Essay 'Samuel L. Williams Endowed Professorship In Music'

It is with great pleasure that I write in support of Dr. Qing Jiang for consideration for The Samuel L. Williams Endowed Professorship in Music. I believe that Dr. Jiang is a very worthy candidate for the award, having distinguished herself among the Department of Music junior faculty by her impressive record of national and international concert appearances, and by her exceptional teaching of piano and chamber music.

As a colleague of Dr. Jiang, I am aware of her enviable profile as a piano soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist (a term replacing “accompanist” to describe the role the pianist plays in an instrumental or vocal recital performance). I am impressed not only by the high status venues that have sponsored her performances, such as New York’s Lincoln Center, but also by the exceptional musicians with whom she has shared the concert stage. She has performed chamber music and recital programs with a host of renowned performers that include violinist Itzhak Perlman, Cleveland Quartet violinist Donald Weilerstein, Kronos Quartet cellist Sunny Yang, and Emerson Quartet cellist Paul Watkins. Recently she performed a piano
Jiang’s candidacy, I will also draw attention to the significance of her appointment to the faculty of the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School and Festival, a remarkable achievement that is indicative of the exceedingly high standing she enjoys as both a teacher and performer. The prestigious seven-week chamber music program for violinists, violists, cellists and pianists draws first-rate students from music conservatories nationwide. The Kneisel Hall faculty are recognized as being among the top teacher-performers in the country, holding teaching appointments at major conservatories and schools of music, such as the Juillard School, The Curtis Institute, and The Manhattan School of Music. Bucknell should be proud that a member of our music faculty is included on such an illustrious