Kiser Piano Studio Activities Spring 2026
- David Kiser
- Apr 26
- 5 min read
Dear Reader,
It has been sometime since we've updated the blog and well things have been busy. Now take a few minutes to read about our studio and performing activities and the achievements of our students. As a reminder this blog is the place to get any updates as I don't regularly update the website itself. Come here for pictures and news.
Lisa's student Sonia Okunev was invited to play for a guest artist masterclass at the invitation of the Greenville Symphony. The pianist was Jonathan Mamora. He played Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto with the symphony. Lisa also played the celeste on that concert. The piece was Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite.
Congratulations to Roger Luo for winning first prize at the Wingate Competition held at Wingate University near Charlotte, NC.
Bonus picture of the studio dog. Her name is Levy. If you keep scrolling you will see more pictures of Levy.
Standing is student Amy Ding who also plays in the Young Artist Orchestra, the top level ensemble of GCYO. David Kiser (writing this) is the executive director of GCYO. Audition registration is open until audition spots are full.
Greenville County Youth Orchestra's Young Artist Orchestra's is one of the most advanced large ensembles one can play in South Carolina. This year two YAO students will receive full scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University, others do extremely well in college acceptance and scholarships. Picture below is a dress rehearsal from a concert at Gunter Theatre at the Peace Center.
David was invited to give a masterclass at the SCMEA Convention in Columbia. He also attended the honors recital. The masterclass took place in the recital hall at the University of South Carolina where he had performed many times as a student.
Below is a picture of Eleanor playing the "Chopin" piano at the Sigal Music Museum. Now a few years ago a number of Lisa's students made recordings for South Carolina Public Radio on this instrument. David and Eleanor were at the museum because he was filming an educational video about the piano for area schools on the behalf of Sigal Music Museum.
Lisa was once again invited to perform for Celtic Women. This time in Charleston at the Gaillard Center. Below you can see the Rotunda at the College of Charleston.
Below students Amy Ding, Roger Luo, Andrew Ning are practicing concerto play-throughs with Lisa at the "orchestra" piano. See videos below them.
The below picture was taken by Eleanor. David assisting Roger during a lesson in the Christmas season.
Lisa played many solos during the annual Holiday at Peace Concert at the Peace Center. We've gone to this concert for perhaps going on nearly 20 years now. This time the piano was part of the staging so it was moved up to the front.
The above is from Charles Rosen's book called Freedom and the Arts, a collection of his essays and articles. I highly recommend anything he writes. In fact I think his writings are mandatory for pianists. Many will encounter him through his most famous book called The Classical Style.
See how fun symphony concerts can be. Watch this excerpt below. Lisa is playing with Greenville Symphony in an encore piece, the Mambo from West Side Story. It's not often that we are allowed to film in the concert hall. Students can learn the most by regularly attending the symphony.
Lisa has also been playing principal keyboard in Asheville more recently. They, the Asheville Symphony, perform in the beautiful First Baptist Church. It can be a tight squeeze for everyone to fit on the "stage" especially when a piano is involved, but they manage. In Asheville be sure to stop at the Thomas Wolfe House.
Also up North, Lisa joined Igor Begelman for a clarinet recital at Tyron Arts Center. Tyron is the birthplace of Nina Simone.
Look, another picture of the studio dog, Levy.
David posing with Greenville County Youth Orchestra students and Symphony Ambassadors.
Look, an additional picture featuring the studio dog.
Yawning.
Sphinx-like.
Did I say yet that Greenville County Youth Orchestra auditions are open until the last couple audition spots are filled. Pictured in the center is piano student Sonia O., who also plays viola at a high level in the Young Artist Orchestra.
Andrew N., Roger L. and Jireh H. won prizes in the Talent Hunt Competition/
Another picture of Sonia at the piano masterclass at Governor's School. She played Khachaturian's Toccata.
Congratulations to Lisa's students who competed in the Crescent Music Club and GMTA Scholarship auditions. See the complete results below:
And the GMTA results:
Congratulations to the following students and their teachers for earning these scholarships today:
LHM Division I
$300 Roger Lou, student of Lisa Kiser
$200 Andrew Ning, student of Lisa Kiser
$200 Amy Ding, student of Lisa Kiser
$100 Jireh Hipolito, student of Lisa Kiser
$100 Bryan Ouyang, student of Lisa Kiser
Honorable Mention: Yuchen Lin, student of Lisa Kiser
Steinway Senior $250: Andrew Ning, student of Lisa Kiser
LHM Division II
Daniel Cyan, student of Lisa Kiser
Joseph Shevchenko, student of Julie Carrier
Sonia Okunev, student of Lisa Kiser
Hasset Ayalew, student of Lisa Kiser
Eva Yurko, student of Lisa Kiser
Honorable Mentions: Alan Bajracharya and Aaron Ding, students of Lisa Kiser
Comment sheets will follow in a separate email. Our judge, Linda Li-Bleuel, was very grateful for the strong preparation of all of the students!
Deanna Moore and Lisa Kiser, GMTA Scholarships Chairs
Andrew Ning who won the $1,200 senior prize (Shirley Sarlin Piano Scholarship) was accepted into Duke University, Georgia Tech, and University of Cambridge. We hope that he will keep up his piano playing in some form. I think he has his heart set on Duke. He is soon giving a solo piano recital for the Asheville Piano Forum as the senior winner of the previous year's competition. Secondary instrument, piano student senior Benjamin Webb was accepted into Vanderbilt University. His primary instrument is cello.
Many of our students are working steadily away at the ABRSM Theory workbooks. Some of them will take the online exams like Jayden, who passed with Merit.
Roger Luo was invited to participate in the Emory University Young Artist Piano Competition for advanced pianists. This summer he was also invited to compete at the Southeastern Piano Festival and Competition.
Below is the recital program from the Crescent Music Club Honors Recital. Students had to play to collect their award money.
Lisa was invited to judge the GMTA college division for piano concertos and senior level at Piedmont College Conservatory of Music in Demorest, Georgia. Students came from across Georgia to compete. Tallulah Falls is a nice place to visit when there.
Since Mrs. Lisa was playing for Greenville Symphony, Eleanor and Mr. David and Eleanor's grandpa saw Seong-Jin Cho at Spivey Hall in Atlanta:
A number of our students were invited to play in the Guild of Greenville Symphony Benefit Recital. Proceeds from the recital went directly to support the Guild which in turn supports the symphony:
That's all for now. Until next time keep practicing.
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