The St. John’s Music Series presents inspiring musical performances in the stunning gothic architecture of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in both concert and liturgical settings. Musical offerings include our own choral and instrumental ensembles in addition to featuring guest solo and chamber performances.

The Music Series program has featured numerous local and visiting artists including Lukas Hasler, ICantori of Walla Walla University, Wesley Arai, Zeru Wang, Brewster Quartet, Selkirk Quintet, Jeanne Bourgeois and YunJung Park. Stay tuned for the full schedule of Music Series guests for the 2025-2026 season.

Dr. Zeru Wang - Pianist
Sunday, October 5 at 3:00 pm

Program

Works by Frederick Chopin (1810-1849)

  • Nocturne, Opus 55
  • Waltz in A-flat Major, Opus 42
  • Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Opus 60
  • Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Opus 54

About the Artist

A native of Hangzhou, China, Dr. Zeru Wang holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Missouri-Columbia. His teachers include Christopher Taylor and Peter Miyamoto. Apart from appearing in the masterclasses of Frederic Chiu, Richard Goode, Sergei Babayan, Alessio Bax, Julian Martin, Marina Lomazov, Julio Elizalde, Gabriel Chodos, and Corey Hamn, he also studied with Peter Serkin, Yoon Hi Moon, Douglas Humphreys, Natalya Antonova, Bruce Brubaker, and Sean Duggan at various summer festivals. Currently Dr. Wang serves as the piano faculty and lecturer at the prestigious Chopin Academy of Music at the Greater Seattle Area, the chamber music program chair at the East Side Music Teacher Association and the piano judge for the Bach festival at the Seattle International Piano Competition. He will also serve as the piano faculty for the Vilacello music festival starting from 2026 and will conduct chamber music coaching and performances.

Dr. Wang is a prize-winner of many international and national piano competitions including the WPTA (World Piano Teacher Association) International Piano Competition, the Joyeux International Piano Competition, the Chinese Golden Bell Award for Music, and the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) Young Artist Piano Competition. In addition to the 2021 Beethoven Competition held by the University of Wisconsin, he was selected as the winner of the 2015 MU Concerto Competition and the 2015 MU Emerging Artist Competition.

As equally passionate as producing solo piano music, Dr. Wang also performs extensively as a chamber musician.  He enjoys collaborating with faculty and students from the University of Missouri, the Interharmoy International Music Festival, the Odyssey Summer Music Festivals, and the Bowdoin International Summer Music Festival. In 2018 he was invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York with the Interharmony Chamber Music Series. In addition, he has collaborated with prominent musicians such as Saeka Matsuyama, Jonathan Weber, and Miho Zaitsu and many outstanding students from various institutions around the world.

In 2018 and 2019, he performed in Italy and Germany under the Interharmony Summer Festival Music Programs with other chamber musicians. Later in 2021, he was interviewed by the press from his hometown and published articles about his artistic career, his performances and more. At the same year, he provided an online recital for a Canadian music school, where he was interviewed by the Canadian media cctimes featuring his online recital and his lecture during the COVID time. Also in 2021, he served as the collaborative pianist for the University of Wisconsin Wind Ensemble and premiered the “Shell and Wing” by David Biedenbender in Wisconsin. After joining Gonzaga University in 2022, he worked with the Gonzaga Concert Choirs, the Discantus Treble Choir, the Glee Club, the Chamber Singers, and the voice studios. Ever since he landed in Spokane, Washington state, he has been a frequent guest artist in the Spokane Public Radio, performing his recital programs, promoting music by living female composers and exploring historical instruments on top of his frequent appearance with the Gonzaga Choirs. In 2022, he published his dissertation project “A New Edition of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111 (1821-1822) featuring his fingering and pedaling systems on an edited score, and original ideas for performing the sonata and beyond.

In 2022, he relocated to Spokane, Wash. Apart from serving as a collaborative pianist and vocal coach at Gonzaga University from 2022-2023, he formed a private studio that focuses on the pre-collegiate students. He helped his students to play in different masterclasses in the MTNA Chapter and won prizes from the state-level solo/ ensemble competition. Since then, he has frequently appeared on the Spokane Public Radio as a guest artist for their Piano Bench program featuring his solo recitals and projects. Recently, he collaborated with Benside Arts to present concerts featuring an authentic 1797 London Broadwood fortepiano. The program includes the Mozart Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304, paired with a historical violin and the Haydn Piano Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob XVI: 52.

In 2023, he was invited as a guest artist for the Music Department at Eastern Washington University, presenting his doctoral project and performing the entire Beethoven Sonata Op. 111. In 2024, he became an active member of the Music Teachers National Association and started to judge in different competitions. He served as a judge in the Spokane Music Teacher Association Chapter for its Music Artistry Program. He will be serving as a piano judge at the Seattle International Piano Competition and Snohomish County Music Teacher’s Association’s Concerto Competition in October, 2024. In March 2025, he was invited to play at Carnegie Hall again to perform music of Chopin.

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Choral Evensong for All Saints
Sunday, November 2 at 5:00 pm

This service follows the traditional pattern in The Book of Common Prayer and consists of choral music (psalms, canticles, and anthems) from the rich Anglican musical tradition, scripture readings, and prayers.

Responses:
Magnificat: Charles Villiers Stanford
Nunc Dimittis: Charles Villiers Stanford
Anthem: William Byrd
Preacher:
Organ Voluntary: John Bull