UTA Single Reed Showcase
UTA Single Reed Showcase 2026
ER-HSUAN LI
Praised by the New York Concert Review for having "played with astonishing maturity and flair," Dr. Er-Hsuan Li, NCTM, is a highly accomplished pianist. Through his work as a musician and teacher, Li strives to advocate for the nature of both reexploring the past and envisioning the future in classical music. A native of Taiwan, he has performed and toured across the United States, as well as in Mexico, Austria, Spain, Russia, and Taiwan, with notable performances at Carnegie Hall, the Harris Theater in Chicago, the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and the Taiwan National Concert Hall. Li earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance at the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music. He currently serves as Assistant Teaching Professor of Piano at Montana State University.
Prior to joining Montana State University, Li was on faculty at Pacific Lutheran University and has held appointments at the University of Colorado Boulder. In recent years, he has also taught masterclasses at institutions including Baylor University and the Festival de Perfeccionamiento Pianístico in Xalapa, Mexico, where he taught for three consecutive years. As a sought-after collaborative pianist, Li has served as a competition staff collaborative pianist for the International Horn Competition of America and the Colorado Children’s Chorale. His major collaborative performances include tours to Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Texas. In addition, he has released albums on Spotify and Apple Music, including Nostos (Soundset Recordings) and American Sonatas from Two Millennia (Clarinet & Saxophone Classics Recordings), among other individual releases. Next summer, he will tour with saxophonist Wonki Lee to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. In recognition of his remarkable artistic contributions, Li has received several national scholarships. These awards supported the creation of the Nostos album, a performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and the world premiere of John Clay Allen’s concerto The Stone Harp with the Boulder Symphony at the Dairy Art Center. He is also a prizewinner in various competitions in the United States and Taiwan, including the Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Performance Competition and the Rondo Forma Competition. Specializing in contemporary music, Li has premiered over twenty new works as a soloist, collaborative pianist, and ensemble keyboardist. Notable experiences include working on Boulez’s Douze Notations with Pierre-Laurent Aimard, performing Steve Reich’s City Life, Tehillim, and Clapping Music alongside Reich himself, and working with Chinese Canadian composer Alexina Louie on her well-known work Scenes From A Jade Terrace. This season, Li will premiere a newly commissioned solo piano work by Colombian American composer Fabian Beltran and release the professional recording of John Clay Allen’s piano concerto, The Stone Harp, with the Boulder Symphony and under conductor Devin Hughes. As a researcher and scholar, Li has presented at numerous international, national, and regional conferences and institutions, including the Music Teachers National Association, the National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy, the College Music Society, and the North American Saxophone Alliance. His research topics have included: “Pierre Boulez in 100: Exploring His First Published Piano Piece, 12 Notations,” “Voice of Taiwan: Ma, Shui-Long,” “Designing the Sensory Friendly Recital,” “Hidden Voices: Exploring Piano Works by Black Women Composers in the Helen Walker-Hill Collection,” “Approaching New Music with Confidence,” and “How to work with a pianist.” In 2025, his research “Strategies for Performing Pierre Boulez’s Douze Notations” appeared in the MTNA e-Journal as a tribute to Boulez’s centennial. Additionally, Li has authored articles and recorded Jacqueline Hairston’s “Great Day” Ode and Philippa Duke Schuyler’s Rumpelstiltsken.
Wonki Lee
Wonki Lee is an acclaimed classical saxophonist, praised by New York Concert Review for delivering “a knockout performance.” Widely recognized as one of the leading saxophonists of his generation, Lee is known for his lyrical tone, technical precision, and deep commitment to both traditional and contemporary repertoire. His interpretive approach reflects a fascination with the history of the saxophone and a passion for reimagining original works with fresh insight and depth.
Greg Hamilton
Greg Hamilton is currently the acting bass/section clarinet of the Fort Worth Symphony for the
2025-26 season. Prior to this position he was an active freelance musician based in Cleveland,
Ohio where he performed with The Cleveland Orchestra on multiple occasions and held
principal clarinet positions with the Firelands and Lima symphony orchestras. In 2025 he
appeared as a soloist with the Lima Symphony Orchestra in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto K.622.
Originally from Athens, Georgia, Greg completed his bachelor's degree at the University of
Georgia as a student of D. Ray McClellan and holds a master’s degree from the Cleveland
Institute of Music where he studied with Afendi Yusuf. He is an alumnus of the Kent/Blossom
Music Festival and attended the Aspen Music Festival and School as a fellowship recipient for
multiple summers. His other major teachers include Amy Zoloto, Franklin Cohen, Michael
Rusinek and Joaquin Valdepeñas.
Mike Nguyen, M.M. University of Texas at Arlington
Department of Music
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Area: Woodwinds, Saxophone
Email: mike.nguyen@uta.edu
Office: FA 367-M
Bio: Saxophonist Mike Nguyen is an active performer, chamber musician, and educator in the DFW Metroplex. Since 2017, he has served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Arlington as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Saxophone, where he teaches applied saxophone, chamber music, coordinates the saxophone studio class, and directs the UTA Saxophone Choir. Nguyen maintains a vibrant private studio in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and actively encourages chamber music throughout the area by performing it himself, and by organizing engaging performances for his private and collegiate students in modern urban venues. Under his direction, the UTA Saxophone Choir was selected to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 2020. In addition to an active teaching schedule, Nguyen is a committed performer. In 2020, he performed John Williams’ Escapades for saxophone and wind orchestra with the Dallas Asian Wind Ensemble, where he holds the position of principal saxophone. He is also principal saxophone of the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dallas Civic Wind Ensemble, and is a member of the Texas Dixieland Band. In 2019, Nguyen co-founded the Dallas Asian Wind Ensemble, a group dedicated to increasing diversity in classical music by showcasing the highest quality compositions and performances by Asian musicians. Nguyen continues to serve the ensemble as principal saxophone, and as a member of the Board of Directors. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Civic Wind Ensemble. Nguyen holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of Texas at Arlington, where he studied classical saxophone under professor Timothy Ishii. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music Arts in Saxophone Performance at the University of North Texas, in the studio of Dr. Eric Nestler. He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and the Young Saxophonists’ Institute.
Dr. Nola Preston, D.M.A University of North Texas
Department of Music
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Area: Woodwinds, Clarinet
Email: nola.preston@uta.edu
Office: FA 244