Crescent Concerts opens 2016 with its annual showcase of exceptionally talented young musicians from New Jersey. The five young artists selected this year will perform great works of classical music in the splendor of the neo-Gothic Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church in Plainfield:
Christine Chang is a 7th grader at Hammarskjold Middle School in East Brunswick, who has been studying piano since the age of four. She has received numerous awards, including second prize in the Steinway Society Piano Competition and The Grand Prize from the National League of Performing Arts. She has performed more than once at Carnegie Hall. She will be performing pieces by Mendelssohn and Clementi.
Jasmine Cheng, age 14, is a ninth grader at East Brunswick Middle School who has studied piano since she was four. She has been awarded first prize at the NJMTA Young Musician Piano Competition, and has won the MTNA Junior Performance Competition. She has performed at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center. She will be presenting works by Beethoven and Chopin.
Kimmy Norrell, age 13, is a seventh grader who has been studying voice since she was eight. She sings with the Manhattan Girls' Chorus and Broadway Youth Ensemble, and she has performed several roles with Chelsea Opera. She will be presenting five songs by five different composers, including Mozart, Scarlatti, and Leoni.
Brendan Tang, age 14, has been studying piano since he was 5. He has won the Solo and Concerto Competition at the Festival Musica in Laguna in Venice multiple times, and has received numerous other awards in Italy, New York City, and New Jersey. He has performed in Carnegie Hall, Steinway Hall, Auditorium San Nicolo, and Auditorium San Domenico. He will be presenting pieces by Rachmaninoff, Muczynski, and Liszt.
Eric Wang, age 14, is a ninth grader at Milburn High School, who plays the piano as well as French horn and cello. He was awarded Musician of the Year upon his graduation from Millburn Middle School, and has received numerous awards, including first place and second place piano solos in his age group the last two years at the MEA-NJ Annual Young Pianist Piano Competition. He will be performing pieces by Beethoven, Brahms, and Ginastera.
So, whether you are a lover of classical music, or an aspiring young musician yourself, join us on Sunday, February 21 and be inspired by the performances from five of classical music's rising stars.
WHEN: Sunday, February 21, at 3:00 pm
WHERE: Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church Sanctuary, 716 Watchung Avenue, Plainfield Ample free, secure parking in Church lot (Entrance on 1st Place - connected to church by walkway)
TICKETS: General Admission-$20, Seniors-$15, Students-$5.
Tickets may be purchased at the door the day of the concert, or are available during normal business hours at the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church office. Call 908-756-2468 or visit http://crescentconcerts.org/ for more information about this and upcoming concerts.
About Crescent Concerts
Since 1980, Crescent Concerts at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church has brought world-class musical events to the residents of the City of Plainfield and surrounding communities. Under the superb musical direction of F. Allen Artz III, programming for our concert series is wonderfully diverse, including solo voice and instrumental performances, chamber groups, and full choral/orchestral spectaculars. Crescent Concerts is committed to ensuring that its programs are accessible to all. If you require a special accommodation, please do not hesitate to ask at the concert or call in advance at 908-756-2468 (9am – 4pm).
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment of the Arts, through a grant administered by the Union County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.
