
Drs. Andrea and Archie
Brown
Lou Bush
Michael Carey
Cala Colbert
William and Patricia
Copeland
Eileen Devall
Erika Elliott
Raul Fonte
James Gulotta
Michael Harold
Vivienne and Peck
Hayne
Laura Shields
Norma Grace and Bob
Sternhell
Anne Sumich
Bob and Georgie
Weilbaecher
Betsy and Pat Widhalm
Dana Wright
Allegretto - $250+
Gray Barrow
Leslie Copeland
Moderato - $100+
Ramona Bond
Mary Ann Bulla
Raquel Cortina
Fatima Coyle
William Cullison
Lisa Fauci
Carmel Fauci
Dannie and Charles
Goodwin
Allen and Cindy Hebert
Octavio Hernandez
Chad Hille
Joni Jensen and Bruce
Drs. Jamie Manders and
Joan Coulter
Gayle Dellinger
Kerry DeLoach
Julie Doan
Leslie Dominguez
Susan Douglas
Diane and Charles
Dupin
Maria Elliott
James Farrow
Melissa and Bruce
Gordon
Kathleen Hebert
Lespaul, LLC
Rita and Jerry Satawa
William Long
Judith and Marc Loudon
Catherine Makk
Janet Schinderman
Sheila Schwartzmann
Carmen Soriano
Marly Sweeney
Nora Wetzel
Mr. and Mrs. John
Wilson
Robert Wood
Anne-Marie and Edward Karp
Benjamin Karp
Hanna Lee and Family
Noonie and Clay LeJeune
Faina Lushtak
F.W. Nelms
Nell Nolan
Joseph Praner
Paula and Michael Ross and Family
Darnell Shuart
Soine Dermatology & Aesthetics
Matthew Steffens
Melissa and Bruce Stockwell
Kent Westmoreland
Andante - $35+
Lillian Eyrich
Annie Irvin
Elizabeth M. Landis
Margaret Parker
Elizabeth and Joe Poirier
Margaret Shields
An endowment fund has been established to honor the memory of friends and loved ones or to celebrate their lives or special occasions. Interest realized from this untouched principal investment will help fund various projects of the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans. Gifts have been made in memory and in honor of:
Melvin Alford
Ruby Rome Barrios
Penny Becker
Norton L. Berman
Binet/Creppel Family
Elissa Bluth
Cyril Y. Bowers, M.D.
Mary Sue Chambers
Edgar ‘Dooky’ Chase Jr.
Robin and Bruce Crutcher
Fritz Dahlberg
Midge Dean
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Dickerson
Anne B. Gauthier
Dustin Gledhill
Frank Gonzalez
Richard Goula
Dr. Walter Harris Jr.
Lois Chalona Hawkins
Bernard Hirsch Herman
Viktor Khalimsky
Dr. Alphonse D. Landry
Toni Ledbetter
Dr. Keith Lescale
Mary Lou MacDowell
Mrs. Hazel Melancon
Betty and Dick Mize
Deborah Jo Nice
Dr. James Ricciardi
Fay and Joe Rosenberg
Contributions to the Endowment Fund have been made by:
June Aiken
Melvin G. Alford
Ann Babington
Bellsouth
Norton Berman
Emily Clark and Ron Biava
Dr. and Mrs. Edward Bluth
Charles Bohn
Roselyn Boneno
James Boyd
Mrs. Donald Muir Bradburn
Drs. Andrea and Archie Brown
E. John Bullard
Brad Buras
Charlotte Buras
Mr. and Mrs. Peter G. Burke
Hope Cantrelle
Linton Carney
Constance Knox Carroll
Mary Lee and Hampton Carver
Mary Sue Chambers
Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Chase III
Alan Chow
Mr. and Mrs. William Coe
Leslie Copeland
Mary Wilkins Costa
Joan Coulter
Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Creppel
Robin and Bruce Crutcher
Janet Daly
Virginia Darmstadter
Kerry DeLoach
Wilfred Delphin
Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Dickerson
Leslie Dominguez
Susan Wilson Doyles
Anita and William Drezdzon
Patrick Dunne
Dr. and Mrs. Charles L. Dupin
Maria Elliott
Dana Eness
Dr. and Mrs. Stuart Farber
Dr. James Farrow
Mr. and Mrs. Darwin C. Fenner
Richard Ford
Anne B. Gauthier
Wendell and Anne Gauthier Family Foundation
Dr. Raymond Gitz
Dannie and Charles Goodwin
Melissa and Bruce Gordon
Richard Goula
James O. Gundlach
Liz Hampton
Henrietta Augustus Harris
Allen and Cindy Hebert
George Van Hoose
Jhane Barnes Menswear, Inc.
Lynn Johnston
Anne-Marie and Edward Karp
Cosette Kaufmann
Nina Kelly
Tamara Kreinin
Brenda and Lance Lafargue
Dr. and Mrs. Alphonse Landry
Elizabeth and Leo Landry
Julianne Nice and Herb Larson
Allan Ledbetter
Hanna Lee and Family
Noonie and Clay LeJeune
Dr. and Mrs. Ricardo Leoni
Dr. Edward D. Levy, Jr.
