Hao Yang, Guitar Virtuoso in Concert
with a Prelude performance by Claire Okamoto
DIRECTIONS: St Francis Episcopal Church
Guitarist and Astral Artist Hao Yang appeared as a soloist with the Chusachsische Philharmonie in Germany and has been a soloist at international guitar festivals in Cleveland, Panama, and Beijing. Originally from China, Yang has performed concerts in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center, New York Subculture, Miller Theatre at Columbia University, and Princeton Sound Kitchen.
As a chamber music enthusiast, Yang made her Carnegie Hall debut premiering Paul Lansky's "Talking Guitars’" with guitarist JIJI. Yang performed on the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society series as guest collaborator and appeared at the Concordia Chamber Festival. As a recording artist, Yang has worked with Grammy award-winning label Bridge Records on multiple new chamber works by Paul Lansky and Poul Ruders.
In 2021, Yang won the national auditions of Astral Artists, a non-profit organization that supports extraordinary emerging musicians. Yang's other competition prizes include the top prize at the 54th Markneukirchen International Instrumental competition in Germany, fourth prize at the International Concert Artist Competition of the Guitar Foundation of America, and first prizes at the GFA's International Youth Competition, Columbus State University International Guitar Competition, and Andres Segovia 7th International Guitar Competition. She is a recipient of the Clifton Foundation’s Emerging Artists Award. Yang holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music and is currently pursuing her graduate degree at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver.
For more about Yang, please see haoyangguitar.com
PROGRAM
Anton Diabelli: Sonata No. 3 in F Major
I. Allegro moderato
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Finale
J.S. Bach: Partita No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 830 (Arr.)
I. Toccata
Nicholas Maw: Music of Memory
Intermission
Giulio Regondi: Air varie de l’opera de Bellini “I Capuleti e i Montecchi”
Manuel de Falla: Homenaje "Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy"
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Sonata omaggio a Boccherini, Op. 77
I. Allegro con spirito
II. Andantino, quasi canzone
III. Tempo di minuetto
IV. Vivo ed energico
Prelude performer Claire Okamoto
Claire Okamoto, 17, is a regular performer at the South Bay Guitar Society's open mic events and has played in masterclasses for Bokyung Byun, JIJI, and Dragos Ilie. Claire studies with Scott Cmiel at the Pre-College Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she also performs in a guitar quartet and guitar orchestra. Her previous teacher was Grady Sloan in Sunnyvale. Outside the guitar, Claire is a junior at Lynbrook High School.
