By Stella Henretta 

The University of Maryland’s School of Music hosted the Fall Piano Division Showcase on Dec. 1 in the Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

This showcase was a culmination of UMD student musicians who attended the piano division’s weekly recitals, which are held almost every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and open to the public. These recitals allow students to showcase their diverse talents and skills to the selective division. Throughout the semester, the piano division picks different performers who are brought together at the end of the semester to create a showcase.

This semester’s performance featured students Athanasios Ramadanidis, Cecilia Plumer, Samwit Dangol, Marco Albano, James Michael Key, Linda Garcia, Leili Asanbekova, Joseph Kruse, Jared Alan Yoakem, Abigail Wilemon and Henry Horst.

“The showcase recitals give UMD piano students an amazing opportunity to perform on a beautiful Gildenhorn Hall’s stage with the wonderful Steinway pianos. I feel so happy when it happens, and I’m always thankful for this chance,” said Asanbekova, who is pursuing a doctorate in musical arts or D.M.A.

Associate professor and piano division coordinator Mayron Tsong worked closely with the student musicians to prepare for the showcase.

“This event is an opportunity for the students to feel like artists,” Tsong said. “To show their hard work, talent and most importantly to share their love of music. The public is always very appreciative of these events, and we have many loyal music lovers who come to all of our events.”

Many people in the crowd were friends or family of those playing in the showcase. However, others, like senior computer engineering major Olivia Adams, attended for enjoyment.

“I really liked [the show]. This was my third one, and I liked the selection this year the most. I thought a lot of the pieces were very dramatic and lyrical,” Adams said. “I think [the showcase] really shows off the students’ talent. I’m not a musician at all, so I don’t really appreciate the time or the work until I see it live and I’m like, ‘Wow, these people are really good at what they do.’”

Freshman biology and statistics double major Amy Meng also attended despite not being directly connected with the School of Music.

“I’m not a music major, but I know some of the people here, and I play piano myself, and I thought it would be interesting to see what the piano students here are up to,” Meng said.

Meng also said that the showcase “is good for introducing classical music to the UMD community, even if [people are] not directly affiliated with the music school or if they’re not music students.”

Freshman music education major Mariana Yanes Barrera, who does not have piano experience, attended the showcase. Yanes Barrera emphasized the importance of gaining as much expertise as possible to grow your mind and abilities.

“I guess for me, especially since I’m in the music realm, it’s just a good idea to expand your knowledge,” Yanes Barrera said. “I’m a violinist, but it’s always good to support your school and the School of Music.”

Overall, the crowd perceived the showcase as entertaining and noteworthy. Chris Dillon, a music theory teacher at Towson University and father of student pianist Garcia, was among those in the audience and said he was thoroughly impressed.

“I enjoyed [the show] very much, and I thought that the choice of selections was excellent. There was a good mix of pieces from different periods, and there were pieces from different parts of the world. American composers were represented, and there was at least one Black composer represented,” Dillon said. “The level of playing was very high, so I was really impressed with what they’re able to do here at UMD.”

The School of Music cultivated a community among students enrolled in the college. Albano, a senior electrical engineering major and pianist in the showcase, said the program’s tight-knit and supportive environment has helped him find a place in the music community.

“I think being in the department, there is a community here, and people go through the same troubles and do the same performances,” Albano said. “You know, we’re all here because we like music, and so being in the department makes me feel good to be a performer.”

Asanbekova spoke about her similar experience regarding the School of Music.

“School of Music became my alma mater when I first came here for my Master of Music degree. Now I’m on my DMA program, and I feel that the experience at UMD has improved me immensely as a musician and as a person,” Asanbekova said. “I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunities that the school has given me throughout these years. I’ve met people who have become significant in my life, and that’s a true blessing.”

The School of Music’s piano division offers a range of support structures, resources and performances to allow student musicians to flourish and advance their skills.

One resource that Horst, a sophomore piano performance major, utilizes regularly is the piano division’s International Piano Archives at Maryland, housed in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library. As the single biggest collection of piano records in the world, every single piano recording can be accessed by students. Additionally, there are several ways in which students can exhibit their work to an audience.

“There are so many great performance opportunities to really just take your work to the next level,” Horst said. “I think some music schools just teach you [how to] get through as much repertoire as possible, but you really get to focus on refinement here, which I think is really key and distinguishes us.”

Piano showcases like this are valuable ways to show off students’ talent and what UMD has to offer. Dillon said that they can provide valuable performing experience for the students while giving the audience an opportunity to hear a well-prepared repertoire.

Freshman cinema and media studies major Tiffany Hall also emphasized that these showcases can influence those in the audience. 

“Being able to express creativity, the performers being able to express creativity, and then the people that are watching and listening being able to hear creativity; it can maybe make [the audience] feel inspired themselves to do something creative,” Hall said.

Featured image: Grand piano inside the Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Dec. 1, 2025. Photo by Stella Henretta.