Celebrating its 46th year, the Dr. Sharyn Edwards Piano Festival and Competition Guest Artist Concert invites all music lovers to Southeastern Community College on March 7 at 7:30 p.m. The evening promises a performance of “clarity, sensitivity and prodigious technical capacities” by Dr. Paul Sanchez, a twice GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer.  

Sanchez is a former director of Piano Studies and the International Piano Series at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. His career includes faculty appointments at Baylor University and Wheaton College. Additionally, Sanchez is a co-founder of multiple arts organizations such as the San Francisco International Piano Festival, the Charleston Chamber Music Intensive, and the Dakota Sky Foundation. 

Sanchez is also a renowned audio engineer and producer, with credits for several albums released by notable labels including Albany Records, Divine Art Records, and Navona Records. He has released 10 CD albums as of 2024. 

SCC Foundation Executive Director Terrie Priest emphasized the importance of the event, saying, “This is an amazing opportunity for students interested in music performance, and it is a celebration of the arts in general. This collaborative effort between the college, Foundation, Columbus County Schools, and the Burkhardt Fine and Performing Arts Series shows how important music and performing arts are to our students in Columbus County. We are so honored to help support this annual festival every year, and we hope it allows students to express themselves creatively through piano performance.” 

General admission to the concert is $10, with discounted tickets available for senior citizens at $8. Admission is free for SCC students, Columbus County Schools students and student participants in the festival, all with valid student ID. 

The festival and concert aim to engage a wide audience, including current students, prospective students from high schools and adult learners, local community members, the SCC Board of Trustees and the SCC Foundation Board of Directors. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the SCC Foundation office at 910-788-6260.