Congratulations All!
April 27, 2027
Festival Results, Masterclass Recital NEW Venue, & SURVEY
Greetings SCMEA Piano Division Members:
Year end is almost here. I know everyone is deep in the thick of EOY concerts and graduations.
This newsletter is jam packed with goodies. Please make sure to read carefully.
In this issue you'll find:
- May 16, 2026- Masterclass & Honors Spring Recital- NEW Venue: College of Charleston Recital Hall
- Masterclass Clinician: Tom Hicks
- Piano Division Multicultural Chair- The Vote is In!
- 2027 SCMEA Conference Session Proposals & 2027 SCMEA Performing Ensemble Applications
- And finally (DRUMROLL, please...): Results for the 2026 Spring Piano Festival!
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on May 16 at College of Charleston.
Your SCMEA Piano Division Executive Board,
College of Charleston Recital Hall: May 16, 2026
Time: Masterclass: 11 AM l Honors Recital: 12:30 PM
Location: Masterclass and Honors Recital will take place in the Recital Hall of College of Charleston. It is located in the College of Charleston School of the Arts building at 66 George Street. Parking: There is a parking garage on the corner of St. Phillips and George Street.
Our 2026 Spring Masterclass Clinician!
Mr. Tom Hicks, Assistant Professor of Piano/Director of Piano Studies/Artistic Director of the International Piano Series.
Tom Hicks has been praised for his "gorgeously creative playing" that "transports the listener to another place and time." As a recitalist and chamber musician, he performs internationally and has appeared as a concerto soloist on more than 60 occasions. He is a Yamaha Artist.
His recordings for the Metier, Nimbus, and Divine Arts labels include works by Tchaikovsky, Liszt, John Ireland, Rebecca Clarke, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Camden Reeves and Augusta Read Thomas. His recording of Liszt and Ireland was selected as American Records Guide’s Critics Choice of 2022, and his recording of Augusta Read Thomas was selected as BBC Music Magazine’s Recording of the Month. He has most recently recorded the complete nocturnes by Chopin for release in 2025.
He is a gold medallist in numerous competitions and holds degrees and awards from The University of Manchester, The Royal Northern College of Music, Yale University, and Northwestern University. His teachers have included Mervyn Grand, Murray McLachlan, Christopher Elton, Boris Berman and James Giles. This year, Hicks joins the College of Charleston as Assistant Professor of Music and Artistic Director of the College of Charleston International Piano Series.
He currently teaches MUSC 131 - Music Appreciation
Piano Division Multicultural Chair Election Results
Motion to amend the Bylaws to include a Multicultural Chair is approved.
Next up in the Fall Membership meeting: Nominations & Elections
2027 Conference Proposals & Performing Ensemble Application LINKS
2027 SCMEA Conference Session Proposals: HERE
Please complete this form if you would like to present at the 2027 SCMEA Conference, scheduled for February 4-6, 2027 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in Columbia, SC. The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2026. Notifications of acceptance will be made by September 15, 2026. Please address any questions to Alexis Hatch, Conference Chair, at Alexis.Hatch@scmea.net.
2027 SCMEA Performing Ensemble Application HERE
Bring a Piano Ensemble to perform at the 2027 Conference! Click on the link above and use the form to submit an application to perform at the 2027 SCMEA Professional Development Conference. The deadline to submit is June 1, 2026.
