Art Force kicks off piano series at AC with 'Classic Hymns and Pop Rock' Tuesday

The Amarillo College Music Department kicks off their 2023-24 Art Force Piano Series, with the first concert of the four-part series Tuesday, Oct. 3 at the Concert Hall Theater on AC’s Washington Street Campus. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

The Piano Series, sponsored by Art Force Amarillo, will feature four hourlong concerts, including guest artists and AC faculty members, over a seven-month span.

"We are very grateful for the Art Force Foundation to give us the grants to keep this piano series going, and each year we try to incorporate well-known tunes for the people in the audience to enjoy, as well as different instruments to add a little bit of variety to the concerts," said Dr. Bruce Lin, artistic director for the piano series and director of piano at AC.

The first installment to the annual musical series is “Classic Hymns and Pop Rock”featuring Dr. Bruce Lin and Dr. Jim Laughlin. Both artists, members of the AC faculty, will take their audience on a journey through familiar hymns and pop-rock tunes from the 1960s to present.

Their selections will encompass a wide range of styles with well-known pieces that the crowd is sure to know, but don't worry - singing along is encouraged.

Dr. Lin, who will be performing on the piano, has performed throughout Canada, China, Mexico, Taiwan, and the U.S. He formerly taught at Texas Lutheran University and the University of the Incarnate Word. Dr. Lin will co-perform with Dr. Laughlin, who will be playing the alto saxophone and piano and is a professor of woodwinds, jazz studies and music theory at AC.

Dr. Laughlin is an active performer, adjudicator and clinician throughout the Midwest. He is a member of the Amarillo Symphony on both clarinet and saxophone, and founder and program director for Jim Laughlin June Jazz, a favorite community event at AC.

"I think this is a great opportunity for people who don't usually attend classical concerts. This might be a way for them to introduce the genre to themselves, in a more relaxed setting. We try to make it fun and interact with the audience, so that they can feel like they are a part of the concert, which we know will make it a more meaningful and enjoyable experience," Dr. Lin said.

The following three concerts included in the 23-24 Art Force Piano Series are:

“Songs of the Night”- Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

The second installment will feature French-American soprano Jazmin Black Grollemund, who made her European operatic debut in 2013 at the Festival Lyrique International de Belle-ile-en-Mer in France. Black Grollemund has been praised by BBC Music Magazine for a voice that is “deep, rich, and flexible, with warmth and color in every register,” Accompanying Black Grollemund onstage will be Dr. Nathaniel Fryml, director of choral activities at AC, playing the piano and with soprano vocals.

The duo will be presenting the world premiere of Fryml’s song cycle "NIGHTSFALL." The work is based on poetry by German mystic Novalis and South Carolina native Josh Montgomery. The concert also features some charming French art songs, along with a special guest collaborator.

“Jam with Love 2024” - Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

This concert will be a recital featuring music of love that nurtures the Valentine spirit presented by AC’s music faculty, perfect to attend as a pre-Valentine's Day gift to share with that special someone.

Lin stated that after seeing the crowd's response to the previous "Jam with Love" concerts, they decided to bring back the favored concert with even more songs of love.

“Journey to the East” –Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

The final installment to the series includes husband and wife duo, Dr. Alex Lee and Dr. Sophie Hung (piano), both faculty at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), who will take their audience on a musical journey of Eastern culture.

Dr. Lee, who will be performing at AC playing the violin, is a professor of violin/viola at SWOSU and the conductor of the Symphony Orchestra there. He has performed recitals in Asia and the U.S., and has also been featured as a soloist, performing concertos with orchestras.

Dr. Hung, a Taiwanese-born pianist, is assistant professor of piano at SWOSU and will join her husband on stage playing the instrument of her profession. Additionally, Hung is coordinator and judge of the annual Hubbard-Males piano competition and the Breckenridge piano competition.

"The music that we play, whether it be a love song, tragedy or happy piece, we can all relate it to a moment or experience that we had in our lives. Music itself allows people to connect on that level, and we work to help make those connections as well," Dr. Lin said.

Each of these concerts will be presented on Tuesday evenings at the Concert Hall Theater, located at AC’s Washington Street Campus. Concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by a reception where food and beverages will be provided and attendees can mingle and speak to the performers.

Each of these concerts are free and open to the public.

For more information about the concert series, visit their webpage at https://www.actx.edu/music/pianoseries .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Art Force piano series begins Oct. 3 with well-known songs