Guest Artist - Meredith Blecha-Wells and Sun Min Kim

“Romances” Meredith Blecha-Wells (DMA) Sun Min Kim (DMA) 7:30 P.M. September 18, 2023 Radke Fine Arts Theatre Program Romances Sergei Rachmanioff (1873-1943) I. Sing Not to me, O lovely one op. 4 no. 4 II. In the Silence of the Secret Night, op. 4 no. 3 III. Lilacs, op. 21 no. 5 IV. Vocalise, op. 34 no. 14 V. How Peaceful, op. 21 no. 7 VI. On the Death of a Siskin, op. 21 no. 8 VII. Dream, op. 38 no. 5 VIII. O, no, I beg do not Leave, op. 4 no. 1 Aria H. Leslie Adams (b. 1932) Smile and a Sigh Jennifer Bellor (b. 1985) A Song of Flight Suite Populaire Espagnole Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) I. El paño moruno II. Nana III. Canción IV. Polo V. Asturiana VI. Jota Biographies Portrait of musician Meredith Blecha-WellsMeredith Blecha-Wells (DMA) Praised for her “beautifully full and lyrically strong tone” by Gramophone Magazine, Meredith Blecha-Wells is a sought-after performer and instructor. She has played throughout much of the United States, as well as Europe, Australia, South America, and Asia. Currently based in Oklahoma City, Meredith Blecha-Wells performs regularly with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble. As a recording artist, Meredith Blecha-Wells recently released her debut album, Small Storms: A Collection of Short Pieces for Cello and Piano by Bohuslav Martinu. Released on the Navona Records label, her playing is described as “technically dazzling” (the Whole Note) and is praised for her “lyrical warmth and her powerful athleticism” (Classical Music Discoveries). Additional recording endeavors include projects for the Lorenz Corporation, as well as performances on WMBR (Cambridge, MA), KALX (Berkley, CA), WRUV (Burlington, VT), WCNY (Syracuse, NY), and KUCO (Edmond, OK). Meredith Blecha-Wells is currently the Professor of Cello at Oklahoma State University, where she was awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Junior Faculty Award for Scholarly Excellence. Her students have won a number of competitions, including prizes in Classics Alive Artists, Enkor International Competition, American Protégé Competition, Ad Astra String Competition, MTNA, Hyechka String Competition, among others. As a devoted teacher, Meredith Blecha-Wells has seen her students accepted to study at prestigious institutions such as the Eastman School of Music, Rice University, Indiana University, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Meredith Blecha-Wells received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Cello Performance from Indiana University, studying under Janos Starker and Helga Winold. She also holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where she served as the teaching assistant to Distinguished Professor Alan Harris. Additional studies include festival participation at the Taos School of Music, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Bowdoin International Music Sun Min Kim (DMA)Portrait of musician Sun Min Kim South Korean pianist Sun Min Kim serves as Coordinator of Keyboard Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Denison University. He made his début with the Ulsan Symphony Orchestra at age 13, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto. He has been a prizewinner of national and international competitions such as the Maria Canals International Piano Competition, Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, MTNA, International Crescendo Music Awards, Brevard Music Center Solo Piano Competition, Harold Protsman Piano Competition, Competition of the Society for American Musicians, and Lee Biennial Piano Competition. In 2008, the professional music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon awarded him the Sterling Achievement Award, the highest honor that the fraternity bestows upon its collegiate members. As a laureate of various awards, he debuted at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and other prestigious venues across the United States and abroad. He has frequently performed solo and chamber music at festivals such as Aspen Music Festival, Banff Center, Brevard Music Center, Piano Texas, Prague International Piano Masterclass, Quartet Program, and École Redaille in Belgium. Sun Min is an active lecturer, competition juror, and masterclass presenter. His current and former students have been prizewinners of national and international piano competitions. Sun Min Kim completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Collaborative Piano at the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with and served as teaching assistant for Nelita True. He studied accompanying and chamber music with Jean Barr. Sun Min has previously taught at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Oklahoma State University, and University of Rochester.