Alex and Marcy McDonald present free Master Class for Dallas piano students, Sept. 14

DALLAS - Sept. 5, 2014 - PRLog -- Renowned pianists and pedagogues Alex and Marcy McDonald will be offering a free master class for local students at Steinway Hall – Dallas on Sunday, September 14, 2014 from 5-8 p.m.  The Master Class is held in anticipation of Alex McDonald’s performance of Shostakovich’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Dallas Chamber Symphony, scheduled for Tuesday, September 16^th at 8pm at Dallas City Performance Hall.

Master classes are short, public piano lessons, which provide an opportunity for a variety of students from varied backgrounds to learn from a top teacher in the field. This master class is designed to be a positive experience for the skilled piano student, who will receive constructive feedback, and be asked to adapt and improve on the spot, in front of an audience. The experience will be fun and enlightening to all, so please bring your friends and family.

Teachers are welcome to nominate high-school and college students for participation in the master class. Students may also nominate themselves. Participating pianists and their families will receive priority ticket reservations. While admission is free, there are a limited number of seats, and seat reservations are required in advance. Event information and applications can be found online at www.dallaschambersymphony.org/alex.

About Alex McDonald

Since his orchestral debut at age 11, pianist Alex McDonald has soloed with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra, among others. He has performed across the United States as well as in Israel, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and South Korea; additionally, he has been a featured performer on PBS, WRR (Dallas/Ft. Worth), KUHA and KUHF (Houston), NPR, and WQXR (New York City). Awards and fellowships include second prize at the 2007 New Orleans International Piano Competition and second prize at the 2001 Gina Bachauer International Young Artist Piano Competition. In 2008, he was named a Harvey Fellow by the Mustard Seed Foundation. In 2013, he was a competitor in the 2014 Van Cliburn Competition. Highlights of this season include solo performances in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Tennessee, and will record his first CD consisting of Liszt, Haydn and others this Fall. Additionally, he is appearing as a chamber musician in Texas and Virginia with Joseph Kuipers and the Marinus Ensemble and Ensemble 75, as well as two-piano concerts with Cathy Lysinger in Oklahoma and Texas. This April he will appear with the Plano Symphony, performing Gershwin’s Concerto in F and Variations on I’ve Got Rhythm. Dr. McDonald is currently on faculty at Texas Woman’s University, having previously taught at Richland College as well as at the Juilliard School. Additionally, his private piano students have been admitted to Juilliard, Eastman and New England Conservatory, and have performed at Carnegie’s Weill Hall and on WRR. Deeply concerned about a healthy integration of life with music, he has actively pursued community formation both as an R.A. in the Juilliard residence hall and as president of Juilliard Christian Fellowship. Dr. McDonald received his pre-college training under Lois Nielson, his bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory with Academic Honors and Distinction in Performance under Russell Sherman, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from Juilliard under Yoheved Kaplinsky and Julian Martin. His doctoral document, a source study on manuscripts and editions for Liszt’s Sonata in B Minor, has been cited in the most recent edition of the sonata by Alfred Publishers, edited by Nancy Bricard.

About Marcy McDonald

Marcy McDonald has been teaching piano in the Dallas area, preschool through adult, for the past 30 years.  In 2006 Ms. McDonald was recognized by the Texas Music Teachers Association for outstanding achievement in piano pedagogy with the Pre-Collegiate Teacher of the Year Award for teaching excellence. Her students have won first place prize at the National MTNA Yamaha Competition, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Lynn Harrell Competition, and have soloed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Plano Symphony Orchestra, the Lewisville Lake Symphony Orchestra, the SMU Meadows Symphony Orchestra and the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, among others. Ms. McDonald has had students accepted with scholarship into such prestigious music conservatories and universities including The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Manes School of Music, SMU, TCU, and University of Houston Moore’s School of Music. Additionally, She has been a guest lecturer at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference.

ABOUT DALLAS CHAMBER SYMPHONY

Named Best of Big D 2014 by D Magazine, and Best Classical Music Addition 2013 by the Dallas Observer, the Dallas Chamber Symphony is one of the most exciting and innovative professional performance ensembles in North Texas. Led by Artistic Director and Conductor Richard McKay, it is comprised of 40 musicians, all dedicated to performing a balance of programs that include underrepresented and standard chamber repertory, contemporary music, staged works, and pieces with extra-musical elements, such as film, actors, dancers, and narrators.

The DCS performs at the gorgeous new City Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District, and provides educational and community programming, including an annual International Piano Competition at SMU, field-trip concerts for area youth, and Sight of Sound, an annual International Film Competition. For more information, visit www.DallasChamberSymphony.org.