October 18 - Sunday at 3 p.m. - A Free Concert at Saugerties United Methodist Church

Each October Bard sends their best and most talented musicians to Saugerties Pro Musica to gain some formal concert experience. In this year's concert, Yu Echo Ran (violin) and Ivy Chen (piano), organized other student musicians to perform Brahms Piano Quartet (with Qijia Liu and Yushi Yao). They will also play a violin sonata and possibly a Piano trio with one of the double bass students. Echo and Ivy have been working together every semester since they started at Bard in 2023, and have really formed a wonderful collaborative partnership, both as a duo and working in larger chamber ensembles. They exemplify the superb musicianship and spirit of co-operation that Bard College Conservatory of Music is known for.

Join us on October 18Th at 3 p.m. at Saugerties United Methodist Church (67 Washington Ave) to hear The Bard Brahms Quartet in a free concert and experience the future of classical music today!

Program Details:

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, op. 25

I. Allegro

II. Intermezzo: Allegro ma non troppo

III. Andante con moto

IV. Rondo alla Zingarese

Intermission

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Duo in G major, K. 423

I. Allegro

(Qijia and Yushi)



Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Four Romantic Pieces, op. 75

I. Allegro moderato

(Ivy and Echo)



Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano

I. Prelude – from The Gadfly, Op. 97

II. Gavotte – from The Golden Age, Op. 22

III. Elegy – from The Human Comedy, Op. 37

IV. Waltz – from Jazz Suite No. 2

V. Polka – from The Golden Age, Op. 22



Musician Bios:

Yu (Echo) Ran, a third-year violinist at Bard Conservatory from China, developed her passion for music through her father, a violin maker. She studies violin with Luosha Fang and is majoring in Psychology at the college. Yu Ran has won multiple first prizes in competitions in China and served as the concertmaster of the "Spring Symphony Orchestra." She won third prize in the "Academy Cup" at Wuhan Conservatory of Music in 2021 and was the winner of the 2024 Bard Conservatory Concerto Competition.

Jiayun (Ivy) Chen was born in Zhejiang, China. She currently studies piano under the guidance of Rieko Aizawa at Bard College Conservatory of Music. Ivy started playing piano at the age of four and she has been awarded prizes for both her individual and collaborative performances in China, her home country. Upon her arrival at Bard College, she has been active working in various chamber ensembles and performing in Catholic Masses. In the Fall of 2025, she started learning cimbalom with András Szalai. In addition to Piano Performance, Ivy also majors in Film Production at Bard. She enjoys incorporating her musical knowledge and experiences in her film work.

Qijia Liu was admitted to the Affiliated Primary School of Central Conservatory of Music in China in 2015. In 2021, he and his group won the award at the 5th Central Conservatory of Music Piano Chamber Music Competition, becoming the youngest winners in the competition. During his middle school years, he has held solo and chamber music concerts multiple times at well-known venues such as the Opera Hall of the Central Conservatory of Music, the Beijing Music Hall, the Rubinstein Music Hall, and Changsha Music Hall. He was admitted to Bard College with a full scholarship in 2024, now studying under Gil Shaham and Adele Anthony.

Yushi Yao, born in January 2006 in Wuhan, began studying cello at the age of seven. In 2015, she was admitted to the cello major at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music Affiliated Middle School. In 2018, she placed second in her major. She studied under teachers such as Long Man, Pan Yan, and He Sihao, and received guidance from famous artists such as Matti Rousi and Qin Liwei. During this period, she participated in major domestic and international competitions and achieved excellent results. She also performed at high-level venues such as Wuhan Qintai Concert Hall and Wuhan Theater. She is currently pursuing a dual degree at Bard College and has received a full scholarship from Bard Conservatory of Music, studying under the renowned cello master Professor Peter Wiley. During this period, she actively participated in music ensemble performances across different genres, including Chinese traditional music, contemporary music, and traditional Baroque ensembles.

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