The UA School of Music is hosting celebrated violinist James Buswell and cellist Carol Ou in a trio performance with UA pianist Paula Fan at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 16.

Paula Fan came upon the piano almost by accident.

“”My parents used to move around a lot and we rented a house with a piano in it, and I thought it was pretty cool,”” she said.

Her career as a pianist also happened by chance.

“”I wasn’t going to be a professional pianist, I was going to be a math teacher,”” Fan said. “”However, I had a piano teacher who thought I had some talent and said ‘Please try it for a semester.’ And I did try it for a semester.”” After that the alumna found it too difficult to change her major back to education.

“”It was fun and I liked it, and it was hard, but not too hard,”” she said.

Fan has given the piano more than 50 years of dedication, and the piano has rewarded her in return.

“”I’m a very undisciplined person,”” she said. “”So it has made me become more disciplined and it makes me think. I get really happy when I play the piano, even if I’m not playing well, there’s something to latch onto that’s beautiful and interesting.””

Fan believes that the small parts of music are most difficult.

“”I think it’s the technical issues,”” she said. “”Once you’re beyond that you’re free to just enjoy beautiful things and share them with other people.””

Fan also believes that the concert will be a great experience for all viewers.

“”These are some pretty important people,”” she said of Buswell and Ou.

The couple presents Fan with a trip down memory lane and a new encounter.

“”Buswell had his first teaching job here,”” she said. “”I used to accompany all of his violin students.””

However, Ou and Fan have never met onstage.

“”I’ve never played with Carol Ou,”” she said. “”I look forward to this blind date.””

The atmosphere of a date is carried within the music as well.

“”We are going to be playing lovely, romantic music,”” Fan said. “”The Tchaikovsky is dedicated to the memory of a great artist; it is really fleshy, romantic, showy, oozy, you know, sexy music. The Shubert is also romantic, but more in a restrained, Viennese manner.””

While Fan especially recommends the upcoming recital, she also recommends music in general.

“”Everyone should play music because it does give you structure,”” she said. “”Once you get something right, you can enjoy it for the rest of your life. You can pick what sort of music you like in the long run. I recommend music for everyone, for listening, for playing, for enjoying.””

The trio recital will be at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 in Crowder Hall. General admission is $11, senior and UA Employee admission is $9, and UA
student admission is $5