Chi Ho Han
Korean concert pianist Chi-Ho Han is an artist with an unmistakable personal mark, embracing technical diversity, emotional realness and philosophical depth in all his unique recital programs.
Establishing a firm conviction in German arts at age 20, Han received top prizes at Beethoven Competitions respectively in Vienna and Bonn, and Schubert Competition in Dortmund. Earlier achievements also include 1st prize and Audience Award at International Kissinger KlavierOlympic Competition (Germany, 2013), 1st prize at Seoul International Music Competition (Korea, 2014), top prize at ARD International Music Competition (Germany, 2014) with additional Audience Award and Best Performance on Commissioned Work, Silver Medal at Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition (USA, 2014), and 4th prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Competition (Belgium, 2016).
Solo recitals took him to prestigious halls in such major cities as Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai, St. Petersburg, Taipei and Tokyo. He made orchestral appearances with Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra of Belgium, Lviv National Philharmonic, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of Marseille, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra and Utah Symphony Orchestra, on a rich repertory covering complete Beethoven concertos, Romantic and Russian standards to contemporary commissions.
A protégé of pianist-composer György Kurtág, and a former student of Prof. Arnulf von Arnim and Prof. Arie Vardi, Han is currently Associate Professor at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Yi-Yang Cheng
Dr. Yi-Yang Chen is an internationally acclaimed pianist whose career gained major momentum with top prizes at the Sussex, Washington, and Warning International Piano Competitions. Critics have praised his performances for their “flair for the unusual,” “musical and emotional intelligence,” and commanding virtuosity.
His appearance as soloist in Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 5 “Egyptian” with the Worthing Symphony Orchestra was lauded for its technical brilliance and expressive depth. Judges at the Pacific International Piano Competition described his playing as “immediately compelling,” noting his natural affinity for the instrument and powerful artistic presence.
Chen has performed on five continents in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Melbourne Recital Centre, National Concert Hall in Taipei, Banff Music Centre, and ZK Matthews Great Hall in South Africa. He has appeared with orchestras such as the Worthing Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic, Brevard Music Center Orchestra, National Chinese Orchestra, and Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and has participated in festivals including the Perlman Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Taos School of Music, and Banff Music Centre.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Chen began piano studies at age eight. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music, and a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School, and has worked with artists including Itzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax, and members of leading international string quartets.
Dr. Chen is Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Kansas and Artist Director of the Orbifold Music Festival in California. He is currently recording for Champs Hill Records, with a release scheduled for 2025.
Helen Zhibing Huang
Helen Zhibing Huang is a Chinese-born soprano recently praised as “impressive” by The New York Times for her portrayal of Pamina in The Magic Flute at The Glimmerglass Festival. In the 2025–26 season, she appears with Opera Grand Rapids as Josephine in HMS Pinafore and Ming in Stuck Elevator, returns to Knoxville Opera as Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and makes her Resonance Works debut reprising Juliette in Romeo & Juliette.
Recent engagements include Setsuko Kobayashi in An American Dream and Ming in Stuck Elevator with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Juliette in Romeo & Juliette with El Paso Opera, and concert appearances with the Alabama Symphony in Fauré’s Requiem, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, and Handel’s Messiah. Additional roles include Frasquita in Carmen, Monica in The Medium, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, the title role in Le Rossignol, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni.
A strong advocate for new music, Huang created the role of Singa Loh in the world premiere of I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams with White Snake Projects and has participated in workshops of new operas by Paola Prestini, Julian Wachner, and Leanna Kirchoff.
She is a prizewinner in several competitions, including the Jensen Foundation Competition and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Huang holds degrees from the New England Conservatory, Bard College Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Rochester, and co-hosts the podcast Asian Angles.
Alan Woo
Praised by the New York Times as a pianist with “assurance and vitality,” Alan Woo made his Lincoln Center debut at Alice Tully Hall performing with the Juilliard Orchestra under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He has since collaborated with conductors Daniel Hege, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, and Tito Muñoz in solo appearances with the Houston Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, and Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra.
Woo’s recent engagements include solo recitals throughout the US, Brazil, Europe, and Asia. He has been featured on The McGraw Hill Financial Young Artists Showcase broadcasted on WQXR in New York and has performed in venues such as Carnegie’s Weill and Zankel Recital Halls. As chamber musician, he has made appearances at the New York Philharmonic Ensembles, Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta, Lake George Music Festival, Chamber Music Athens, Brooklyn Chamber Music Society, and La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest series, among others.
