A Memorable Afternoon of Music in Salzburg
Salzburg, Austria – June 8th, 2025 – The International Association of Professional Music Teachers (IAPMT) hosted a captivating concert this past Sunday, June 8th, 2025, at the esteemed Vienna Saal within the Mozarteum University. Despite a mostly cloudy sky, 61°F temperatures, and a gentle 9 mph breeze, the atmosphere inside was vibrant, filled with the anticipation of an afternoon of exceptional musical talent.
Commencing promptly at 3:30 PM, the concert featured a diverse program presented by a total of fifteen talented participants. The event was further elevated by the presence of two very special guest artists: the acclaimed pianist Annarosa Partipilo and the renowned Italian Tenor, Ivan Defabiani.
Annarosa Partipilo delivered a truly breathtaking piano performance of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s “L’Egyptienne,” enchanting the audience with her masterful interpretation. Following this, Ivan Defabiani, with his powerful and emotive voice, captivated listeners with “Ah! Is, Ben Dite” from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Il Corsaro, expertly accompanied by Annarosa Partipilo on the piano.
The concert’s rich tapestry of sound was woven from the works of an impressive array of composers, showcasing a broad spectrum of musical periods and styles. Selections included pieces by Felix Mendelssohn, Frédéric Chopin, Gaetano Donizetti, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Isaak Berkovich, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Johann Sebastian Bach, Kristina Arakelyan, Robert Vandall, William Gillock, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The IAPMT’s concert at the Mozarteum University was a resounding success, offering attendees a delightful and enriching musical experience, and highlighting the exceptional talent within the professional music community.
Mozarteum Facts: The Genesis of a Legacy
The Mozarteum’s foundation in 1841 was a direct and purposeful tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conceived on the 50th anniversary of his death. Recognizing the need to honor their city’s most illustrious son and to reinvigorate Salzburg’s musical life, a dedicated group of citizens, with the support of Prince-Archbishop Schwarzenberg, established the “Dommusikverein und Mozarteum.” This initial entity served a dual purpose: it functioned as a conservatory to cultivate church music and train musicians for Salzburg Cathedral, while simultaneously promoting broader musical education and organizing concerts to enrich the city’s cultural landscape.
A pivotal moment in its early history occurred in 1844 when Mozart’s own son, Franz Xaver Mozart, made a significant bequest. He generously donated his father’s original manuscripts, a clavichord belonging to Mozart, and his entire personal music library to the nascent institution. This invaluable gift immediately provided the Mozarteum with an unparalleled collection of Mozart artifacts and documents, laying the essential groundwork for what would become the world-renowned Bibliotheca Mozartiana and establishing the Mozarteum as a central hub for Mozart’s enduring legacy.
Featured Performers
Cayden Croswhite
Cayden Croswhite is a 6 th grader attending Valley Christian Schools in San Jose, California. He started learning piano when he was 5 years old and currently studies with Dr. Yu-Chi Tai. At age 7, Cayden won 1 st Prize and Outstanding Gold Medalist at U.S. Open Music Competition. Since then, he has participated and won top prizes in many competitions including MTAC Piano Concerto Competition, CAPMT Honors
Competition, CAPMT Contemporary Competition, CAPMT Concerto Competition, and USIMC. In 2024, he won First Place at the American Protégé International Music Talent Competition and gave his debut performance at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.
Cayden has been honored to participate in master classes from renowned pianists including Ian Hobson, Meng-Chieh Liu, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Victor Rosenbaum, Jean-David Coen, Vyacheslav Gryaznov, Sandra Wright Shen, Joachim Reinhuber, Yu-Jane Yang, and Ratko Delorko. Meanwhile, he loves playing chamber music and has been selected to perform at music festivals such as C’est Bon Chamber Music Festival, Peng Piano Academy, and Oclef Contemporary Music Festival. He is a member of Valley Christian Junior Conservatory Chamber Ensemble.
In addition to piano, he has been learning violin for three years and is part of Valley Christian Middle School Orchestra. Apart from music, Cayden is a competitive swimmer, having participated in Age Group Championships and Far Western Championships multiple times. Cayden aims to achieve excellence as an athlete in the future.
Miri Park
Miri Park is a pianist and educator pursuing a Doctorate in Piano Pedagogy at Texas Tech University. Originally from Seoul, Korea, she began her piano studies at the age of five and gained recognition through numerous competition awards and her first solo recital at twelve.
She trained at Seoul Arts High School, Korea’s most prestigious arts institution, before earning her bachelor's degree from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea, where she received a major leadership scholarship, was consistently on the Dean’s List, and graduated magna cum laude, ranking second in her department. She later completed her Master’s in Piano Pedagogy at Texas Tech University, where she also earned a Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Piano. She continues her doctoral studies under Professor Daniel del Pino and Dr. Carla Davis Cash.
Alongside her academic work, Miri is an active freelance collaborative pianist and serves as a teaching assistant at Texas Tech University, mentoring students in piano performance and pedagogy.
