Concerto for Frenemies
2017-01-27 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | Merit School of Music, Gottlieb Hall, 38 S. Peoria St., IL, 60607, United States
Get tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concerto-for-frenemies-tickets-9389529335

Alyssa Conde, piano
2017-02-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
$15 Suggested Donation
Program:
J. S. Bach – Italian Concerto BWV 971
Ludwig van Beethoven – “Pathetique” Sonata No. 8, Op. 13
Robert Muczynski – Dream Cycle Op. 44 (1983)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Allegro risoluto
Robert Schumann – Novelette Op. 21, No. 8
Bio:
Alyssa Conde holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from Florida Atlantic University where she studied with Dr. Irena Kofman. She recently completed her Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts where she studied under Dr Ludmila Lazar. She has performed within the United States as well as Europe. Some festivals she as taken part in include, The University of Florida’s Summer Academy, Brevard Music Festival where she worked privately with concert pianist Sandra Shen, The Chamber Music Institute in Lincoln Nebraska and the International Academy of Music in Cremona, Italy. In 2012 she was selected to perform at the Palm Beach International Piano Festival representing the USA. As a vocal collaborative artist she attended the 2014 University of Miami’s Frost School of Music Summer Program in Salzburg, Austria where she and duo partner Kacey Kurpinsky received honorable mention in the Schloss Mirabell competition. Ms. Conde has performed in Master Classes by Nelson Delle – Vigne Fabbri, James Giles, Enrico Elisi, Mutsumi Moteki, Francois Germain, the Escher String Quartet, and more. Currently a sought after collaborative pianist, and in pursuit of furthering her performing career, she also teaches privately and strives to develop genuine love for music in the younger generation. Ms. Conde currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Morton Feldman Chamber Players
2017-02-16 20:30 - 21:30 | Constellation, 3111 N Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States
Christopher Narloch performs with Morton Feldman Chamber Players (MFCP) at Constellation.
http://www.constellation-chicago.com/event/1378912-morton-feldman-chamber-players-chicago/

Michael Finlay, piano
2017-02-17 19:30 - 20:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Suggested Donation: $10
Program:
Debussy Estampes
Mozart Sonata K. 333 in B-flat Major
Chopin Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52
Prokofiev Sonata No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 29
Bio:
Michael Finlay’s captivating performances have thrilled audiences all over North America. Michael Finlay’s recent concert appearances include a North American tour with concerts in New York, Chicago, Austin, San Antonio, Toronto, and Montreal. He is especially invested in outreach, a passion that regularly brings him back to his native Texas to teach and to concertize.
Dr. Finlay holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he worked with Paul Schenly and Kathryn Brown, a Master’s from the Peabody Conservatory where he studied with Yong Hi Moon, and a Doctorate from the University of Montreal, where he studied with Marc Durand.

Artemis
2017-02-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Artemis performs new works for voices.
Led by Bethany Battafarano, Artemis is a chamber women’s ensemble based in Minneapolis. Touring Chicago, they will be featuring a new work by Tara Loeper.

Concerto for Frenemies
2017-02-25 19:30 - 20:30 | PianoForte, 1335 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60619, United States
Concerto for Frenemies returns for a second live performance.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concerto-for-frenemies-tickets-30925516051?aff=erelexpmlt

