Amy I-Lin Cheng
July 18, 2026
2:00 PM
Tales of the Piano
A free masterclass for piano students of any level
July 18, 2026, 2-4p
Masterclass
This masterclass offers piano students of all levels an opportunity to perform for a live audience and receive feedback from an experienced teacher and performer.
Performers are invited to share music of their choosing—whether it’s a work in progress or ready for performance. This is an opportunity to grow as a musician and learn from others!
Student performers, private lesson teachers, and family members are welcome to attend free of charge.
Community observers are welcome to attend at an affordable admission price. Come to listen, learn, and be inspired!
Born in Taiwan, pianist Amy I‑Lin Cheng is widely recognized not only for her expressive artistry but also for her deep commitment to teaching the next generation of musicians. A dedicated educator, she has built a distinguished career working with pianists and chamber musicians across the United States and abroad. Amy has given masterclasses throughout the U.S., Brazil, Taiwan, and Germany, guiding both college and pre‑college students with the same warmth, rigor, and musical insight that define her own performances. Her university students have earned top prizes in MTNA chamber competitions, solo and concerto competitions, and have gone on to graduate programs, summer festivals, and faculty positions in the U.S. and internationally.
Opportunities
Performers: This masterclass offers piano students of all levels an opportunity to perform for a live audience and receive feedback from an experienced teacher and performer. Sign-up deadline is July 16th.
Auditors: Non-performing students, teachers, families, and community members are welcome to attend and gain insight into the artistry of piano playing.
Amy’s passion for nurturing young musicians extends beyond the university setting. She has taught at summer festivals, worked with youth chamber ensembles, and served on the faculties of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts in Massachusetts and the Community Music School of Ann Arbor. She currently maintains a small but devoted private studio in Ann Arbor, where she is known for her thoughtful mentorship and individualized approach.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale School of Music, and the New England Conservatory, Amy has held teaching positions at Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma City University. After joining the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 2012, she now serves as Assistant Professor of Music – Piano and Piano Chamber Music Coordinator, where she teaches studio piano, coaches chamber music, and continues to shape the artistic lives of young musicians with generosity, clarity, and imagination.
Questions?
Reach us any time at live@maconcreek.org.
July 19, 2026
2:00 PM
Once Upon a Piano, There Were Four Hands
Tales of New Beginnings, Wonder, and Remembrance
Performance
Step into an evening of musical storytelling with mother‑son piano duo Amy I‑Lin Cheng and Alexander Burrow. Their imaginative program features solo works and music for piano four‑hands — two performers sharing one keyboard — and unfolds in three expressive “sets,” each illuminating a different facet of the piano’s voice.
Experience the elegance and fire of classical masters Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt, pieces that honor the classical roots that continue to shape the piano’s legacy. Relish the evocative landscapes of Debussy’s Preludes and selections from Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, a richly imaginative retelling of beloved fairy tales through music. And enjoy the fresh perspectives of today’s young composers, including new works composed and arranged by rising young artist Alexander Burrow, whose voice reflects the creativity and curiosity of the next generation.
A celebration of legacy and imagination, this program reminds us how music evolves while honoring the roots that shaped it!
United by a shared mission to expand access to the arts, Beacon Arts Michigan and Macon Creek join forces to present Tales, Legends & Legacy, inviting audiences into a world shaped by stories—those we inherit, those we imagine, and those we create together. Through concerts, masterclasses, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations, this series explores how music and art carry our histories, illuminate our present, and spark the narratives that will define our future.
2026
Live @
Macon Creek
Impact
Macon Creek inspires connection, creativity, and stewardship through the intersection of arts and education. We provide a purpose-built environment where learners of all ages engage in immersive and collaborative experiences that cultivate artistic excellence, imaginative inquiry, and thoughtful community.
Vision
Guided by the belief that everyone is an artist, we embrace creativity as an essential human practice—one that connects us across lived experiences.
Located in southeast Michigan, Macon Creek features curated walking paths, a pond, expansive fields, a creek flowing through historic woods and 17 buildings on a 175-acre campus. Through collective creative experiences, our community forms lasting bonds rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and respect for the iterative process. Generations of artists, educators, and learners have shaped Macon Creek with the understanding that creativity thrives when it is nurtured with intention.
Our campus is a creative working environment. Surrounded by a landscape that encourages reflection and authentic exploration, Macon Creek provides an inspiring setting where art is made and shared.