UWGB Piano Day
Come and play with us on March 28, 2026
Featuring Sharon J. Resch Institute of Music piano faculty and guest artist Michael Gurt.
Pianists, teachers and students of all levels and ages are welcome to participate in Piano Day at the Weidner. Come and perform on the nine-foot Steinway in beautiful Fort Howard Hall. Attend mini-recitals of jazz, classical and chamber music. Learn from our master teachers by playing for or observing a masterclass. Or participate in hands-on workshops to expand your piano knowledge!
Join Us to Play
All participants will have the chance to play a piece of their choice on the concert grand Steinway piano in Fort Howard Hall. Masterclasses and workshops for beginning and advanced pianists will be held throughout the day. Registration is free and all are welcome.
- Priority registration deadline: March 14, 2026
- Late registration deadline: March 21, 2026
Guest Artists & Presenters
Meet the guest artists and presenters for this year's event.
Registration
Sign up to perform in Fort Howard Hall or be considered as a performer for a workshop or masterclass.
Guest Artists & Presenters
This year’s featured artist is Michael Gurt, internationally renowned concert artist and Distinguished Professor of Piano at Louisiana State University. Prof. Gurt will play the evening recital on Friday, March 27th and teach masterclasses during Piano Day on Saturday, March 28th. Workshops and masterclasses will also be led by Sharon J. Resch Institute of Music faculty members:
- Sylvia Hong
- Chris Salerno
- Michael Rector
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Participate
Students of all levels will have the chance to perform in beautiful Fort Howard Hall. For a chance to work with our faculty and guest artist in a masterclass or a workshop, please fill out the registration form; both teachers and students are welcome to participate. If you're looking for a less formal way to hone your piano skills, our "Ask a Pianist" booth will be staffed throughout the day. Please drop by with a question!
Special Guest: Michael Gurt
Michael Gurt is Paula Garvey Manship Distinguished Professor of Piano at Louisiana State University. He won First Prize in the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition in 1982, and was a prize winner in international competitions in Pretoria, South Africa, and Sydney, Australia. He has performed as soloist with the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Utah Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Capetown Symphony, the China National Symphony Orchestra, and the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa.
He has made solo appearances in Alice Tully Hall and Weill Recital Hall (Carnegie Hall) in New York, Ambassador Auditorium in Los Angeles, Orchestra Hall in Detroit, City Hall in Hong Kong, the Victorian Arts Center in Melbourne, Australia, Baxter Hall in Capetown, South Africa, and the Attaturk Cultural Center in Istanbul, Turkey.
He recently completed a tour of Brazil. Gurt has collaborated with the Takacs String Quartet and the Cassatt String Quartet, and has performed at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville, Queensland. He has served on the juries of both the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the New Orleans International Piano Competition, and he has recorded on the Naxos, Centaur, and Redwood labels.
Gurt serves as Piano Mentor at the National Music Festival in Chestertown, Maryland, and was the chair of the piano department at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival from 1987 through 2007. He has served as Piano Chair of the Louisiana Music Teachers Association, and has taught at two summer music seminars held at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan. Professor Gurt holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the Juilliard School.
Schedule & Information
Recital by Michael Gurt: Friday March 27th at 6:30 PM in Fort Howard Hall.
Remaining schedule will posted soon! Questions can be directed to Michael Rector contact email address: rectorm@uwgb.edu.
Registration
To schedule your performance in Fort Howard Hall or to be considered as a performer for a workshop or masterclass, please complete the online form by clicking on the picture below. Additional questions can be directed to Michael Rector contact email address: rectorm@uwgb.edu.