YAK // Jani Parsons & Chris Sies
2017-03-09 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
$10 Suggested Donation
YAK visits Chicago in their 2017 midwest tour.
Jani Parsons, piano, and Chris Sies, percussion, perform as a duo.
Program TBA
YAK is an ambient/industrial duo of amplified, bowed friction on strings and metal. Their 2017 Midwest Tour is an audio-visual journey into the existential mind-state of the Tibetan beast, the Yak. These sounds are tailor-made for the shaggy beast of burden of the Himalayan Plateau, evoking their life and spirit in a mesmerising structured improvisation cycle.
Yuri Popowycz is a Detroit-based violinist, electronic music producer/performer, and illustrator. He performs with the Michigan Opera Theatre and is assistant concertmaster with the Michigan Philharmonic. He also plays out frequently in the city and is active with Detroit Bureau of Sound. Yuri is a graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy ‘11, and the Oberlin Conservatory ‘15, and has toured in Japan as concertmaster of the PMF orchestra as well as performed in Europe alongside the Jack quartet with the Lucerne Festival Academy. Currently he runs the ambient music label Music To Stretch To and enjoys working with all the wonderful artists living nearby.
Zac Brunell is a performer and concert producer in the Motor City. As director of the Detroit Bureau of Sound, his work engulfs a range of avant garde music through his productions, which have been described as “sounding as raw as mating bull elephants” (Lansing City Pulse on “X is for Xenakis”). A classically trained percussionist and pianist, Zac is a graduate of the Michigan State University College of Music and is currently Production Manager with the award-winning ensemble New Music Detroit.
facebook.com/yakdetroit
detroitbureauofsound.com/yak
soundcloud.com/detroitbureauofsound
Yakdetroit.bandcamp.com
http://www.chrissiesmusic.com/

Noise Bias
2017-03-11 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Noise Bias performs works by Alex Temple, Kyong Mee Choi, Kate Soper, and Kelley Sheehan.

Indulgence: Chocolate and Chamber Music in Concert
2017-03-18 19:30 - 20:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Pianist Marianne Parker and flutist Emma Koi team up with Katherine Anne Confections in a collaboration of luscious chocolate and dreamy chamber music.
Chicago Chocolatier Katherine Duncan, owner of Katherine Anne Confections, has created a specific truffle to pair with each flute and piano piece to satisfy your tastes while you enjoy live chamber music, including a piece by Chicago’s own Marc Mellits.
Suggested donation:
$20
Program:
Mason Bates, “White Lies for Lomax” for piano and recorded tape
Robert Schumann, “Drie Romanzen” for flute and piano
Ian Clarke, “Hypnosis” for flute and piano
Marc Mellits, “11 Pieces for flute and piano” (selections)
Jacob TV, “The Body of Your Dreams” for piano and recorded tape

Spring Recital
2017-03-19 14:00 - 15:30 | Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, 60602, United States
Students of Narloch Piano Studio perform at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Movie Night: Note by Note
2017-03-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Note by Note is a film that shows how a Steinway piano is built. A description and preview can be seen here:
http://www.pbs.org/program/note-by-note/
This will be shown for FREE for all ages!

Cory Hills
2017-04-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Cory Hills performs a solo percussion program through Eighth Blackbird’s Chicago Artists Workshop.
Works by:
Charles Amirkhanian, Mark Applebaum, John Cage, Cory Hills, and Graeme Leak
Program:
Drum Factory by Cory Hills
Child of Tree by John Cage
Churchcar by Charles Amirkhanian
Aphasia by Mark Applebaum
…and now for the news by Graeme Leak
Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger/arr. by Cory Hills
Cory Hills Biography:
Multi-percussionist, composer, and improviser Cory Hills thrives on breaking down musical barriers through creative, interdisciplinary projects. He has received degrees from Northwestern University, Queensland Conservatorium, and the University of Kansas, and was awarded a research fellowship to Institute Fabrica. Currently, Hills is an active performer, composer, and recording artist in Los Angeles, as well as a member of the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Percussion Quartet.
An advocate of new music, Hills has individually commissioned and premiered over 85 new works for percussion. He has given solo and chamber recitals across Europe, Australia, The United States, Mexico, and China. These include a featured performance for the International Society of Improvised Music, the Days of New Music Festival in Chisinau, Moldova, the Queensland Music Festival, the Ravello Concert Festival, the Venice Art Biennale, four PASIC conventions, the Morelia Percussion Festival, and Festival Mozaic. An advocate for percussion as an artistic discipline, Hills has been the artist-in-residence at Rocky Mountain National Park, Conservatorio de Las Rosas, and a fellow at the OMI international artist’s colony.
Percussive Storytelling, a program that brings classical music and storytelling to kids in fun and accessible ways, was launched by Hills while a fellow at Institute Fabrica. The program recently marked its 430th performance, and has reached more than 80,000 children in eight countries. For this work, Hills has been the recipient of numerous arts grants, and was named the 2009 Emerging Artist through the Kansas Arts Commission. The Lost Bicycle, Hills’ debut solo CD of percussive stories, has received four national parenting and creative arts awards (NAPPA Parent’s Awards Gold, Parent’s Choice Silver, World Storytelling Honors Award, and a Creative Child preferred choice). In June 2015, The Lost Bicycle was released as a fully illustrated children’s book published by AcutebyDesign. Drum Factory, Hills’ second CD released on Sono Luminus Records, received a Parent’s Choice Silver award, three nominations for the Independent Music Awards, and was named CD of the Year by Creative Child.
Hills is an artist for Innovative Percussion, Remo, Sabian, and Black Swamp Percussion.
For more information please visit www.splatboombang.com.