Born in Arlington, Virginia, Woo is a graduate of The Juilliard School and Peabody Conservatory where he completed degrees in piano performance under Robert McDonald and Yong Hi Moon. He currently teaches at the University of Georgia as an assistant professor of piano, having previously held positions at Elizabeth City State University and Peabody Institute.
Yong Hi Moon
Accomplished pianist and teacher Yong Hi Moon made her solo debut with the Seoul Philharmonic at age 10 after winning the National Korean Broadcasting Competition. She has earned top prizes at international competitions, including the Elena-Rombro Stepanow in Vienna, Viotti in Italy, Vienna da Motta in Portugal, and the Chopin Prize from Geneva.
Moon performs widely across Asia, Europe, and the US, appearing with orchestras such as the Osaka, Seoul, and Tokyo Philharmonics, and the Korean National Symphony. She frequently collaborates with her husband, pianist and conductor Dai Uk Lee, performing duo recitals and orchestral works, including Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen. Their CD of Czech four-hand piano music has received critical acclaim.
A dedicated educator, Moon has taught at Michigan State University and Peabody Conservatory and served on juries for major international competitions. She has also given master classes globally, including at Shanghai Conservatory and the Korean National University of Arts.
Moon studied at the Vienna Academy, London, and Indiana University under renowned teachers including Leon Fleisher and Maria Curcio.
Conor Hanick
Pianist Conor Hanick is celebrated as one of his generation’s most inquisitive interpreters of music old and new, praised for his “technical refinement, color, crispness and wondrous variety of articulation” (New York Times). He has performed with conductors Esa-Pekka Salonen, Ludovic Morlot, Alan Gilbert, and David Robertson, and with ensembles including the San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Juilliard Orchestra, and AMOC*. Hanick has appeared at major venues and festivals worldwide, including the Elbphilharmonie, Centre Pompidou, Cal Performances, Ojai Festival, and Gilmore Festival, where he served as artistic director in 2022.
A passionate advocate for contemporary music, he has premiered over 200 works by composers from Boulez and Saariaho to Nico Muhly, Caroline Shaw, and Samuel Carl Adams, whose piano concerto No Such Spring he premiered in 2023 with Salonen and the San Francisco Symphony. Hanick directs Solo Piano at Music Academy of the West and teaches at Juilliard, CUNY Graduate Center, and Mannes College.
Sylvia Jiang
Davis Reinhart
Adea Badivuku
Adea Badivuku is a distinguished Kosovan pianist and prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including First Prize at the 2021 New York International Piano Competition. She has performed extensively throughout Europe, the Balkans, and the United States, including at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and is the first pianist from Kosovo to earn a Doctor of Musical Arts from a U.S. R1 institution.
A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Badivuku co-founded and directs the Shadows Contemporary Art Festival in Kosovo and Reno and the ADEDUO ensemble. She has played a key role in developing Reno’s music scene, curating performances, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and supporting young musicians.
An accomplished educator, she serves on the piano faculty at Cuesta College and Allan Hancock College, is an MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, and received the Steinway & Sons Top Teacher Award. Badivuku earned her degrees from the University of Prishtina, Central Michigan University, and University of Nevada, Reno, and has collaborated with acclaimed pianists including Alfred Brendel and Jon Nakamatsu.
Jeff McKinnon
Jeff McKinnon is a dynamic teacher, actor, and writer with 25 years of experience in Santa Barbara County, including 23 years at Santa Ynez High School, where he founded the SYVHS Theatre Group. His students have graduated to go on to joining top theater programs including Pacific Conservatory Theater (PCPA) and Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
His most recent book, Cheat Out, is a go to for teachers, actors, and presenters at all stages in their careers. The book offers invaluable insight on how humans work together, play, and listen to one another.
Prior to teaching, he showcased his acting talent in regional theaters across the Midwest, West Coast, and Europe. Now residing in Solvang, California, he enjoys life with his wife, Carey, and their beloved cat, Charlie.
Manuela Flores
Manuela Flores is a multidisciplinary artist from Solvang, California. Her specialties include singing, dancing, acting, and a bit of creative writing. Manuela has trained in the styles of ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop.
She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at Scripps College in Psychology and Chicano Latino Studies. Outside of school, she participates in Latin and ballroom dance, as well as tutoring programs. Manuela intends to apply her artistry and knowledge of psychology to provide services that promote wellness and self-expression.