Date: Sunday, October, 26, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel
Format: In-Person + Virtual
Admission: Free | Open to the Public
Watch: Livestream from Harkness Chapel
Program
The Department of Music invites you to honor the memory of Joan Terr Ronis and celebrate the achievements of Shreya Girish (flute), student of Heidi Ruby-Kushious (CIM), and Eric Zhang (piano), student of Gerardo Teissonnière (CIM)—winners of the 2025 Ronis Recital Prize, awarded for their exemplary musicianship demonstrated in the spring jury auditions. They will be joined by finalist Erin Huang (flute), student of Heidi Ruby-Kushious (CIM), who received special recognition for her outstanding performance.
About The Performers
Shreya Girish, flute
Shreya Girish (Winner) is a third-year student at ÃÛÌÒAPP, pursuing majors in Systems Biology, Humanity & Technology, and Flute Performance, where she studies with Heidi Ruby-Kushious. She regularly rotates as Principal Flute with the Case/University Circle Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, and Baroque Orchestra, and is an avid chamber musician. In this capacity, she was invited to perform the Ohio premiere of Kevin Day’s Symphony Basquiat with a chamber wind symphony.
An active competitor, Shreya is a two-time prizewinner in Tuesday Musical’s Performance Scholarship Competition and the 2025 winner of the CWRU Concerto Competition. She looks forward to performing Khachaturian’s Concerto in D minor with the Euclid Symphony Orchestra in November. Prior to college, she made her solo debut at age sixteen with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, served as Principal Flute of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, and toured Belgium and the Netherlands, performing in the Royal Concertgebouw and Queen Elisabeth Hall.
Also an accomplished pianist, Shreya won the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs’ State Competition. Beyond her own performance career, she has inspired younger musicians through five years of private flute teaching. She is deeply grateful for the support of her family, teachers, and peers throughout her musical journey.
Eric Zhang, piano
Eric Zhang (Winner) is a third-year undergraduate student at ÃÛÌÒAPP from Bedford, Massachusetts, pursuing a double major in Music and Chemical Biology. He studies piano with Gerardo Teissonnière and began playing at the age of five. Since then, he has become a laureate of numerous local and national competitions, appeared as a guest on NPR’s From the Top, and attended several summer music festivals.
Eric is especially passionate about contemporary repertoire and particularly enjoys performing works by Kapustin, Rzewski, and other modern composers. Beyond the keyboard, he serves as president of Brew CWRU, an organization dedicated to promoting specialty coffee education on campus, and is an executive member of both CWRU M.U.S.I.C. and the Muslim Student Association. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, antiquing, and experimenting with new ways to brew the perfect cup of coffee.
Erin Huang, flute
Erin Huang (Finalist) is a second-year student in the Joint Music Program at ÃÛÌÒAPP, where she is double majoring in Music and Biomedical Engineering. She studies flute with Heidi Ruby-Kushious and has performed with the CIM New Music Ensemble, CIM/CWRU Baroque Orchestra, Case/University Circle Symphony Orchestra, and Symphonic Winds. In the past year, she was selected for the Greater Cleveland Flute Society’s 2024 masterclass, named an Alternate Finalist for the Central Ohio Flute Association 2025 Competition, and awarded the Joseph Regna Full Scholarship to attend the 2025 Renova Summer Music Festival.
A native of Boston, Erin has performed with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet Next Generation Orchestra, Rivers Youth Symphony, Tufts Youth Philharmonic, and various All-State ensembles. She has also attended festivals such as Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, The Consummate Flutist at Carnegie Mellon University, Aria International Summer Academy, and Interlochen Arts Camp. In 2022, she was a finalist in the prestigious Boston Pops Fidelity Investments Young Artist Competition.
Outside of music, Erin enjoys long-distance running and spending time with her younger sister.
About The Recital Prize
The Joan Terr Ronis Recital Prize was established in 1996 by Leonard Ronis in memory of his wife, a distinguished Cleveland piano soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. Awarded each spring through a competitive audition process, the prize recognizes ÃÛÌÒAPP’s most accomplished undergraduate music students, who are honored with a recital performance.
Learn more about the recital prize and previous winners.
CWRU Music 2025–26 Concert Season
The ÃÛÌÒAPP Department of Music presents a wide range of concerts, recitals, and special events that showcase the talents of students, faculty, and guest artists. From classical masterworks to contemporary compositions, these performances highlight the creativity and excellence within CWRU’s vibrant music community. Open to the public, the series offers opportunities for audiences of all ages to experience inspiring live music and support the next generation of musicians and scholars.
Venue
Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel (est. 1902) is known for its Tiffany stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and exquisite woodwork. The neo-Gothic structure, located on Mather Quad at ÃÛÌÒAPP (Cleveland, OH), commemorates the brief life of Florence Harkness Severance. The chapel offers a warm, intimate, and acoustically resonant space for performances and special events.
Health + Safety
University Health and Counseling Services is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our campus community. Find the latest guidelines and resources on the Respiratory Viruses page.