9:00–9:45 AM — ISMTA CAMTA AIM program
AWARD Recognition of Levels 11 and 12
On Friday, June 5th we will be recognizing students who have passed Levels 11 and 12.
Those students who have completed Lev. 11 and 12 (with scores of 85 or higher in both exams) are receiving the Sam Licata and Delaplane Awards.
All students and their teachers are asked to attend the AIM award ceremony on June 5th on Zoom or in person at 9:00am at PianoForte. Each recipient will say a few sentences about their piano journey, their future plans, and thoughts about the AIM program. All teachers are urged to attend this celebration of dedicated students. It is a treat to hear special moments of sharing from our students and their musical/life journey.
10:00–11:00 am — CAMTA Business Meeting
AIM Award Recognition
Installation of officers
Member of the Year announced
11:00 am–12:30 PM — Professional Development Program
Zehao Bai, Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano and Keer Wang, Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano Performance
Masterclass featuring performers:
Mimi Funakoshi, 13 (Shihui Yin), Ravel: Jeux d'eau
Lala Funakoshi, 13 (Shihui Yin), Prokofiev Sonata No. 6, 1st mvt
Heming Liu, 13 (Yumy Kim), Chopin: Fantasie-Impromptu Op. 66
Aidan Eytcheson, 10 (Yumy Kim), Mozart: Sonata in B-flat Major K. 570, III. Allegretto
FEATURED PRESENTERS
Zehao Bai
Praised for being “delicate and powerful”, Zehao Bai is active as a soloist, collaborator, and educator. In 2025, he performed and taught extensively across the United States, Europe, and Asia, establishing himself as a prominent presence on today’s classical music scene.
Following major prizes at the Heida Hermanns International Piano Competition and the Seattle International Piano Competition, Bai has appeared in performances throughout North America. Most recently, he completed a nine-city concert tour across China in collaboration with ACOrange, the country’s largest private performance enterprise.
An avid chamber musician, Bai formed the piano duo Coco&Nick with his partner, pianist Ke’er Wang. Together they have performed throughout the United States, appearing at the Southeastern Piano Festival, Lander University, the Texas State International Piano Festival, and with the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra. Dedicated to new music, the duo has premiered works by composers such as David Temperley (Suite for Two Pianos) and Daniel Perttu (Triptych of Fugues), with appearances at College Music Society conferences and Eastman’s Centennial Celebration.
In addition to his performing career, Bai serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano Performance at the University of Toledo. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Dorothy MacKenzie Price Piano Series and Competition and co-director of Keyboard Explorations at Summer@Eastman. He has served as a jury member for the MTNA Competition, the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition, and the Miaomiao Rising Star Piano Competition, among others. His students have garnered top prizes internationally, and he was honored with the Distinguished Guidance Award and named Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the 17th Shanghai International Piano Competition.
Committed to community engagement and musical education, Bai and Wang co-founded the Miaomiao Piano Festival in Wuhai, China, where they continue to serve as Artistic Directors. They also co-direct Keyboard Explorations at Summer@Eastman and are active members of the Vivace International Music Festival.
Dr. Bai holds degrees from University of South Carolina and the Eastman School of Music, the latter bestowing upon him the highly coveted Henry Cobos Endowed Piano Prize – an honor the institution reserves for pianists who demonstrated exceptional achievement in the performance of piano. His principal teachers include Marina Lomazov, Joseph Rackers, and Washington Garcia.
Keer Wang
Keer Wang
“…simply beautiful and lyrical…” ACOrange Daily - Keer Wang, is a highly acclaimed pianist and educator whose performances have captivated audiences across Asia, Europe, and North America. She has since been recognized for her artistry by esteemed musicians including Paul Badura-Skoda.
Wang, a Presser Scholar and grant recipient, brings depth of expression, technical brilliance, and an unwavering commitment to artistic excellence to her performances. She has been featured in Dorothy Mackenzie Price Piano Series at University of Toledo, Rising Artist Series at Lander University and performed as a Rising Star soloist at the Texas State International Piano Festival. In collaboration with her chamber partner Zehao Bai, she has performed in notable events such as the Southeastern Piano Festival’s Piano Extravaganza, The Concert Truck, and Sixty-fourth National Conference - College Music Society Showcase Concert. As a soloist, she has appeared with the University of South Carolina Symphony Orchestra, the Virginia Williamsburg Symphonic Orchestra, and the Virtuosi Brunenses Orchestra in Italy.
A laureate of numerous international competitions, Wang has garnered top prizes including the National Dance, Vocal, and Instrumental Competition in Beijing, the Zhongsin International Music Competition in Singapore, and the American Virtuoso International Music Competition. In 2024 she received First Prize and the Artist Award at the 10th GOCCA New York Music International Competition. As part of this prestigious honor, she appeared as the featured soloist in a nationally presented concert tour “Sound of Laurel” across eight major Chinese cities—including Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Xi’an and Chengdu—presented by ACOrange, one of China’s leading arts management and production companies.
Wang is Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano at Colby College, Co-Founder of the Miaomiao Piano Festival, Director of the Keyboard Explorations Summer Program at Eastman School of Music. She continues to inspire audiences and students alike with her passion for music and dedication to education. Keer earned the Bachelor of Music at University of South Carolina, Master of Music at Eastman School of Music, where she is Doctor of Musical Arts candidate under the guidance of Marina Lomazov and Joseph Rackers.