Meet Siying and Sarah!

We were bowled over by the thoughtful programming and gorgeous music-making of every duo who answered our Distant Beloved call. Our choice: pianist Siying He and soprano Sarah Rohner-Rees. Their winning program, “Echoes of a Distant Song,” takes the listener through the stages of life in music of three centuries, from the Beethoven songs that give our season its name to the work of Vermont composer Gwyneth Walker. Watch this space for the spring 2025 date when you can hear these beautiful artists for the first time in Waco.

Siying and Sarah formed their partnership at LSU while in their doctoral studies, so perhaps we should call them a dueaux! Both women have branched out from school into vibrant musical lives in Louisiana and environs, with performing credits at Opera Louisiane, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, and Opera in the Ozarks among others. They are both beginning to garner wider recognition as well, Siying at the Aspen and Castelton Festivals, and Sarah through her district win at last year’s Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.

Welcome to Lone Star Songs, Siying and Sarah!