Frost Piano Performance

We are very proud to share that our alumnus, Qinquan Zhang, a student of Prof. Kevin Kenner, has recently been appointed to the faculty of the School of Education at Dongguan University of Technology. It’s wonderful to see his hard work and dedication recognized through this exciting appointment and we have no doubt that he will continue to share his artistry, knowledge, and passion for music with future generations of students.

We warmly congratulate Qinquan on this exciting new chapter and wish him continued success!

As we approach the end of the semester, we would like to invite everyone to join us for a special event. On Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 PM, Dr. Naoko Takao, Chair of the Keyboard Department, will perform Sergei Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto with the Frost Symphony Orchestra in UM Gusman Hall, under the direction of Maestro Gerard Schwarz.

A prizewinner of numerous competitions, including the gold medal at the San Antonio International Piano Competition, Dr. Naoko Takao maintains a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, pedagogue, and researcher. She has performed at major venues such as the Kennedy Center, Weill Recital Hall, and the Library of Congress, and is equally recognized for her advocacy of new music and acclaimed recordings, including her work on the piano sonatas of Vincent Persichetti. In addition to her active performing career, she directs the graduate programs in Keyboard Performance and Pedagogy at the Frost School of Music, where her research explores the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and piano performance.

Described by Gramophone Magazine as “an innovative combination of colors and harmonies,” Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 showcases some of the composer’s most captivating writing. The music takes listeners on a spiritual journey. Beneath the mesmerizing melodies lies a destructive force that absorbs and occupies the listener’s mind. The concerto was dedicated to Prokofiev’s friend Maximilian Schmidthof, who took his own life upon its completion. Prokofiev revised the concerto in 1923 and premiered it himself with Serge Koussevitzky the following year.

We look forward to seeing you there — an intense piece for an intense conclusion to the semester!

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: UM Gusman Hall

Tickets: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11674104?performanceId=11674104
Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZkIXdagMuro?si=0rS73X_MbCN0fSsr
Event Details:
https://events.miami.edu/event/undercurrents-frost-symphony-orchestra

Our MKP family is kicking off the new year in spectacular fashion! Join us for an unforgettable evening of the lush, powerful music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by MKP faculty Santiago Rodriguez and Ana Ivanchenko.
The program features Rachmaninoff’s brilliant Two-Piano Suites, rarely heard together in one program, the famous Prelude in C-sharp Minor (“The Bells of Moscow”), Italian Polka, and more!

Come experience an electrifying night of piano brilliance at “Rockin’ Rachmaninoff” — we can’t wait to see you there!

Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: UM Gusman Concert Hall

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/ojiuiGl6Uxc?si=brasr97IdUL39ukX
Tickets: https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11675693?performanceId=11675693
Event Details: https://events.miami.edu/event/rockin-rachmaninoff-2685

Congratulations to our alumna Yuan Gao ’24 and her teacher, Professor Tian Ying, on the recent publication of her final DMA recording project by Beijing Global Audio-Visual Publishing Co!

Yuan Gao holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Music at Northeast Normal University. Yuan has performed extensively in solo, chamber, and ensemble settings, and previously served as a pianist with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra at the University of Miami.

Her album, Echoes from the Seine: Hélène de Montgeroult and Her Selected Piano Works, continues her exploration of French women composers and their musical legacies. The recording features representative works by Montgeroult, including a set of variations on a theme by Händel, twelve etudes, the Piano Sonata in F-sharp Minor, and the Fantaisie.

We’re thrilled to celebrate this achievement and can’t wait to see where her musical journey leads next!

On Saturday, November 15, at UM Gusman Concert Hall, Kevin Knowles, our third-year DMA student of Dr. Naoko Takao and winner of the 2025 Frost Piano Concerto Competition, will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Frost Symphony Orchestra.

This year marks Kevin’s ninth year at Frost — a milestone that reflects his dedication, growth, and meaningful contributions to our department and community. Thank you, Kevin, for all you’ve shared with us over the years.

Congratulations and well-deserved, Kevin!

We would like to send our warmest wishes to Gahyun Kim, our third-year DMA student of Professor Santiago Rodriguez, as she takes the stage in Madrid, Spain for the 25th International Piano Competition Spanish Composers.

Gahyun has been selected to participate in the live rounds (Second, Semifinal, and Final), held November 9–15 at the Auditorio Joaquín Rodrigo de Las Rozas — a wonderful recognition of her dedication and musicianship.

We are so proud of you, Gahyun — wishing you a beautiful and fulfilling experience in Spain!

Congratulations to Asiya Korepanova on the premiere of her own transcriptions of Modest Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death! A proud moment for the MKP family.

Mussorgsky / A. Korepanova: Songs and Dances of Death | Asiya Korepanova Modest Mussorgsky 'Songs and Dances of Death'Piano transcription by Asiya Korepanova0:00 - I. Lullaby5:36 - II. Serenade 11:36 - III. Trepak 16:59 - IV. Fiel...

We are pleased to host distinguished pianist and pedagogue Peter Takács for a three-day residency, October 29-31, 2025. It’s a privilege to welcome him on campus and to have him share his artistry and insight with our students and community.

Hailed by the New York Times as “a marvelous pianist,” Peter Takács has performed widely, receiving critical and audience acclaim for his penetrating and communicative musical interpretations. Takács’ success as a teacher is attested to by the accomplishments of his students, who have won top prizes in competitions in the United States, Canada, Europe, and South Africa. They have been accepted at major graduate schools such as the Curtis Institute, Juilliard School, and Peabody Conservatory, among many others.

Takács has given master classes in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and has been a jury member at prestigious national and international competitions such as the San Antonio International Keyboard Competition, the Canadian National Competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition, and the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. Takács was Professor of Piano at Oberlin from 1976 to 2024.

Join us on Friday, October 31 at 7:30pm in Gusman Concert Hall for a public masterclass, featuring our DMA students Gahyun Kim, Vojtěch Trubač, Zhenyi Long, performing:
Chopin: Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Ravel: Miroirs