~ Upcoming Events ~

Honor Orchestra September 18 • 4:00p Heritage Center - Ticketed Event

Alumni Band Concert/Virginia Stitt Tribute September 24 • 7:00p Heritage Center - Ticketed Event

CAN-AM Trio Guest Artists September 28 • 12:00pm Thorley Recital Hall - FREE

Choir Concert (Masterworks) October 1 • 7:30p Heritage Center – Ticketed Event

Piano Monster Concert October 26 • 7:00p Heritage Center – Ticketed Event

Wind Symphony Concert (Masterworks) November 5 • 7:30p Heritage Center – Ticketed Event

Opera November 10 • 7:30p Thorley Recital Hall - FREE

Brass and Woodwind Ensembles November 15 • 7:30p Thorley Recital Hall - FREE

Dr. Laura Grantier Program

Dr. Laura D. Grantier, a native of Denham Springs, LA, earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Alabama in 1993, an MBA from Averett University in 2003, Yeni Makam Edward J Hines and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Catholic University of America in 2012. Her teachers are Scott Bridges, Ken Grant, and Eugene Mondie. I. “Taksim” (b. 1951) II. “Bir Karpuzmus” Dr. Grantier joined SUU as Director of Woodwinds and Assistant Professor of Clarinet III. “Harem Havasi” at Southern Utah University in August 2021. From 1995-2021 she was a member of IV. “Dan Dun Davulu” the Band in Washington, D.C. where she served as Principal Clarinet, Woodwind Leader, Clarinet Section Leader, and Harborwinds Clarinet Quartet Leader. She performed over 2,250 public concerts, military ceremonies, Prelude to a Dream Bryce Craig education workshops, and high-profile protocol engagements for high-ranking (b. 1990) dignitaries, including the President of the United States, Vice President of the United States, and Secretary of the Navy. Binyang Ross Edwards I. “Binyang” (b. 1943) Prior to her appointment with the , she was pursuing a II. “Interior” Master of Music at the Eastman School of Music. As an exchange student, she traveled to Guatemala and Costa Rica in 1990 to perform recitals and teach masterclasses. She has performed at the Morges Music Festival in Morges, Buckle Up Jamie Whitmarsh Switzerland, and with the Rochester Chamber Orchestra, Annapolis, Arlington, (b. 1988) McLean, New World, Tuscaloosa Symphonies, and the National Symphony Orchestra. She was principal clarinet of the American-Russian Youth Orchestra in 1995 and was a semi-finalist in the 1992 Ciudad de Dos Hermanas competition in DarkWood Duo: Laura Grantier and Lynn Vartan Seville, Spain and the 1996 International Clarinet Association Young Artists Competition in Paris, France. She has appeared on multiple occasions as soloist with the United States Navy Band, including the 2014 Midwest Orchestra and Band Clinic in Chicago, as well as national tours. She has also appeared as soloist with the Alabama Symphony, Susquehanna Wind Ensemble, Alabama Wind Ensemble, Piano Phase for two marimbas Steve Reich Capitol Wind Symphony, and was also a featured soloist at the 2013 CMEA (b. 1936) conference, the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2019 International Clarinet Association Conferences, at Clarinetissimo, in Seattle, the 2009 GMEA conference, and the 23rd annual Alabama Honor Band Festival. Valse romantique Claude Debussy (1862–1918) In 2012, she founded Navy Band Clarinet Day, an annual education outreach arr. Weichen Lin symposium for music students and clarinet enthusiasts of all abilities that provide musical enrichment and interaction with Navy Band clarinetists and guests artists representing the pinnacle of the profession from the orchestral/band and academic Insomnia for marimba duo Cody Holmes arenas. Now in its ninth year, the symposium is presented in person to 125 (b. 1995) participants annually and livestreamed to 23,000 online viewers globally. Past guest artists include Richie Hawley, Sean Osborn, Ricardo Morales, Jeremy Reynolds, Eugene Mondie, Larry Combs, Julie DeRoche, Mark Gallagher, Kathy Mulcahy, Robert Duo Lin-Lynn: Weichen Simon Lin and Lynn Vartan DiLutis, and Mitch Estrin. She is a Buffet-Crampon performing artist. Guest Artist Biography Dr. Lynn Vartan Dr. Weichen Simon Lin

