Corpus Christi Sister City Program to host French pianist as part of cultural exchange

Ashlee Burns, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read
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Two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sister City Program of Corpus Christi is continuing its cultural exchange efforts with Agen, France.

Del Mar College piano professors David Sutanto and Shao-Shan Chen traveled to Agen, France, in May 2022 to perform works by American composers as part of a cultural exchange for the Sister Cities Program.
Del Mar College piano professors David Sutanto and Shao-Shan Chen traveled to Agen, France, in May 2022 to perform works by American composers as part of a cultural exchange for the Sister Cities Program.

Del Mar College piano professors David Sutanto and Shao-Shan Chen traveled to France in May to perform works by American composers.

As a second part to the exchange, French pianist and composer Marc-Olivier Poingt will perform at Del Mar College’s Wolf Recital Hall on Oct. 28. The performance will be free and open to the public.

For more than 60 years, the Sister City Program of Corpus Christi has worked to develop relationships with other cities across the globe, including Yokosuka, Japan; Keelung, Taiwan; Agen, France; Toleda, Spain; and Veracruz, Monterrey and Playa del Carmen in Mexico.

The program sends students to other countries for two to three weeks. Due to the pandemic, the program hasn’t been able to exchange students since 2020. The group will begin recruiting students next spring, chairperson Melody Cooper said.

“The main purpose is to send students each year between the cities to experience the culture, open the eyes of the students to other parts of the world and broaden their horizons,” Cooper said.

This year’s cultural exchange is a continuation of the organization's 2020 plans, which began with a music exchange with Agen, France.

Del Mar College piano professors David Sutanto and Shao-Shan Chen traveled to Agen, France, to perform works by American composers as part of a cultural exchange for the Sister Cities Program.
Del Mar College piano professors David Sutanto and Shao-Shan Chen traveled to Agen, France, to perform works by American composers as part of a cultural exchange for the Sister Cities Program.

Sutanto was born in Indonesia and Chen, his wife, was born in Taiwan. They met while studying music at the Boston Conservatory and earned their doctorates from the University of Cincinnati.

“The theater was at least a hundred years old, and I was told there were close to 300 or 400 people,” Sutanto said of their performance. “We actually ended up playing two encores. It was an incredible experience for the both of us, and this is the first time that we have played in Europe.”

The professors also took part in a masterclass for high school students and a lecture about music.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Sister City Program hosting French pianist for cultural exchange