Beyond Words: A Collection of Art Songs for Cello & Piano Meredith Blecha-Wells & Sun Min Kim

• Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943): Sing not to me, O lovely one, op. 4 no. 4:
• 1 Rachmaninoff: Sing not to me, O lovely one, op. 4 no. 4 04:25
• In the Silence of the Secret Night, op. 4 no. 3:
• 2 Rachmaninoff: In the Silence of the Secret Night, op. 4 no. 3 02:45
• Lilacs, op. 21 no. 5:
• 3 Rachmaninoff: Lilacs, op. 21 no. 5 01:38
• Vocalise, op. 34 no. 14:
• 4 Rachmaninoff: Vocalise, op. 34 no. 14 06:02
• How Peaceful, op. 21 no. 7:
• 5 Rachmaninoff: How Peaceful, op. 21 no. 7 01:45
• On the Death of a Siskin, op. 21 no. 8:
• 6 Rachmaninoff: On the Death of a Siskin, op. 21 no. 8 02:31
• Dream, op. 38 no. 5:
• 7 Rachmaninoff: Dream, op. 38 no. 5 03:01
• "O, no, I beg do not leave", op. 4 no. 1:
• 8 Rachmaninoff: "O, no, I beg do not leave", op. 4 no. 1 01:25
• H. Leslie Adams (1932 - 2024): Aria for Violoncello and Piano:
• 9 Adams: Aria for Violoncello and Piano 03:58
• Jennifer Bellor (b. 1983): Smile and a Sigh:
• 10 Bellor: Smile and a Sigh: I. Song of Flight 02:59
• 11 Bellor: Smile and a Sigh: II. Echo 06:08
• 12 Bellor: Smile and a Sigh: III. Long These Days 03:54
• Manuel de Falla (1876 - 1946): Suite populaire espagnole:
• 13 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: El paño moruno 02:09
• 14 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: Nana 02:51
• 15 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: Canción 01:29
• 16 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: Polo 01:25
• 17 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: Asturiana 02:12
• 18 Falla: Suite populaire espagnole: Jota 03:02
• Total Runtime 53:39

Info for Beyond Words: A Collection of Art Songs for Cello & Piano

BEYOND WORDS – A Collection of Art Songs for Cello and Piano brings the expressive voices of cellist Meredith Blecha-Wells and pianist Sun Min Kim to beloved vocal works reimagined for their instruments. From the lyrical intimacy of Rachmaninoff’s romances and the echoes of Spanish culture resonating through de Falla’s Suite populaire espagnole to contemporary creations by H. Leslie Adams and Jennifer Bellor, the album spans centuries of evocative composition while highlighting music’s power to communicate emotion beyond language.

Meredith Blecha-Wells, cello
Sun Min Kim, piano

Meredith Blecha-Wells
Praised for her “beautifully full and lyrically strong tone” by Gramophone Magazine, Meredith Blecha-Wells is a sought-after performer and instructor. She has played throughout much of the United States, as well as Europe, South America, Australia, and Asia. Currently based in Colorado, Blecha-Wells serves on the faculty at Colorado State University.

As a recording artist, Blecha-Wells has released several CDs spanning the solo, chamber music, and orchestral space. Her solo album was described as “technically dazzling” (The WholeNote) and she was praised for her “lyrical warmth and her powerful athleticism” (Classical Music Discoveries). Blecha-Wells’ recordings can be found on labels including Naxos, Navona, and Onyx Lane Productions and broadcast on numerous radio stations such as WFMT (Chicago IL), WMBR (Cambridge MA), KALX (Berkley CA), WRUV (Burlington VT), WCNY (Syracuse NY), KUCO (Edmond OK), among others.

Blecha-Wells previously served as the Professor of Cello at Oklahoma State University where she was awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Junior Faculty Award for Scholarly Excellence as well as the First Lady of OSU Distinguished Music Professor award. A passionate pedagogue, Blecha-Wells is committed to raising the efficiency and joy in learning. Her students have gone on to study at programs such as the Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory, the Eastman School of Music, Rice University, the University of Michigan, the Manhattan School of Music, the San Francisco Conservatory, Northwestern University, Indiana University, among others. Additionally, her students have won several competitions including the YoungArts National Awards, the Classics Alive Artists, Enkor International Competition, American Protégé Competition, Ad Astra String Competition, MTNA, Hyechka String Competition, among others.

Blecha-Wells has taught at numerous festivals, clinics, and institutes spanning six continents. She has had the pleasure of teaching at the International Cello Institute, the Alaska Cello Intensive, Gran Encuentro Chelistas in Colombia, the Saarburg Chamber Music Festival in Germany, the Chicago Suzuki Institute, the Austin Suzuki Institute, among others. She has given numerous clinics and was the featured cello clinician at the 2024 American String Teachers Association Conference.

Blecha-Wells received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Cello Performance from Indiana University and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. Her teachers have included Janos Starker, Alan Harris, Emilio Colon, Helga Winold, Richard Hirschl, and Marc Johnson. Additional studies include festival participation at the Taos School of Music, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Sun Min Kim
serves as Coordinator of Keyboard Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Denison University. He made his début with the Ulsan Symphony Orchestra at age 13, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto. He has been a prizewinner of national and international competitions such as the Maria Canals International Piano Competition, Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, MTNA, International Crescendo Music Awards, Brevard Music Center Solo Piano Competition, Harold Protsman Piano Competition, Competition of the Society for American Musicians, and Lee Biennial Piano Competition.

In 2008, the professional music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon awarded him the Sterling Achievement Award, the highest honor that the fraternity bestows upon its collegiate members. As a laureate of various awards, he debuted at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and other prestigious venues across the United States and abroad.

He has frequently performed solo and chamber music at festivals such as Aspen Music Festival, Banff Center, Brevard Music Center, Piano Texas, Prague International Piano Masterclass, Quartet Program, and École Redaille in Belgium. Kim is an active lecturer, competition juror, and masterclass presenter. His current and former students have been prizewinners of national and international piano competitions.

Kim completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Literature with a minor in Collaborative Piano at the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with and served as teaching assistant for Nelita True. He studied accompanying and chamber music with Jean Barr. Kim has previously taught at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Oklahoma State University, and University of Rochester.

This album contains no booklet.