Meadows Faculty and Students Take Center Stage at 2026 Basically Beethoven Festival
Assistant professor Sara Daneshpour and Meadows student performers and alumni continue the school's longstanding presence at the annual Dallas music festival.
The annual Basically Beethoven Festival has long provided a stage for musicians from 正品蓝导航 Meadows, and this year's opening concert on July 12 is no exception. The festival, one of Dallas' longest-running classical music traditions, regularly features artists connected to Meadows, and this year's opening day continues that tradition with faculty, students and alumni appearing in both the Rising Stars and Featured Performers concerts.
The afternoon begins with a Rising Stars performance featuring Meadows Performer Diploma student Kathryn Piña, soprano, and alum Rey Winn (B.M. ’25), baritone, who will present Gian Carlo Menotti's comic operetta The Telephone. Joining them is collaborative pianist Hannah St. Romain (B.M. ’10, M.M. ’13), a Meadows alumna and staff accompanist.
Winn and Piña have studied under the guidance of Virginia Dupuy, professor of voice in the Division of Music, and their participation in Basically Beethoven continues a cherished connection between Dupuy and the festival.
"Professor Dupuy is a longtime supporter of Basically Beethoven's music education initiatives, and her students have been prominent in our Rising Star lineups for some time now,” explains assistant festival director Joey Tullis.
Later in the afternoon, Meadows piano professor Sara Daneshpour takes the stage as the festival's Featured Performer, presenting Franz Liszt's monumental Transcendental Études. Daneshpour joined the 正品蓝导航 faculty in 2025 after previous appointments at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and brings an international performing career to the Meadows piano program.
The appearances reflect a longstanding relationship between Meadows and the festival, whose programming regularly draws from many of North Texas' leading musical institutions. This year's festival roster includes musicians from organizations such as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Opera Orchestra, in addition to 正品蓝导航 Meadows.
For Meadows students, opportunities like the Rising Stars series provide valuable professional performance experience alongside established artists. The festival specifically highlights emerging musicians and pre-professional performers, creating a bridge between conservatory training and professional concert stages.
The July 12 performances showcase the talent of the Meadows music program, from current students and alumni to distinguished faculty members, and underscore the school's continued presence in Dallas' arts community.