OUR FACULTY
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PIANO |
| Tze-Fang Liu Rachel Matz Ning Bo Miao | |
| Isadora Pastragus | |
| Praised by the prestigious newspaper "La Voix" (Marq-en-Baroeul, Lille, France) as "Isadora, the fairy pianist" during a tour of concerts in France when she was only 16, Isadora Pastragus has emerged since then as a major presence on the stages of Europe and the United States. A regular soloist with the world acclaimed National Symphony Orchestra of Iasi (Romania), Ms. Pastragus also enjoys an international career performing with Bacau Symphony Orchestra (Romania), the prestigious National Symphony Orchestra of Kishinev (Moldova, former USSR), the famous Orchestre National de Lille (France), the Royal National Harmony Orchestra (Bruxelles, Belgium), and the Firelands Symphony Orchestra (Ohio, Unites States). She recorded her first CD with the Oberlin Conservatory Orchestra (Oberlin, Ohio) which was broadcast live on Cleveland WCLV radio. Earning critical acclaim for her performances, Isadora’s playing has been frequently described in major newspapers as brilliant and charismatic - a combination of impeccable technical virtuosity and contagious temperament. Ms. Pastragus commenced her piano studies at the age of four in her native town Iasi, Romania and then transferred to the elite George Enescu Specialized School of Music for Gifted Children in Bucharest and became one of the finest students of the school that has given the world Dinu Lipatti, Sergiu Celebidache, Sergiu Comissiona, Angela Gheorghiu and of course, George Enescu. Only six years later she made her concert debut as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Iasi, and, at the age of 11 she won her first national competition medal in Bucharest. Since then, she has been a finalist or a winner in several international competitions, such as: the World Piano Competition (Cincinnati, Ohio), Van Cliburn Young Artists Competition (Forth Worth, Texas), Mathilde-Horlait-Dapsens, International Chamber Music Competition (Bruxelles, Belgium). As a student of Evgheni Moghilevsky at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Bruxelles Belgium, she obtained her Premiere Prix and Diplome Superior with Great Distinction. After winning the Mathilde-Horlait-Dapsens International Chamber Music Competition, Ms Pastragus was awarded her debut with the Royal National Harmony Orchestra. In 2000, Isadora was recruited to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, (Oberlin, Ohio) with a full scholarship where she completed her Artist Diploma under the artistic mentorship of internationally acclaimed pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi. Later on she attended Rice University Shepherd School of Music with a full scholarship and obtained a Master of Music in Piano Performance. She was then appointed as faculty in their preparatory program. Ms. Pastragus playing has been broadcast many times for the Romanian National Television and Radio and Cleveland WCLV. Ms. Pastragus has been frequently invited to perform for dignitaries such as Pope John Paul II, Queen Paola and Prince Philippe of Belgium, and former President George H. W. Bush. Currently, Ms. Pastragus is preparing a special project featuring a tour of concerts in her native Romania with the National Symphony Orchestra of Iasi and Bucharest among others, which will feature a tour of concerts with the most popular piano concertos as well as the release of an album with the same theme. For the past three years, she has served as the Head Juror for the Firelands Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition in Sandusky, Ohio among other judging opportunities. In addition, she enjoys teaching students at all levels especially coaching her students for national and international competitions. |
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| Ah Young Sung Tomoko Uchino Emily Fang |
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