Rachelen Lien
Jacquelyn Lothschuetz
Theresa Lutostanski
Robert J. MacDowell
Robert C. Marshall
Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. McCool
Sandie and Jim McNamara
Dr. Thomas Melancon
Drs. Emel and Ranney Mize
Phillip and Babs Mollere
Dennis and Nodie Murphy
F.W. Nelms
Julianne Nice and Herbert Larson
Ava Rosenberg Nowalsky
Elizabeth and Joe Poirier
J. Robert Pope
Rahmiye and Celalettin Songu
Dianne Tell
Bruce Trible
Madelyn Trible
George Van Hoose
Daniel Weilbaecher
Daniel Weilbaecher, Sr.
Merlyn Weilbaecher
Sharon Weilbaecher
George W. Wilkins and Marilyn Wilkins
George W. Wilkins
Clarence Pete Wolbrette
John M. Yarborough, Jr., M.D.
Joni Jensen and Bruce Regeczi
George-Ann Reynolds
Dr. and Mrs. James Ricciardi
Pamela Ricciardi
Van Dalton Jenkins and Barbara Robinson
Paul and Michael Ross and Family
Ashley and Tom Rossi
Cynthia A. Samuel
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Scheinuk
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Scurlock
Karen and Leopold Sher
Dr. Eduard Danilyants and Mrs. Alexandra Shikhris
Darnell Shuart
Rachel Bluth and Derek Smith
Michelle and Oren Smith
Soine Dermatology & Aesthetics
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Stern
Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Stewart
Melissa Stockwell
Rachel and Ron Tell
Philip Fuselier and Anthony Terranova
The Lupin Foundation
Brooke and Greg Thompson
Martha Treen
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce C. Trible
Beth Turner
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Vile
Eileen Wallen
Dr. Daniel Weilbaecher
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Weilbaecher
Jay Welch
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J.A. Williams
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Williams
Sam Wong
Dr. David G. Wood
Cara McCool Woolf and Vance Woolf
Dr. Roger Wortham
Dr. and Mrs. John Yarborough
Keyboard Festival and Piano
Institute Committee: Hristo Birbochukov, Stefan Moll, Igor Resnianski, Cara McCool Woolf
Dinner and Housing Hosts: Louise Bush, Trey Cassels, Patrick Dunne, Nathan Drewes, Rosalind Hinton, Joni Jensen and Bruce Regeczi, Julianne Nice and Herbert Larson, Barbara and Thomas Sands, Terry and Rand Voorhies, Nora Wetzel
Loyola University: Kate Duncan, Dean Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, Brianna McMorris, Diego North-Rios
NOPI Solo Competition
Prize Sponsors:
NOPI Concerto Competition
Sarah and Robert Edgecombe, Rosalind Hinton, William Marshall and Tessa Izdepski, Terry and Rand Voorhies
Sponsors and Partners: New Orleans Civic Symphony, Igor Resnianski, Steinway Society of New Orleans
Piano Technician: Matthew McWilliams
Marketing: William Marshall, Stefan Moll, Noya Design, Cara McCool Woolf
Program Book: MPress, Noya Design, Stefan Moll, Cara McCool Woolf
Piano:
Steinway Piano Gallery of New Orleans
Acknowledgments: Hristo Birbochukov, Michael Boucree, Courtney Bryan, Jason Burge, Louise Bush, Trey Cassels, Kevin Chance, Vivian Chiu, Alan Chow, Mary Jane Crist, Bruce Crutcher, Kate Duncan, Robert Edgecombe, Kelly Gaubert, Dustin Gledhill, David Greenhouse, Elder Gwin, Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, Sara Henegan, Rosalind Hinton, Joan Jensen, Steve Kinchen, Leo Landry, Allan Ledbetter, Loyola University, Faina Lushtak, William Marshall, Brianna McMorris, Stefan Moll, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Julianne Nice, Diego North-Rios, Glenn Noya, Igor Resnianski, Kate Scheuermann, Dean Shapiro, Annette Sisco, Steinway & Sons, Steinway Piano Gallery of New Orleans, Anne Sumich, Charles Taylor, University of New Orleans, Terry Voorhies, Thomas Walsh
October 1 – 6th annual BACHTOBERFEST featuring the Electric Yat Quartet, pianist André Bohren, trumpeter Vance Woolf, and Friends
October 19 – NOCTURNE XXII Gala featuring pianist Vadym Kholodenko
November 13 – Le Petit Salon Concert featuring mezzosoprano Daveda Karanas
January 16 – Le Petit Salon Concert featuring Sung Chang, Silver Medalist of the 2018 New Orleans International Piano Competition
February 26 – Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presents Zhu Wang, winner of the 2024 New Orleans International Piano Competition
Alink - Argerich Foundation
April 15 – Pianist Oscar Rossignoli and the Extended Trio
May 19 – Kaufman Music Center presents Zhu Wang, winner of the 2024 New Orleans International Piano Competition
July 17-26 – New Orleans Piano Institute & Keyboard Festival
July 18 – New Orleans Keyboard Festival Guest Artist Recital featuring Angela Cheng
July 18-26 – the 30th New Orleans International Piano Competition
July 22, 23 – Premier of composer Courtney Bryan’s work for the 30th New Orleans International Piano Competition
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