Speakers Dr. MARIA ASTERIADOU, professor of piano and chamber music, is celebrated worldwide for her intense artistry and exceptional performances. She has performed in recitals as a soloist with renowned orchestras and has collaborated with many distinguished artists in major concert halls across the U.S., South America, Canada and Europe. Her deep connection to her Greek heritage and commitment to contemporary music have led to numerous premieres of works by prominent Greek composers. Asteriadou serves as the artistic director of the KU Summer Music Festival, an immersive, one-week program drawing faculty and students from around the globe. A recipient of numerous awards, she earned first prize in performance from the State Conservatory of Greece and at the Maria Callas International Piano Competition. She won the Dora Zaslavsky Concerto Competition at the Manhattan School of Music, where she gave a critically acclaimed performance of Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto. She was also the only pianist selected from the Musik Hochschule in Freiburg to perform in honor of Maestro Pierre Boulez. In recognition of her dedication to mentoring young musicians, Asteriadou was inducted into the Steinway and Sons Teacher Hall of Fame. In addition to KU, she is a member of the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division. Asteriadou holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music and earned a Master of Music from The Juilliard School. After completing her undergraduate studies at the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, she continued her education at the Musik Hochschule in Freiburg. AMANDA E. CELENTANO of Branchville, N.J., graduates summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies and Spanish. She is a Dean’s List student and a member of Sigma Delta Pi Foreign Language Honor Society. In Summer 2024, Celentano served as a KU BEARS Research Assistant, where she worked with Dr. Megan O'Byrne on a project analyzing the conflict surrounding lithium mining, resulting in a paper seeking publication where she is recognized as the second author. Celentano is the vice president of KU Choirs, as well as the soprano section leader. In November 2024, she was the student presenter at the Council of Trustees meeting. She also is a member of the Leadership Team and Worship Team of Kutztown Christian Fellowship.
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