Assistant Professor, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan, Percussionist Lynn Vartan is an international performer and educator who is an Keyboard Committee Member, Percussive Arts Society, advocate for diversity in music. As a new music percussionist Lynn has worked with Yulin Normal University, Yulin, (Sabbatical) Michael Colgrass, Vinny Golia, Arthur Jarvinen, Ursula Oppens, Joan Tower, Glen Velez, Weichen is a respected marimba performer, and chamber, contemporary, and orchestral musician. Born in Xtet, James Newton, Chinary Ung, the Hilliard Ensemble, the Tambuco Percussion 1982 in Tainan City, Taiwan, percussionist Weichen is currently based in Los Angeles, CA and Taipei, Taiwan. Ensemble and Grammy Award-winning Southwest Chamber Music, and is known for Weichen’s recent marimba repertoire includes music of J.S. Bach, Camille Saint-Saens, Francesco Tárrega, and her dynamic athleticism and exciting energy on stage. She has commissioned and/or Lyle Mays. Weichen is currently a member of board committee of Taiwan Percussion Association, and a performed countless new works for percussion by composers such as Donald Crockett, member of Keyboard Committee of Percussive Arts Society. Weichen is currently an associate professor of Yulin Normal University in China (sabbatical) and assistant professor of National Chiayi University in Taiwan. William Kraft, Steve Hoey, Veronika Krausas, Erica Muhl, Arthur Jarvinen, Sean Heim, Jeff Holmes, Keith Bradshaw and Shaun Naidoo. Weichen is awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award of his Taipei National University of the Arts in 2017. In addition, Weichen is first prize at the 2008 Classical Marimba League International Marimba Artist As a recital soloist, Lynn has been featured on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Green Competition and first prize at the 2007 Italy PAS International Percussion Competition, Other awards include: Umbrella Series, the Different Trains Series, at universities in residence all over the the Laureate of The First International Internet-Festival 2013 in Moscow Russia, the winner of 2013 Taiwan NTCH Young Star Series, Silver Medal of 2012 Houston Symphony Ima Hogg Concerto United States and on the Music at the Court series in Pasadena, California, where she Competition, Third Prize of 2012 Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, Second Prize of the produced her own solo percussion concerts. As a concerto soloist Lynn has performed 2007 PASIC Marimba Solo Competition, and the winner of 2007 Boston University Soloists’ Competition. with various orchestras including the Hubei Opera and Dance Company of Wuhan, Weichen received the Boston University Honors Award twice in 2008 and 2013. In 2014, Weichen was invited China, the Sierra Wind Symphony, the Helena Symphony, The Orchestra of Southern to be the lifelong membership of the National Music Honor Society Pi Kappa Lumbda. In 2017, Weichen is Utah, Southwest Chamber Music, The Helena Symphony, as well as premiering new awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award of Taipei National University of the Arts. concertos by both American and Chinese composers. She has participated in cultural As an active soloist, Weichen has appeared as concerto soloist with National Chia-Yi University Wind Band, exchange projects such as the “World Percussion Group,” “Ascending Dragon” Project in Singapore Wind Symphony Percussion Ensemble, Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Tainan Symphonic , “The Dream of Helen “project and China and the “East Meets West” project Band, The Concord Band, Houston Symphony, Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band, and with Boston University Symphony Orchestra. Weichen has commissioned and premiered works with notable composers: "Azura" by designed around her as a soloist in Wuhan, China for the Spring of 2014. As a recording Chinese composer Yao Chen, and "Zalan-Zalan" Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra by Julie Spencer and artist, Lynn has appeared on the ECM New Series, Albany Records, Cuneifroms Records, Gernot Blume. In December 2017, Weichen's premiere performance of "Zalan-Zalan" Concerto for Percussion Bridge Records, New World Records, Lian Records, Yarlung Records and Cambria. She and Orchestra with TPYO received a critical acclaim in Taipei, Taiwan. was three times Grammy nominated on the Cambria label with Southwest Chamber Weichen has given concerts and masterclasses in Taiwan, , Peru, México, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Music in the “Best Classical Album of the Year” and “Best Small Ensemble with or , Italy, Singapore, , Russia, and United States. Weichen was also a jury member of the Taiwan without a conductor” for The Complete Chamber Music of Charlos Chavez, Volume III Marimba Competition (2009, 2011), Taipei World Percussion Championship (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016), and the for “Latin Classical Album of the Year” for William Kraft’s Complete Encounters Australian Marimba Competition (2015, 2017, 2018), Taiwan Percussion Association Youth Percussion Series. Competition (2016), Marimbafest in Perth (2019), and Taiwan Music Competition (2020).

Weichen's orchestral appearances include concerts with the Quincy Symphony Orchestra, Boston Civic A devoted ensemble musician, Lynn has been actively involved with Southwest Symphony, and The Macao Orchestra. He received a Tanglewood Music Center fellowship in 2008. Weichen Chamber Music, the violin/percussion duo 61/4 which she founded with Shalini Vijayan, has played orchestral under the baton of James Levine, Sir Andrew Davis, Bernard Haitink, Oliver Knussen, and a duo percussion group Exacta that she formed with Tambuco’s Miguel Gonzalez Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, and André Previn. Weichen served as the first Timpanist of National Taiwan and Duo Lin-Lynn with percussionist Weichen Lin. In addition to her role as Director of Symphony Orchestra from 2010 to 2011. From 2016 to 2019, Weichen served as the percussionist of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (SSO). Weichen toured with the SSO in major festivals, including Ravinia Festival, Percussion at Southern Utah University, Lynn is also the Director of the A.P.E.X. Events Wolftrap Festival, Lucerne Festival, Beijing Music Festival, BBC The Proms, Edinburgh International Festival, Series at Southern Utah University and hosts the weekly podcast The A.P.E.X. Hour. Lynn and Grafenegg Festival. is endorsed by the Paiste Corporation, Remo Inc. and Marimba One. Weichen received his Bachelor of Arts from National University of Arts. He moved to the United States in 2006. He received his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from Boston University under the tutelage of Timothy Genis. In 2016, Weichen received Artist Diploma as a marimba major at The Boston Conservatory under the guidance of world-famous marimbist Nancy Zeltsman.

Weichen is a Premier Artist of Marimba One, a signature artist of Innovative Percussion, and an Artist of Grover Pro Percussion.