FGCU student wins piano competition

Florida Gulf Coast University Bower School of Music sophomore Satoko Hayami won first place in the Gray Perry Young Collegiate Piano Competition sponsored by the Florida State Music Teachers Association on May 10.

Satoko competed at the University of Central Florida against other undergraduate piano majors from throughout the state. This is the second consecutive year that a piano student from the Bower School of Music has won this award.

Piano majors Faith Lanctot Sam and Hyae-jin Hwang won first place in the Byrd Memorial Piano Ensemble Competition also sponsored by FSMTA at UCF May 10. This competition is open to all university music students regardless of age or degree being earned.

Junior Hyae-jin Hwang won third place in the Artist Series of Sarasota Music Performance Competition held May 4 in Sarasota. Hwang was awarded $2,500 as a result of her win.

All three students are from the piano studio of associate professor Michael Baron, Head of Piano Studies at the Bower School of Music.

"I am proud of all of our talented and hardworking music students who are bringing great distinction to the Bower School of Music," said Baron.

Founding director of Music Nancy Cobb-Lippens said, "These wins by Satoko, Faith and Hyae-jin are the result of much hard work, not only by them but also by their teacher, Michael Baron. I congratulate all of them."