Second City Winds
2017-04-24 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Program:
Scherzo, Op. 48 – Eugene Bozza (1905-1991)
Gavotte et Six Doubles – Jean-Phillipe Rameau (1683-1764)
trans. Ryohei Nakagawa
Le Grand Tango – Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) arr. Jack Sharretts
– A Brief Pause –
Quintet for Winds No. 3 – David Maslanka (1943- )
I. Slow, moderate
II. Moderate
III. Very fast
Azusa Inaba, Flute
Becca Dora, Oboe
Steven Gooden, Clarinet
Julia Bair, Bassoon
Dana Sherman, Horn
Second City Winds is a young, up and coming woodwind quintet in the Chicago area. The group is composed of five professional wind players: Azusa Inaba (flute), Steven Gooden (clarinet), Becca Dora (oboe), Julia Bair (bassoon), and Dana Sherman (horn). Presenting classical recitals across the city, Second City Winds incorporates music composed in a wide range of time periods and styles. The group aims to engage the audience through its rousing repertoire and engaging performances. All recitals feature a question and answer session to build a relationship between performers and audience members.
Members of the Second City Winds have performed previously with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Composers Orchestra, Chicago Symphonic Winds, Elgin Symphony, Northbrook Symphony, Omaha Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Sheboygan Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, and Beloit-Janesville Symphony. They each also are active teachers throughout the Chicagoland area.

