ABOUT THE COR MOTO DUO

The Cor Moto Horn Duo, comprised of Dr. James Naigus and Dr. Drew Phillips, promotes complete musicianship through performance, composition, and improvisation. As a duo they've presented recitals and residencies at universities and symposia across the country, performed original compositions on horn and collaborative piano, encouraged audience engagement through removing the 'wall' between performer and audience, and all around promoted having fun making music! Naigus and Phillips also host "The Complete Musician Podcast," a podcast exploring a multitude of topics in music through the lens of creativity and comprehensive musicianship.

ABOUT MELODY QUAH

Described as a “poet with titanium fingers” by the Vancouver Sun, Malaysian pianist Melody Quah has performed extensively on stages across Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.  Her multifaceted career spans solo and collaborative performances, chamber music, education, adjudication, and artistic direction.

A prizewinner of the 7th International Paderewski Competition held in Bydgoszcz, Poland, she has performed at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, and as chamber musician at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theatre. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras internationally, including the Ku-Ring-Gai Symphony and Central Coast Symphony in Australia; the Pomeranian Philharmonic in Poland; and various ensembles in Canada and the United States, such as the Richmond Philharmonic, Academy Philharmonic, Vancouver Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony, West Coast Symphony, Penn’s Woods Festival Orchestra, Williamsport Symphony, and Altoona Symphony Orchestras. In her native Malaysia, she has performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra at the Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS.

Quah has premiered more than two dozen works by living composers, and has commissioned works for solo piano by Adeline Wong and Tazul Tajuddin (Malaysia), Parisa Sabet (Iran/Canada), Sidney Boquiren (Philippines), Marisa Hartanto (Indonesia), Emily Koh (Singapore), and Piyawat Louilarpprasert (Thailand). Recordings of their works are currently in production. Additionally, she has recorded music by Tom DeLio and Baljinder Sekhon, released on Neuma Records and the Blue Griffin label.

Spring 2025 Graduate Highlights

Eleftherios Chasanidis (DMA Vocal Performance ’25) served on the Examining Committee of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, May 2, 2025, to examine candidates for the Holy Cross Certificate in Byzantine Music. Holy Cross annually bestows a Certificate of Byzantine Music to graduates of its program in the Psaltic Art and other individuals who have received their training elsewhere and reached an adequate level of knowledge and skills in the sacred art of chanting.