Return from China, and St. Augustine Music Festival

Scott Watkins' first visit to China was a success! On May 8, Watkins began his visit as Visiting Foreign Scholar at North National University in Yinchuan, Ningxia, China, where he gave six masterclasses. During this visit he also met privately with the members of the piano faculty with whom he discussed teaching challenges and goals. May 11 he gave a recital to a standing-room-only crowd which was well received. During this recital Watkins gave the Chinese premiere of composer He Jian-jun's Piano Sonata No. 1 (which he had played at Carnegie Hall in April of 2010). May 14 Watkins travelled to Lanzhou where he performed the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto with the Lanzhou Symphony Orchestra conducted by Heping Liu. In doing so, Watkins became the first American pianist ever to perform with the city's orchestra. He has been invited to return for the 2011-2012 concert season for performances of Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto.

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