Dr. Kasandra Keeling will present a guest piano recital at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in Cole Concert Hall in the Wright Music Building on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.
Keeling, who is associate professor and coordinator of keyboard studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, will perform a Spanish-themed concert that features the music of Domenico Scarlatti, Astor Piazzolla, Octavio Pinto and other noted composers.
She chose a theme of Spanish music because, in addition to her solo recital performance, Keeling will serve as judge for the Nacogdoches Music Teachers Association Fall Fiesta Festival Nov. 20 and 21, according to Dr. Andrew Parr, professor of piano at SFA.
“Pianists from elementary grades through high school will perform Spanish piano works for Dr. Keeling, receive critiques, and possibly perform on a festival student recital earlier on Saturday,” Parr explained. The student recital is slated for 4 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall on campus.
Also appearing in duet with Keeling on Pinto’s “Scenas Infantis” will be Linda Parr, piano instructor in the SFA Music Preparatory Division.
Keeling has had an active career as a performer and clinician throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and China. In 2014, she was awarded the American Prize for Piano Performance for her recording of Serge Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini.” In 2008, she was awarded the Outstanding Collegiate Teaching Award by the Texas Music Teachers Association and in 2015 received the UTSA President’s Faculty Excellence Award for Creative Production. Last year, Keeling joined the summer piano faculty at Interlochen Arts Camp, and in 2016 she will celebrate 15 years as director of the Summer Music Institute for Piano and Strings at UTSA.
The recital is a joint presentation of the College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
