The Candlelight Concert Society brings to Howard County a unique musical concert, featuring accordionist Hanzhi Wang and saxophonist Steven Banks with pianist Xak Bjerken.
The artists appear in partnership with Young Concert Artists (YCA), a prestigious, New York-based artist management agency with long-time ties to Candlelight. In its 60-year history, Wang and Banks are the first of their respective instruments to win places on YCA’s roster, attesting to each young musician’s technical prowess and musical mastery.
Wang and Banks’ joint recital on Feb 25, 7:30 PM EDT, at HCC’s Smith Theatre promises to be a unique experience with something for every concertgoer to like. A particularly intimate highlight of the concert will be Steven Banks’ own work, Come As You Are, which he will play accompanied by Bjerken. The work is deeply personal, being dedicated to Banks’ mother and three sisters, while exploring the influence of African-American church on Banks’ music and life.
“[…] I decided to write a four-movement work in which each movement would be dedicated to a different family member and take inspiration from their favorite Negro spiritual or sacred song,” Banks wrote in his program note. “Additionally, I chose to write [the] piece for tenor saxophone, [… as] my church family will largely remember me as playing hymns on [it] during our services.
” Wang’s time to shine will come in her personal arrangements of several works, include excerpts from J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons. Peter Digiovanni, President of the Washington Metropolitan Accordion Society, expressed his excitement at the prospect of hearing Wang play live in the area.
“I watched some of her performances on YouTube,” he said. “[…] She is world class.”
Tickets for the event cost $45 per show. With the purchase of one adult ticket, an accompanying child up to age 17 will receive a ticket free of charge. Student tickets cost $10, and tickets for groups of 10 or more cost $35 per person.
For Immediate Release 6680 Martin Road | Columbia, MD 21044 | 410.997.2324 CandlelightConcerts.org
About Candlelight Concert Society Candlelight Concert Society has presented world-class chamber music since 1972, featuring guest artists from around the globe. Based in Columbia, Maryland, Candlelight Concert Society has received national recognition for its annual chamber music series. In addition, the society offers programs to spark children’s interest in the performing arts; educational outreach programs to build an audience for the future through performances, lectures, workshops and master classes; and community outreach performances for Howard County residents unable to attend in a formal concert setting. (CandlelightConcerts.org)
