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An endowment was established in 1997 by Ruth and Virge Steger of Durant in recognition of Mrs. Ruth Steger’s long and distinguished service as Professor of Piano at Southeastern. This endowment has created the Steger Institutes, consisting of the Steger International Artist Series, which brings performing artists from around the world to our department for concerts and masterclasses, and the Steger Cultural Exchange Institute which brings students and teachers from around the world to cultural activities at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
The Steger International Artist Series is a part of the Steger Institutes. Its mission is to bring to Durant and area audiences concert performers from the United States, Europe and Asia for concerts featuring the piano in both solo and ensemble formats, presenting literature from all major style periods. These same performers offer their expertise in masterclasses conducted for area student pianists in which the students are given the opportunity to perform for the visiting artist and receive constructive advice to improve their playing.
The Steger Cultural Exchange Institute is also a part of the Steger Institutes. The mission of the Cultural Exchange Institute is to promote the study and performance of music for the piano. The goal of the Cultural Exchange Institute is to bring together students and artist teachers of diverse cultural heritage. This is done in order to share both the commonality and diversity of their approaches to music making and to exchange views on the role of the arts in their respective societies.
Ralph Votapek, Michigan University
Abbey Simon, Juilliard School
Robert Blocker, Yale University
Ursula Oppens, Northwestern University
Douglas Humpherys, Eastman School of Music
Giovanni Umberto Battel, Venice, Italy
Daniele Alberti, Brescia, Italy
Hugues Leclere, Paris, France
Yang Ming, Beijing, China
Jan Kadlubiski, Warsaw, Poland
Claude Frank, Yale University
Maurizio Barboro, Genoa, Italy
Paul Pollei, Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition