Home Official News Releases Chopin Competition winner to headline inaugural Jordan Concert Series performance

Chopin Competition winner to headline inaugural Jordan Concert Series performance

JordanGraphicDrake University is proud to present the inaugural performance of the Jordan Concert Series featuring American pianist Edward Auer and his wife, Junghwa Moon Auer. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 9, in Sheslow Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

The Jordan Concert Series is named in honor of Alice and Frank B. Jordan, a prominent couple in Drake’s history. Alice (Yost) Jordan graduated from Drake University in 1938 and married Dr. Frank B. Jordan, a long-time professor of music and former dean of Drake University’s College of Fine Arts.

Alice Jordan published more than 250 choral and organ works during a lengthy career as composer; several of her works were performed during international concerts, as well as at a White House concert. She was active in the Des Moines community, serving on the boards of the Des Moines Symphony Association, the Des Moines Women’s Club, the Drake Alumnae Association and as president of the Des Moines Civic Music Association. She received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Drake in 2006 and was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 2002.

The Jordans founded the Jordan Concert Series in 1992 with instructions for the series to begin upon the death of the last surviving partner, which turned out to be Alice, who died in 2012. The inaugural performance will take place on their namesake venue, the Jordan Stage of Sheslow Auditorium.

The concert will feature renowned pianist Edward Auer. Edward has long been recognized as a leading interpreter of the works of Chopin. He was the first American to win a prize in the prestigious International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1965, and has since returned to Poland for well over 20 concert tours. Auer is currently on the Piano faculty at Indiana University Bloomington. Mr. Auer will perform solo works of Chopin and a selection of piano duo works with his wife, Junghwa Moon Auer.

For more information contact Nicholas Roth, associate professor of piano, at Nicholas.roth@drake.edu or 515-271-2857.