Sioux City, IA – The Morningside College Piano Recital Series will present a concert featuring pianist Yi-Yang Chen, clarinetist Parker Gaims, and cellist Stephanie March on Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Eppley Auditorium on the Morningside College campus. The trio’s recital will include works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Nino Rota, and Johannes Brahms. The recital is free and open to the public.

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Yi-Yang Chen has been playing the piano since the age of 8. Currently completing his doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music, he holds a Master of Music from Juilliard and a Bachelor of Music from Eastman. Chen is the first-prize winner of many prestigious competitions, the most recent including the 2018 Sussex International Piano Competition (UK), 2017 Washington International Competition, 2017 Virginia Waring International Piano Competition, 2017 Five Town Piano Competition, 2016 High Point University Piano Competition, 2016 Hartford Chopin International Piano Competition, 2013 LISMA International Piano Competition, 2013 Schubert Club Scholarship Competition, and more. He gave his Carnegie solo recital debut in 2017 and has performed throughout the world. Chen is currently an assistant professor of piano and music theory at East Tennessee State University. 

A native of Los Angeles, Parker Gaims is a Washington D.C.-based clarinetist. He has performed at venues throughout the Capital region including the Kennedy Center, Strathmore, Wolftrap, and the White House. Before living in D.C., he performed with the Chicago Chamber Musicians and served as the Bass Clarinet Teaching Assistant at the Brevard Music Festival in North Carolina. Gaims received his Bachelor of Music in clarinet performance from DePaul University in Chicago and his Master of Music in clarinet performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He has been a clarinetist in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band since 2013 and has appeared as a soloist with the Marine Band and Chamber Orchestra, DePaul University Wind Symphony, Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, and at the International Clarinet Association’s annual conference. Please note that Parker Gaims’ performance is in an unofficial capacity and neither “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the U.S. Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government has endorsed it.

Stephanie March is currently the principal cellist of the Sioux City Symphony. During the 2014-2015 season, she served as Associate Principal cellist of the South Dakota Symphony and member of the Dakota String Quartet. She has also performed in the cello sections of the National Repertory Orchestra, New World Symphony, and Omaha Symphony. She has appeared as a soloist with the Sioux City, South Dakota, Fort Dodge, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, and Cherokee symphonies and her performances have been broadcast live on Iowa Public Television and Iowa Public Radio. An avid chamber musician, March has collaborated in ensembles with Grammy-nominated artists and has also worked with award-winning composers throughout her career. A native of Sioux City, she earned her Bachelor of Music degree with Highest Distinction from the Eastman School of Music where she served for four years as rotating principal in the Eastman School Orchestras. She then received a full scholarship to Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. where she graduated with her Master of Music degree. She teaches cello privately and at Morningside College.

The Morningside College Piano Recital Series is presented by Morningside’s School of Visual and Performing Arts and made possible by a generous gift from Patty and Eric Lohry. The series brings nationally and internationally renowned pianists and other musicians to Morningside College for free performances open to the public. Learn more about the opportunities for Morningside students and the Siouxland community to experience the fine arts at www.morningside.edu/performing-arts.