Atlanta, GA - December 14, 2023
The piano studio at Georgia State University, led by Dr. Sergio Gallo, marked a year of significant artistic and academic achievement with performances and professional opportunities that reached audiences in the U.S. and abroad.
Through an ongoing partnership with the Chopin Society of Atlanta (CSA), several students from the piano studio received full scholarships to attend international summer programs in Paris and Vienna. Scholarship recipients included Fernanda Miranda, Lauren Vaccaro, Ísis Cardoso, Gregorio Oliveira, Hannah Jung and Victoria Allen.
“These experiences allowed us to engage directly with the musical traditions we study,” said Jung, an Artist Certificate student. “Studying and performing in Paris and Vienna expanded my artistic perspective and reinforced the importance of learning from different cultural environments. Dr. Gallo’s guidance played a major role in helping me take advantage of these opportunities.”
Student performances throughout the year reflected the studio’s growing national and international presence. Junior piano performance major Victoria Allen performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 1, 2023 and later at the Altes Rathaus in Vienna on July 13. Jung also performed at the Altes Rathaus, participated in a master class with Robert Lehrbaumer at the Friedrich Gulda School of Music in Vienna and appeared in concert at the Conservatoire Municipal in Paris.
Former graduate student Hyun-hwa Jang, who is completing her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Georgia, returned to Carnegie Hall for a recital on Nov. 14. Together, these performances highlight the studio’s emphasis on professional preparation and artistic excellence.
The Chopin Society of Atlanta further supported student development by sponsoring a recital last spring at Kopleff Recital Hall featuring Martín García García, a laureate of the International Chopin Piano Competition. The partnership continues to bring guest artists and performance opportunities to campus.
“The Chopin Academy of Atlanta has created a space where students and guest artists learn from each other through performance,” said Cardoso, a graduate piano performance major. “Being part of that environment has been incredibly motivating.”
Beyond performance, students in the piano studio also achieved success in research and professional engagement. The Georgia State University Collegiate Music Teachers National Association chapter, advised by Dr. Gallo, recently received a national MTNA grant that will allow all members to attend the 2025 national conference. At this year’s MTNA conference in Atlanta, Cardoso will present a research poster titled “Folklore Stylization in Suite No. 2 (Nordestina) by Guerra-Peixe.”
“This will be my first research presentation in the United States,” Cardoso said. “Sharing Brazilian music within a national academic setting is especially meaningful to me.”
Graduate student Gregorio Oliveira also represented Georgia State at the Georgia Music Teachers Association annual conference, which saw record collegiate attendance.
Reflecting on the year, Gallo emphasized the students’ commitment to growth and collaboration. “It’s a pleasure to work with this group at Georgia State,” he said. “They are curious, motivated and eager to learn.”
With continued support from faculty and community partners, the piano studio looks ahead to another year of artistic development and expanded opportunities on and off campus.