The Texarkana College Music Department kicks off a three-day piano festival next week with a guest artist recital by a pianist who’s played all over the world.

The James Herrin Piano Festival features Jeongwon Ham at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20 in the Texarkana College Great Room. She will play selections from Haydn, Bach, Ravel and Chopin.

Ham, a piano teacher at the University of Oklahoma, is a prize-winning pianist. At 10 a.m. Nov. 21 she will hold the clinic “Piano Practicing Principals and Methods” in the Great Room. The recital is open to anyone in the community with an interest in the piano.

“She’s the guest artist. The event really spans three days and the recital is the first event,” said Mary Scott Goode, associate professor of music at Texarkana College.

From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nov. 22 is the competition, followed by a high school contest at 11:30 a.m. “It’s designed to be something for anybody at any level,” said Goode about the morning competition. “A 6-year-old kid could come, play one little small piece, get a blue ribbon and have a good day from it.”

The playing and judging take place in the Stilwell Humanities Building’s Music Hall, where one of TC’s two 9-foot, concert grand pianos sits.

“They’ll choose a first place, second place and third place and then they’ll be awarded their prize money right there,” said Goode. For the competition, $350 will be awarded, as well as a scholarship to Texarkana College for a true freshman taking 12 credit hours.

Goode knows Ham from time together at the University of Arkansas.

“She was just marvelous,” said Goode about Ham’s playing.

“It’s just very graceful and elegant playing,” she said. “She’s had a Carnegie Hall recital. She’s played all over the world. She studied in the United States and in Germany ... she’s a world-class artist.”

Local arts patron Judy Morgan is the sponsor for the three-day event and contributed the prize money. The festival honors the memory of a late TC music professor.

“James Herrin was a piano and organ professor at Texarkana College who was very well thought of. He was also the organist at First Baptist Church, Moores Lane,” said Goode. “He was a very respected member of the music community.”

The second TC Student Recital of the fall series is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 24 in the TC Music Hall.



(Admission is free for these events. For information, contact Goode at 903-832-5565, ext. 3371, or Sharon Skinner at 903-832-5565, ext. 3360.)