
Jooyoung Kim, a native of South Korea, has performed in numerous solo and chamber recitals in Korea, Japan, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, and the U.S. and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including Yonsei Sinfonietta, Korean Symphony, Yale Symphony, and Ball State Symphony, among others. She made her debut at the age of twelve as a soloist with the Korean Symphony and has performed in prestigious venues internationally and in the U.S. including Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in New York. She has won top prizes in competitions internationally and in the U.S. Dr. Kim maintains an active performance career and chamber recital as a Guest Artist in colleges and universities. As a collaborative pianist and chamber musician, she has been invited to collaborate with renowned singers and instrumentalists. Her passion for contemporary music has led her to numerous collaborations with composers and giving acclaimed premiere performances of new works. Dr. Kim graduated from Yewon Arts School, Seoul Arts High School, and Yonsie University in Seoul, Korea where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees with top honors. She received an Artist Diploma from the Universitat der Kunste in Berlin, Germany then proceeded to earn a doctoral degree from Ball State University as a teaching assistant and recipient of a full scholarship and was recognized by vote of the faculty as the 2008-2009 Outstanding Graduate Student. In the Fall of 2018, she joined the faculty at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Fritz Gechter, a native of Seattle, Washington, has appeared as both soloist and collaborative artist throughout the U.S. and abroad. He made his European debut collaborating with his wife, Suzanne Ramo, soprano in Germany and his Asian debut with violinist, Yu-mei Huang, at Aletheia University in Taiwan. Dr. Gechter has performed in the Alfredo Saint Malo Music Festival in Panama and more recently appeared in solo recital in Switzerland. In 2016, he soloed with the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra performing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto. He has also appeared as soloist with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Municipal Orchestra, and McAllen Symphonic Band. At Texas A&M International University Dr. Gechter is Associate Professor of Music & Piano and currently teaches applied and class piano. He is an active clinician and jury member in piano competitions and while at TAMIU has launched and directed TAMIU's Steinway Series, led a study abroad program within the department to Austria, and directed the university's Young Pianists Program for secondary school students from 2009-2015. Dr. Gechter received his Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Central Washington University, and his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Piano Performance from The University of Texas at Austin under the tutelage of Gregory Allen.

Shao-Shan Chen, born in Taiwan, began piano lessons at the age of five. At the age of eighteen, she made her debut as piano soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Santo Domingo performing Mozart's Piano Concerto K.466. She has performed as piano soloist and chamber musician at Carnegie Recital Hall and Columbia Artists Management Inc. (CAMI) Hall in New York as well as Boston, Cincinnati, the Aspen Music Festival, Taiwan, Indonesia, Spain, Venezuela, and Australia. She appears frequently with her husband, pianist Dr. David Sutanto, performing piano duet in concerts. Dr. Chen has been invited as an adjudicator for piano competitions in South Texas areas, and by the Singapore Music Teachers Association. Dr. Chen earned a diploma degree in piano performance from the National Conservatory of Music in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a Master of Music degree from The Boston Conservatory, and a doctorate from the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. While in the Dominican Republic, she won numerous top prizes in national piano competitions. Dr. Chen is currently an Associate Professor of Piano at Del Mar College where she started teaching since 2004.