Famed pianist and 2022 Cliburn Silver Medalist Anna Geniushene has canceled her Oct. 7 performance at El Camino College and will be replaced by Cliburn Bronze Medalist Daniel Hsu for the same performance date and time of Oct. 7 at 8 p.m.

El Camino’s Center for the Arts Director Rick Christophersen told The Union that Geniushene’s departure was due to currently being in the middle of a late-stage pregnancy.

“She’s doing fine, but her doctors won’t allow her to travel,” Christophersen said.

Geniushene was scheduled to hold a master class aimed at piano students but open for all students to attend. Christophersen says the master class will still go on as scheduled with Hsu taking over.

“[Hsu] is going to do the masterclass, it’ll be at noon on Thursday, October 6, from noon to 1:30,” said Christophersen. “[It will be] in The Haag Recital Hall, which is over in the music theater building.”

The Cliburn Foundation, an organization that aims to “advance classical piano music throughout the world,” reached out to the Center for the Arts to let them know Geniushene would not be available.

Christophersen said the foundation was also the ones to suggest Hsu as a replacement and cited his availability to take over the performance dates.

Unlike Geniushene, who has performed at El Camino in the past, Hsu has never performed on campus. Christophersen said he was excited to see new performers on stage after not having any performances for two years due to COVID-19.

“[Hsu] has actually been on our list of artists to hopefully present so it worked out for us that we got [him],” Geniushene said. “And Ms. Geniushene can be at home with her [new] babies coming soon, and we’ll see her another time.”

Hsu, a San Francisco Bay Area native, took piano lessons starting at age 6 and made his concert debut at the age of 8. Besides winning the 2017 Cliburn Bronze Medal, Hsu has also won a 2016 Gilmore Young Artist award and was the first prize winner of the 2015 CAG Victor Elmaleh Competition.

Tickets are priced at $26 for general admission and at $10 for students who can provide a student I.D. or a student I.D. number.

All guests will be required to show proof of vaccination and complete a health screening questionnaire prior to attendance. Guests must also wear a mask and practice socially distance seating at all times during the show regardless of vaccination status.