Virtual Happy Hour Artists, June 2021

Annie Chang Center (June 4 & 11), violist/pianist, started performing in her native Taiwan for foreign dignitaries when she was six years old. Since coming to the U.S., Annie has performed in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. as a soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician. As a piano soloist, she performed with San Francisco Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. As violist, she performed at the Marlboro, Ravinia, Olympic, Utah, Prague, and Red Rocks Festivals, and has collaborated with members of the Juilliard, Guarneri, Emerson, Cleveland, and Philadelphia Quartets. For ten years, she was the assistant principal violist of the Phoenix Symphony, for which she performed regularly as a viola soloist. She has also played in the AZ Musicfest Orchestra, Black Pearl Orchestra, South Florida Symphony, and Seattle Opera. Currently, she plays in the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra.

Pianist Xin Chang (June 4 & 18) is originally from China. She has performed and taught throughout North America and Asia. As an active collaborative pianist, chamber musician and piano teacher, Dr. Chang was a full-time collaborative pianist at the University of Wyoming. She has also been on faculty at the Asia Pacific Saxophone Academy, Texas Low Brass Academy and the International Violin Festival and Competition in Singapore. Dr. Chang attended prestigious summer festivals including Interlochen Center for the Arts, SongFest, Brevard Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival and School, Banff Centre and the Castleman Quartet Program. Dr. Chang has performed with violinist Charles Castleman, baritone David Small, tubaist Charles Villarrubia, saxophonist Toshikazu Nagase and recorded with double bass player DaXun Zhang. As a soloist, Dr. Chang won 2nd prize in the Colorado International Piano Competition at Northern Colorado University. She has also performed with the Jiangsu Orchestra of China. Dr. Xin Chang enjoys teaching piano to all levels of students. She currently maintains a private studio in Seattle and works as a piano instructor at the Yamaha-authorized La Belle Music School in Bellevue, WA. Dr. Chang completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She also received a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, as well as a Bachelor of Music degree from Renmin University of China. Her principal teachers were Colette Valentine, Anne Epperson, Jean Barr and Fang Zhang.

Lin Chen (June 11) keeps herself busy singing and playing the violin as a freelance musician in the Greater Seattle area. Her vocal adventures started at the age of 16 when she started taking singing lessons out of her love for musical theatre. It wasn’t long before she started to discover a new interest for opera and has been singing and learning the classical repertoires ever since. Growing up in Australia, she was fortunate to study with a number of teachers from the Griffith and the Sydney conservatoriums and was an active participant in the local performance scene. Lin is excited to be a part of LMC and looks forward to sharing her music with the LMC community!

Lawrence Chu (guest artist, June 11), cello, is a native of the Seattle area, and currently resides in Bellevue with his family. His former instructors include Phyllis Allport, Frances Walton and Eva Heinitz. He has been practicing Emergency medicine locally for the past 32 years. He would like to thank Ann and Selina for this opportunity to rekindle his passion for making music together.

Selina Chu (June 11) holds a special place in her heart for all types of ensemble playing, from duo-piano recitals to choral works, chamber music, and dance collaboration. During her association with Alaska Dance Theatre as their Principal Accompanist, Selina developed a lifelong interest in the expressive relationships between movement and music. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Washington, a Master of Music from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, and permanent National Certification from MTNA. Selina maintains an independent piano studio in Issaquah and has served as an adjudicator, clinician, and master teacher throughout the Pacific Northwest. She is known for her sense of humor and creative approach to learning and performance.

Violinist Angie Kam (June 18) is an established performer and teacher in the Seattle area. She enjoys playing regular recitals as a performing chamber musician and soloist with the Ladies Musical Club of Seattle. As a professional orchestral violinist, she is assistant principal second violinist of the Yakima Symphony Orchestra, and a section player in the North Corner Chamber Orchestra. Angie has performed with many major pop groups including the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones composer), Il Divo, Idina Menzel, Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling, Sarah Brightman, and Michael Bublé. She is also an active studio recording musician for movies and video games. When she’s not playing, practicing, or teaching, Angie enjoys mountaineering, skiing, hiking, running, eating, and spending time with her family (husband and dog).

Joan Lundquist (June 11) has served as a collaborative pianist for Seattle area musicians and organizations for 30 years. Since moving to the area from Humboldt State University in northern California, where she was staff accompanist, Joan has worked with the Northwest Boychoir, Seattle Choral Company, has taught at Seattle University and Northwest University, and has worked with several area private music teachers. Currently, Ms. Lundquist is the Director of Music at Immanuel Lutheran Church in downtown Seattle and rehearsal accompanist for the Seattle Choral Company.

Ann Rackl (June 11), violinist, is the former assistant concertmaster of Philharmonia Northwest chamber orchestra, where she has been a member since 1976. She holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Montana, and has studied violin with Emanuel Zetlin and Martin Friedmann in Seattle. Formerly a private violin instructor, these days she especially enjoys playing chamber music.

Mezzo-soprano Katie Stevenson (June 4 & 18) has performed in numerous concerts in Seattle with the Puget Sound Concert Opera, including Anna Bolena, Cavalleria Rusticana, and their annual gala. While living in NYC, Katie worked with Dicapo Opera, Amato Opera, and Opera Collective, performing roles such as Romeo in I Capuleti e I Montecchi, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, and Henrichetta in I Puritani. In Philadelphia she sang the title role in Carmen, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, and Emilia in Otello. While living in Europe, Katie travelled to perform in concerts and festivals in England, Ireland, and Germany. She now lives in Seattle with her husband and puppies and works as a church music director and private voice instructor, while still enjoying life as a performer. www.katiehstevenson.com