Sam Chan Competition Triumph

Congratulations to Tsz Ho Samuel Chan ‘15, student of Frank Epstein, who just won the Great Plains International Marimba Competition.

Held at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University, the competition seeks to provide an avenue for musical growth of young marimbists around the world through educational and competitive experiences. Under the direction of Executive Director Dane Romano, this competition seeks to help educate student musicians and to contribute to the quality and evolution of marimba performance. Competitors prepare solo marimba repertoire from a prescribed list and compete in a taped round for a chance to compete in the live rounds.

As winner of the undergraduate soloist division (there are also high school and graduate level divisions), Sam won $1500, a professional recording of his finals performance, and a basket of musical merchandise contributed by competition sponsors.

A native of Hong Kong who studied at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performance Arts before coming to NEC, Sam won one of NEC’s concerto competitions and as a result was featured soloist with the NEC Chamber Orchestra in Emmanuel Séjourné’s Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra. Check out the video of that performance below.