HWS News
16 September 2025 • Arts Celebrated Pianist Scott Cuellar Kicks Off Concert Series
Winner of top international competitions launches the 2025 Guest Artist Concert Series on Sept. 27.
Hobart and William Smith’s 2025 Guest Artist Concert Series opens on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in Froelich Hall of the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, with a performance by internationally acclaimed pianist Scott Cuellar.
A celebrated artist, Cuellar has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Vienna’s Konzerthaus and the Newport Music Festival. He has appeared as a soloist with numerous symphonies across the country, among them the San Antonio Symphony, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic and the Rochester Symphony.
Cuellar’s artistry has been recognized with top honors at major competitions, including the Gold Medal at the 2013 Virginia Waring International Piano Competition and the 2016 San Antonio International Piano Competition, where he also received the award for Best Performance of Romantic and Russian Work.
Currently an Assistant Professor of Piano at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music, Cuellar has shared his expertise worldwide, presenting masterclasses at Renmin University in Beijing, the Music Institute of Chicago, and Goyang Arts High School in South Korea, as well as guest lecturing at the Juilliard School. His performances have been praised as “virtuosic in scope and expression, like a great man of the theater” (New York Concert Review) and marked by “nerves of steel, a formidable technique, and an architect’s understanding of structure” (Cleveland Classical).
Tickets for the concert are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and free for HWS students with valid ID. Tickets will be available at the Gearan Center Box Office beginning 45 minutes prior to the performance.
Guest Artist Concert Series Schedule:
- Saturday, Sept. 27 – Scott Cuellar, piano – 7:30 p.m., Froelich Hall
- Saturday, Oct. 11 – Be Here Now Ensemble – 7:30 p.m., Froelich Hall
- Friday, Oct. 24 – Davenport Chamber Players – 7:30 p.m., Froelich Hall
- Friday, Nov. 14 – Cassatt Quartet – 7:30 p.m., Froelich Hall
For over 25 years, the Hobart and William Smith Guest Artist Concert Series has brought exceptional musical performances to the HWS campus and Geneva community. Co-sponsored by the Department of Music with generous support from the Office of Faculty Affairs and Student Engagement, this distinguished series has established itself as a cornerstone of cultural enrichment in the Finger Lakes region. The concert series presents a diverse array of musical offerings throughout the academic year, featuring everything from traditional classical performances and vibrant Mariachi ensembles to internationally acclaimed groups such as the Cassatt String Quartet and Gaudette Brass.
For more information, please contact Performing Arts Coordinator Lara Schmidtgall at schmidtgall@hws.edu
