AUK Holds a Piano Recital by Stephanie Cheng

The Department of Music and Drama at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) held a Faculty Piano Recital by Dr. Stephanie Cheng, a Steinway Artist from New York. The concert was held at the AUK Auditorium, where more than 250 guests attended, including HH the Ambassador of Poland and HH the Ambassador of South Korea.

The concert featured a variety of works created by legendary composers, such as Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, among others. "Her playing was beautiful and touching, in particularly The Ballade, by my favorite Polish composer Chopin!," said HH the Polish Ambassador, Mr. Grzegorz Olszak. Dr. David Miller, Assistant Professor of Music at Gulf University for Science & Technology (GUST), also attended the event. He described Dr. Cheng's playing as "a beautiful flow of expression."

Being a Steinway Artist puts Dr. Cheng in the same club as some of today's popular musicians who are known to play pianos built by Steinway & Sons, like Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall. She became a member of the faculty of The Department of Music & Drama at AUK in 2012. Before coming to Kuwait, Dr. Cheng performed extensively in the U.S., France, Italy, Japan, and Taiwan and gained great critical acclaim for her performances. Her solo and collaborative engagements have given her opportunities to perform at some of the world's major music settings including Carnegie Hall in New York, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., National Concert Hall of Taipei, and Opera City Hall of Tokyo.

The Department of Music and Drama offers a wide range of opportunities for both beginning and advanced students within the context of a liberal arts education. The Music and Drama faculty of talented professionals work closely with students to prepare them for campus concerts and plays, and to academically challenge them in courses on performing arts. The department fosters artistic proficiency, cultural appreciation, a sense of community, and a lifelong commitment to the arts.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 23rd December 2014

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2014

Dr. Cheng performing