Music is CENTRAL!
June 27-29, 2026
MORE MUSIC • Collegiate Student Lunchtime Performances
PLEASE NOTE: All performances and room assignments are subject to change. Please check the website for updates.
Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 12:00 noon • McIntyre 150 / Band Room
Mengyiyi Chen, piano
Ballade in G minor, Op. 27 (1897) by Mel Bonis (1858-1937)
Mélanie Hélène (“Mel”) Bonis was a prolific French composer who composed over 300 piano pieces. Her Ballade in G minor, Op. 27 is a sophisticated hybrid ternary form that masterfully intertwines the cyclic principles of her mentor, César Franck, with the evocative, shifting colors of early French Impressionism. The work is characterized by its psychological depth, navigating through a somber G-minor narrative that escalates into dramatic, chromatic climaxes before returning to a hauntingly introspective conclusion. Its rhapsodic structure allows for a high degree of expressive freedom while maintaining a rigorous motivic unity. This masterpiece is ideally suited for advanced to collegiate-level students. Dr. Mengyiyi Chen is a pianist and educator holding a DMA in Piano Performance from the University of North Texas and an MM from the Manhattan School of Music. Her debut album, Mel Bonis: Piano Solo Volume 1 (Toccata Label), received high praise from major music magazines. Her students are top prize winners in regional and international competitions.
back to the topSunday, June 28, 2026 at 12:00 noon • McIntyre 150 / Band Room
Carter Mitchell, euphonium
Anemoi: the Gods of the Wind (2021) by Thomas Ruedi (b. 1969)
I. Zephyros
II. Euros
III. Boreas
IV. Notos
Thomas Ruedi is a Swiss euphonium artist and composer. Anemoi(The Gods of the Wind) for unaccompanied euphonium is inspired by Greek mythology and its four seasonal gods of the winds. Carter Mitchell is a senior at Washington State University earning a bachelor’s degree in music performance for euphonium as well as a bachelor’s in applied mathematics. He has played the euphonium for over 10 years and has enjoyed opportunities to compete at the national level for the 2026 MTNA Young Artist Brass competition and at the 2024 Northwest Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference, in addition to international competitions like the 2025 International Tuba Euphonium Festival and the 2024 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium & Tuba Festival. After graduation, he will pursue a master’s degree in mathematics while auditioning for regional euphonium and trombone positions.
Flora Cummings, viola
Salix Lasiandra Sings (2024) by Melia Watras
Distinguished violist and composer Melia Watras currently holds the Ruth Sutton Waters Endowed Professorship and is Professor of Viola the University of Washington. Salix Lasiandra Sings for solo viola was composed for Flora Cummings and the composer writes “The willow sings to the fiddler.” Flora Cummings is from Seattle and has just graduated from the University of Washington, studying viola and ecology. She has soloed with numerous local ensembles including the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra, UW Symphony, and Leonore Chamber Orchestra. As well as orchestral and solo music, Flora is an enthusiastic chamber music player and loves Scottish fiddle music and Gaelic song. In 2024, she won the prestigious Silver Pendant singing competition for Scottish Gaelic learners at the Royal National Mòd in Scotland. She will be pursuing a Master’s in viola performance at the Royal Academy of Music in the autumn. In 2026, Flora was the Young Artist winner for Washington State and the Northwest Division.
Izel Ochoa-Read, piano
Ballade No. 4, Op. 52, in F minor (1842) by Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
More information coming soon.
back to the topMonday, June 29, 2026 at 12:00 noon • McIntyre 150 / Band Room
Central West Quartet: Lesly Cadena and Jeromy Neese, violins; Tyler Jones, viola; and Gabe Seery, cello
Merry Go Round of Life from Howl’s Moving Castle (2024) by Joe Hisaishi (b. 1950)
Japanese filmmaker and composer Joe Hisaishi (Mamoru Fujisawa) has composed music for over 100 films, known especially for his work in animation. His music draws on a wide range of musical styles. Howl’s Moving Castle is his most successful commercial film and “Merry Go Round of Life” has over 140 million streams on Spotify. The Central West Quartet is a chamber ensemble studying at Central Washington University. Formed during their first year together, they plan to continue playing chamber music together until they graduate and hope to inspire people of all ages by incorporating a variety of genres in their repertoire.
Donut Friday Quartet: Ellie Brower, Quentin Chamberlain, Chone Ewell, and Joshua Quintana, horns
Horn Quartet (2023) by Michael Mikulka (b. 1985)
American horn player and composer Michael Mikulka (b. 1985) draws on his Armenian roots and wide-ranging performing experiences for his compositions, and his Horn Quartet is a great demonstration of his musical style. Named for the CWU Horn Club’s primary fundraising activity, the Donut Friday Horn Quartet is made up of music majors at Central Washington University. Their eclectic interests in performance, education, and composition encourage them to explore varied musical styles. Member Quentin Chamberlain was the MTNA Senior Brass national winner in 2025.
Burrow Vision Quartet: Robert Morales, soprano saxophone; Jonathan Bautista, alto saxophone; Reagan Billingsley, tenor saxophone; and Joey McKinley, baritone saxophone
Andante et Scherzo (1938) by Eugène Bozza (1905 – 1991)
More information coming soon.
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2026 WSMTA CONFERENCE SUPORTERS:
WSMTA Teacher Enrichment Fund
Eastside MTA
Kitsap MTA
Lynden MTA
Mt Rainier MTA
Pullman MTA
Seattle MTA Simon Fiset Competition
South King County MTA
Yakima-Ellensburg Chapter