Czech Us Out
May 4, 2025
Van Horn High School
The Czech and Slavic peoples during the 18th and 19th century and until World War I were under the control of the Austrian Hungarian Empire centered in Vienna. Smetana and Dvorak were proud of their own heritage and culture, writing music that included folk melodies with nationalist themes.
Festive March / Antonin Dvorak
The Hungarian Dance No. 4 in F minor (Piano 4 hands) / Antonin Dvorak
Hungarian Dance No 5 / Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Slavonic Dances op.46 1, 4 & 8 / A. Dvorak
The Moldau / Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)
Special Guest Performers
Piano
Reena Berger Natenberg
Pianist Reena Berger Natenberg made her Carnegie Hall recital debut as soloist and collaborator in January 2013. Additionally, she has performed as soloist and collaborator throughout North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. She is featured on radio and television, most notably in a television documentary pertaining to the Czech culture playing the piano pieces of Smetana and Martinu, and on Boston's radio station WGBH in the program "Off the Record". She has also performed in many music festivals. They include: The Banff School of Fine Arts (Canada), The Russian School of Music (Freiberg, Germany), the Kent-Blossom Music Festival (U.S.) and the Orford Arts Center (Canada).
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Since moving to the U.S. in 2000, Reena Natenberg has performed extensively as guest artist at many university music schools throughout the United States. Additional concert tours have included: China, to perform in the China/Harbin Summer Music Festival; South America where she presented solo recitals at universities in Southern Brazil, in Asuncion, Paraguay, and at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; several trips to Paraguay to perform the Beethoven Piano Concertos No. 3 and No. 4 with the Orquesta Sinfónica de la Ciudad Asunción; Asia where Natenberg presented recitals at Universities and concert halls in South Korea, Indonesia, Viet Nam (including at the Hanoi Opera House) and Thailand (including at the Goethe Cultural Center in Bangkok). In a return tour to South America, she performed solo and chamber music recitals at the International Music Festival at the Center of the World (in Quito) and at the University of Cuenca, Ecuador. In November 2024, Dr. Natenberg presented solo performances and masterclasses at the Universidad Panamericana and the Universidad Nacional De Autonoma Mexico, both in Mexico City.
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A recipient of numerous awards, Reena Natenberg was born in Montreal. She was educated at the McGill Conservatory of Music, Tel-Aviv University, The New England Conservatory of Music and Université de Montréal. Her main piano professors were Viktor Dervianko, Patricia Zander and Marc Durand. She has also worked with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Georgy Sëbok, Garrick Ohlsson, Anton Kuerti, André Laplante, Vitaly Margulis and Karl Engel.
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A noted pedagogue, Dr. Natenberg has presented master classes and lectures throughout the world. Currently, Professor of Piano at Pittsburg State University, Natenberg’s students have been prize winners of numerous competitions and several have performed as soloist in Carnegie Hall in New York City. Many of her students have gone on to teach at reputed universities and conservatories in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Natenberg received the 2012 Excellence in Teaching Award from Pittsburg State University’s College of Arts and Sciences.
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Dr. Natenberg regularly serves as a jury member at regional, national and international piano competitions.
Piano
Gloria Hsu
Gloria Hsu, a dedicated music educator and award-winning pianist, has been teaching piano for over 30 years across Asia, West Africa, and North America. She is a four-time winner of the MTNA Kansas State National Music Teachers' Piano Competition. Her distinguished accolades also include first prizes at The Morris Piano Competition, The Baldwin Piano Competition, The Young Keyboard Artist International Competition, The Ozark International Piano Competition, and The Naftztger Young Artist Competition.
Ms Hsu's musical talent emerged early. At age 12, she became the youngest student acccepted by Professor Richard Cass from UMKC Conservatory. She made her concerto debut with Salina Symphony Orchestra at 15, and followed by a performance with the Topeka Symphony Orchestra at 16. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Piano Performance from Indiana University, studying under reknowned pianists Menahem Pressler and James Tocco. While at Indiana Univesity, she taught undergraduate and graduate students as an assistant piano instructor. Her teaching career also included positions at the Indiana University Pre-college Piano Program, Johnson County Community College, and the Montessori International Academy.
In 2010, Gloria Hsu partnered with pianist Jayoung Hong to formThe Cass Duo, named in honor of their beloved teacher Richard Cass. The Cass Duo performed widely throughout North America and was invited to appear at Sejong Hall in Seoul, Korea, and the National Music Hall in Taiwan.
Gloria Hsu remains dedicated to sharing her love of music and inspiring students. She currently maintains an active private studio based in Overland Park, Kansas.