Baylor Student Places At International Music Competition

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Aug. 29, 2014) – Baylor University has its very own Piano Man. His name is Jie Fang Goh. He goes by “Jeff.”
Goh, a junior Piano Performance major, was awarded second prize in the 2014 International Josef Dichler Piano Competition in Vienna, Austria. Each year, between 10 and 20 international students are invited to study under expert musicians in a series of group and private lessons preceding a series of competitive judging. These Master Classes culminated in the 44th year of the prestigious competition on Aug. 7.
Goh’s most enjoyable moments were during his one-on-one lessons with the Masters.
“I like when we are both in the moment of creating something special in the music, like a great experience we share. I feel very happy when I learn something new,” Goh said.
Goh has dedicated his past two summers to attending international piano programs and master classes in Innsbruck and Vienna. This past summer he was accompanied by Krassimira Jordan professor and artist-in-residence in the School of Music.
“We are so lucky to have him,” Jordan said. “He is so expressive and so passionate.”
Goh began private lessons at 7 in his homeland of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For 10 years, he remained under the tutelage of his private instructor Michelle Tan, receiving the Advanced Performer’s Certificate for Piano with distinction by Trinity College of London at 17.
His education brought him to Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, where he graduated summa cum laude with an associate degree in mathematics. Despite his academic pursuits, Goh never stopped his study of music. During those two years, he practiced under the instruction of 2001 Baylor graduate Christina Mims, frequently performing on campus and within the Waco community. In September 2013, Goh transferred to Baylor University, switching his major to Piano Performance.
Though he is still concentrating on his role as a music student, Goh has greater aspirations.
“Ideally, I want a mix of teaching and performing. I wish to become a world-class pianist as well as a university professor,” Goh said.
For now, Goh is focusing on next month’s recital where he will be playing the same pieces from his winning performance in Vienna.
by Sarah Czerwinski, student newswriter, (254) 710-6895
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Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The Baylor University School of Music provides transformational experiences that prepare students for careers in music. Our students thrive in a Christian environment characterized by a nurturing resident faculty, an unwavering pursuit of musical excellence, a global perspective, dedication to service, and devotion to faith. They investigate the rich musical and cultural heritage of the past, develop superior musical skills and knowledge in the present, and explore and create new modes of musical expression for the future. While preparing for future leadership roles, the students join with School of Music faculty in enhancing the quality of community life, enriching the larger culture, and making Baylor a place in which heart, mind and soul coalesce. The School of Music of Baylor University is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music and the Texas Association of Music Schools. Degree programs leading to the bachelor of music education degree conform to certification requirements of the Texas Education Agency.