22/07/2024
The semifinalists in the Spotlight International Piano Competition will have the opportunity to receive one-on-one private lessons with world-class masters: Nancy Weems, pianist, has established herself as both a performer and a noted pedagogue across the nation and the world. She has performed extensively in the United States, Europe, Asia, Mexico, Central America, and Russia to wide critical acclaim. A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Texas, her solo appearances include concerts in over fourteen foreign countries, in addition to the U.S. As a United States Artistic Ambassador, Ms Weems was invited to concertize in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Russia, Mexico, Jamaica, Trinidad, Costa Rica, and Taiwan. After a recital in Reykjavik, Iceland, one critic called her "a rare treasure... Nancy Weems is an extraordinary pianist, grand in scope, and powerful in her interpretation, possessing fantastic technique” Additional international tours followed, to the United Kingdom, Korea, Malaysia, and the People’s Republic of China. After her solo debut recital at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., The Washington Post praised her “powerful technique" and "delightful mix of strength and flexibility." And the music critic of the Houston Post reported, "Nancy Weems put an amazing display of energy and keyboard technique into a recital that went from strength to strength."
As a respected pedagogue, Nancy Weems has given master classes in music schools and conservatories in the United States, Europe, Asia, and the West Indies. Ms. Weems was an exchange professor and guest performer at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England; Sungshin Women's University in Seoul, Korea; and for the International Piano Master Class Series of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In 2016, Ms. Weems performed and taught in a four-city tour of China.
Nancy Weems is now retired from her position at the University of Houston Moores School of Music in Houston, Texas, a post that she held for over three decades. During her tenure there, she was a Madison Endowed Professor and Coordinator of the piano area. Her students have won top awards in many national and international competitions including top prizes in the MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the Leeds International Piano Competition, the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, the Sydney International Piano Competition, the Hastings International Piano Competition, the Bach International Piano Competition, the Dallas International Piano Competition, the New Orleans International Piano Competition, the Corpus Christi Young Artist Competition, and the Nena Wideman National Young Artist Concerto Competition. Many of her current and former students now hold positions in music schools and universities worldwide, and many have successful performing careers under professional artist management. A dedicated teacher, she was named the Outstanding Collegiate Teacher in l99l by the Texas Music Teachers Association, and received a University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award in 1995.
Professor Weems regularly presents lectures, recitals and teacher workshops and has been a featured MTNA convention artist for the states of New York, Washington, Minnesota, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas, North Dakota and Texas. In addition, Ms. Weems has been a frequent presenter at the Music Teachers National Association Convention and the World Piano Pedagogy Conferences, and has served as a frequent adjudicator of national and international piano competitions.
Ms. Weems has recorded for the Albany and the Bay Cities labels. The recording, "Classical Hollywood" was nominated for a Grammy award in 1990. In addition, she has been featured in recordings of American composers Arnold Rosner, Chris Theofanidis, and David Ashley White. Her career was recently highlighted in a cover article by Clavier Companion entitled “A Legacy of Excellence.”
