
Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 2 pm
“Love: Pain and Pleasure” – Bill Townsend, tenor and YiQiao Li, piano
Join us on Sunday, February 23rd at 2pm for Bill Townsend, tenor and YiQiao Li, piano. The singing traditions of Italy, France, and Germany were all born of a desire to marry beautiful melody to the power of words. Composers wove music into words to express humanity’s excitement, sadness, anger, and love. To this day the operatic and song repertoire of Europe inspires music from stage to film. This afternoon’s recital will feature mainly Italian music written for the enjoyment of any listener with a few choice gems from France and Germany for an hour of stirring musical variety.
Tickets are $30 and only 50 will be sold.
Bill Townsend, tenor
Bill Townsend is a tenor living in southern Washington, DC. He performs regularly with local arts organizations and orchestras as well as creating his own projects including a piano recital (his other passion) offered at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Washington last July. Having performed baritone repertoire for over ten years, he recently started working with Giancarlo Mari, Vice President of Accademia Mario del Monaco in Italy to transition to the tenor operatic repertoire.
YiQiao Li, piano
YiQiao Li, recognized for her musical talent and heartfelt artistry, embraces versatility as a pianist. Li enjoys performing as a soloist, chamber musician, collaborative pianist, and educator. She has studied under the guidance of esteemed teachers including Vladimir Valjarevic, Robert Shannon, and Janice Weber, and now a private student of Larissa Dedova.
A laureate of top prizes in international competitions, Li has achieved distinction in numerous international competitions, a winner of First Prize at the Malaysia Chopin International Music Competition, Gold Prize at the First WPTA Finland International Piano Competition, and Third Prize at the Oberlin International Piano Competition (China Regional.) Her exceptional pianism has also been recognized by prestigious competitions such as the Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition and the Serge & Olga Koussevitzky Piano Competition.
Additionally, she has been honored as a winner of the Oberlin Conservatory Honor’s Concerto Competition and Honor’s Competition at the New England Conservatory of Music. Li was selected as a 2024 artist performing fellow at The Gilmore Festival. An enthusiastic soloist and chamber musician, Li has collaborated with the Texas Festival Orchestra, Oberlin Orchestra, and many chamber ensembles and choirs across the U.S. Her concerto performance with the Oberlin Orchestra was broadcast on the Cleveland WCLV Classical Music Channel. She has had the privilege of working with esteemed pianists,
composers, and conductors such as Muza Rubackyte, Joan Tower, Carl St. Claire, Raphael Jimenez, and Charles Peltz. YiQiao has performed actively in the prominent musical venues in the U.S. including Klavierhause, Jordan Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Festival Concert Hall (TX), and the Kreeger Auditorium.
Li has served as a secondary piano instructor at Rutgers University and as staff coach faculty at Morgan State University in Baltimore, enriching the music department with her teaching and coaching. Currently, she serves on the piano faculty at the International School of Music in Maryland, and holds a private piano studio in Maryland.
Doctor of Musical Arts Rutgers University
Master of Music, Graduate Diploma New England Conservatory of Music
Bachelor of Music Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Upcoming Events
Events at Happy Retreat
Happy Retreat hosts annual events, concerts and other community events. Learn more »