June 29 - July 2, 2010
General Information
Faculty
Schedule
Bret Serrin is widely recognized as one of the United States' most brilliant
young pianists. Born in Virginia, Mr. Serrin started studying the piano at the
age of six and gave his first public concert at the age of seven. Mr. Serrin's
talent soon attracted attention and while still a student, he won the
prestigious Presser Music Scholarship, as well as numerous other awards.
During this time, he attended the Adamant International Summer Music Festival in
Vermont, where he was invited to perform a live concert broadcast on United
States' NPR (National Public Radio).
In 1997, Mr. Serrin pursued his graduate studies at the renowned University of
North Texas, one of the two largest music schools in the United States. He is
currently completing doctoral studies in piano performance under the guidance of
the eminent pedagogue Joseph Banowetz. He has also had extensive summer coaching
sessions with the legendary American pianist, Earl Wild as one of his only
private students. Wild described him as musician possessing a "rare pianistic
ability", one who is "totally dedicated to his art and… worthy of
attention".
Mr. Serrin is the recipient of gold medals in several international piano
competitions. In 2000 alone, three first prizes and gold medals were awarded to
him in the Los Angeles Liszt Competition , the Hubbard Solo and Chamber Music
Competition (Dallas, Texas), and the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque Concerto
Competition (New Mexico). Other highlights of his career include a silver medal
at the 2002 National Society of Arts and Letters Competition in San Antonio and
a prize in the Steinway Society's Career Grant Competition . Most recently,
during the Hubedni Festival in the Czech Republic in 2002, he was awarded the
silver medal in the prestigious Vysocina International Piano Competition .
His most recent concert schedule has included a guest artist appearance for the
National Guild of Piano Technicians Annual Convention (Phoenix), the Basically
Beethoven Festival (Dallas), the International Music Conference (Greensboro,
North Carolina), performances with the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque, and
radio broadcasts in California. Mr. Serrin has studied the Suzuki method with
Lorraine Gaal-Landefeld.
Doris Leland Harrel earned B.S. and M.S. Degrees from the Juilliard School of
Music, and the DMA Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Harrel has
been a frequent presenter at Suzuki Conferences. She has conducted training
classes and Master Classes in twenty-three States, Chile and Peru.
Phoebe Hemingway is a graduate of Northern Arizona University where she earned her
Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and her Bachelor of Arts in German, both
with Honors. Phoebe has done her Suzuki training with Diana Galindo.
A student of Dr. Frank Scott, she has been involved in various recitals, both as
soloist and collaborative pianist. Spending a year in Germany, she carried on
her music studies with the Japanese teacher Sacchi Nagaki. She has attended
the Brevard Summer Music Program, during which she studied privately with Dr.
Douglas Weeks, and attended performances and master classes given by such
renowned artists as Jon Nakamatsu, Henry Preucill, the Miami quartet and the
Diaz Trio. Phoebe is currently part of the faculty for Suzuki Institute of Dallas.
Dr. Carl van Wyk graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1964 and
completed his Master of Music degree in 1965. Dr. van Wyk has composed more
than forty works. He has served as accompanist at a number of Suzuki institutes
and presents computer-driven composition and theory classes at the Colorado
Suzuki Institute in Snowmass and other institutes.
