West Michigan Symphony features acclaimed American pianist Claire Huangci in program of Ravel and Gershwin
Muskegon, MI, November 1, 2024—On the heels of her performance with the Radio Sinfonieorchester Vienna at the Vienna Konzerthaus, American pianist Claire Huangci returns to celebrate the West Michigan Symphony’s 85th anniversary season, opening its Masterworks series at Muskegon’s Frauenthal Center, 7:30 pm Friday, November 22. The concert will feature the Ravel Piano Concerto in G and the Florence Price Piano Concerto in One Movement. Conducted by Scott Speck, the program will open with Ravel’s famous Bolero and conclude with Gershwin’s An American in Paris. Sponsored by WMS’s Past Presidents Committee, the performance takes place in the Frauenthal Center, 425 W. Western Avenue in Muskegon. Mike and Kay Olthoff are the 2024-2025 Season Sponsors; Blue Lake Public Radio is the Media Sponsor. Tickets start at $19 for adults, $10 for students and are available at westmichigansymphony.org.
Audiences were captivated by Claire Huangci’s performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto during a 2021 virtual concert—and WMS immediately followed up with her management to begin planning a live re-engagement. Since then, the young American pianist’s career has continued to advance. Following a highly acclaimed Mozart concerto album with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, she has just released a new CD titled Made in USA. Her first solo recital on her new Alpha Classics label, the disc features an all-American program—including the Samuel Barber Piano Sonata and works by Gershwin, Amy Beach and Earl Wild. She will play the entire new CD live at The Block at 7:30 pm on Saturday, November 23—the evening after her Frauenthal Center appearance.
In 2024-2025, kicking off a string of international orchestral engagements, Claire makes return appearances with the Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra, Porto, Iceland, Vorarlberg, Nordwestdeutsche, and Pacific symphony orchestras; and debuts with the Basel, Hannover, Bremen, Bochum, and Milwaukee symphonies. In recent seasons, she has been a fixture on the concert circuit presenting an unusual breadth of repertoire and directing various concertos from the piano in the play-direct tradition.
Free shuttle transport is available from Muskegon Farmer’s Market to the door of the Frauenthal, and back again after the concert. Audience members are invited to gather after the concert in the lower level Frau Lounge, for an opportunity to mingle with conductor and musicians. Cash bar will be available as well as desserts and snacks for purchase.
The pianistic feast continues at The Block on Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 pm when Huangci puts The Block’s magnificent Steinway through its paces in an inspiring solo recital featuring works from the Made in USA disc. For tickets starting at $34 and $10 for students, call 231.726.3231 or visit westmichigansymphony.org.
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