The Mischlinge Exposé
2017-04-28 20:00 - 21:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
The Mischlinge Exposé focuses on the complexities of being neither Jewish nor Aryan in Nazi Germany and before, using beautiful music and original video to illustrate the struggle between assimilation and cultural identity.
After the Nuremberg laws imposed labels on so many human beings, were they still able to choose their paths? Carolyn’s Mischlinge Exposé weaves a multimedia tapestry around a little-known aspect of the Holocaust: the Mischlinge (a derogatory Nazi term for those neither fully Jewish nor fully Aryan). Interweaving video and audio testimony from Carolyn’s godmother and her father, (both labeled Mischling, Grade A by the Nazis), with the music of German-Jewish-born composers from the salon period just before the war, the program vividly illustrates what it was like to be between worlds in Germany in the first half of the 20th century.
Program:
Felix Mendelssohn
Three Songs without Words
Op. 19, No. 6 “Venetianisches Gondellied” 1809-1847
Op. 30, No. 6 “Venetianisches Gondellied”
Op. 19, No. 1
Alexander Zemlinsky
Albumblatt “Erinnerungen aus Wien”
Hanns Eisler
Sonatine, Op. 44 “Gradus ad Parnassum”
I. Andante 1898-1962
II. Allegretto scherzando
III. Larghetto
IV. Allegro comodo
Paul Ben-Haim
Five Pieces for Piano, Op. 34
Canzonetta
Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19 Arnold Schoenberg
I. Leicht, zart
II. Langsam
III. Sehr langsam
IV. Rasch, aber leicht
V. Etwas rasch
VI. Sehr langsam
Biography
Pianist Carolyn Engerhas gained critical acclaim for her lyrical and dynamic playing, her deeply felt interpretations of works from Beethoven and Schubert to contemporary music, and her warm personal approach. In addition to an active performance schedule, Ms. Enger has enjoyed remarkable success as a recording artist, particularly with her 2013 release of piano music by Ned Rorem on Naxos Records. Renowned critic Laurence Vittes wrote in his review for Gramophone ​ (2/2014): “Enger raises the miniatures to a higher level by taking the time and care to capture the emotional impact each must have had when their dedicatees read their inscription and title, and then heard the music for the first time.” The album was selected as one of the “Best in Classical Recordings” by The New York Times:
Among the 90th-birthday tributes this year to the essential American composer Ned Rorem, this recording especially stands out. The fine pianist Carolyn Enger plays Mr. Rorem’s complete Piano Album I, published in 2003, a collection of tender yet pungent miniatures written for friends, intimates and personal occasions from 1978 to 2001. ​ -Anthony Tommasini, 12/2013
Ms. Enger’s latest creation, The Mischlinge Exposé, ​ pays tribute to her father, Horst Joachim Enger, who survived forced labor and the Holocaust as a Mischling in Germany. It takes the form of a multimedia concert program set in the World War II period, combining music, literature and images that focus on the haunting memories of the lives of Mischlinge– half-Jews – and converts, in Germany before, during, and after the Holocaust, an experience reflected in Ms. Enger’s own family history. The Mischlinge project will be enriched by a new commission by the acclaimed composer Bruce Adolphe, which will premiere in 2017. Find out more about the project at www.mischlingexpose.com.
Highlights of Ms. Enger’s 2016/17 season include a performance at Michaelis Kirche in Erfurt, Germany; a Chicago residency with recitals at several Steinway Galleries and the Chicago Public Library; a performance at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts in Massachusetts; and a variety of recitals in the Tri-State area. Ms. Enger will present her ambitious multimedia concert experience, The Mischlinge Exposé, ​ at community centers throughout New York and New Jersey, and will premiere a new work written by the acclaimed composer Bruce Adolphe especially for this project at the Center for Jewish History in Spring 2017.

Toy Piano Concert
2017-04-29 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Kelley Sheehan and Jonathan Hannau perform a program of works for toy piano.

Student Recital
2017-04-30 15:00 - 16:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Brittany Nelson’s violin students and Christopher Narloch’s piano students perform.

Dylan McKinstry
2017-05-04 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Dylan McKinstry, a Minnesota raised multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser and song-writer, is, both literally and figuratively, dextrous. He’s a veritable Swiss Army knife of styles and skills, performing in an eclectic range of musical settings that has continued to span many genres. As a soloist, ensemble player, composer, and arranger, he has worked on film scores, collaborations with theater and dance companies in Minneapolis, New York, and Boston, and performed his original music across the country. When Dylan plays, his music, both curious and deeply thoughtful, has been hailed by The Boston Globe as “effecting a sublime transformation”. He has worked and shared a stage with incredible musicians like Pierre Bensusan, Don Ross, Joe Morris, John Zorn, Meredith Monk, and Ran Blake, as well as performing as an esteemed soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Sonoma Country philharmonic, where he was awarded the young Artist Award. He attended New England Conservatory on full scholarship, where he received many accolades including the Spark Award. His recently released an album of original songs and compositions entitled The Righting Moment and produced by composer and improvisor Carla Kihlstedt, is a debut collection that effectively and beautifully reflects his endless self-discovery. He currently lives Brooklyn, New York.
website: www.dylanmckinstry.com
Program: original songs and composition for solo guitar, announced from the stage.

Matthew McCright and Mabel Kwan
2017-05-12 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Pianists Mabel Kwan and Matthew McCright perform solo and 4-hand works.

Program: Connecting Flights

Gerard Pesson, Ambre nous resterons
Francois Couperin, Les Ombres Errantes
Elisabeth Lutyens, 5 Bagatelles
Anthony Donofrio, Preludes III and VIII
Alex Temple, Inland

John Adams (70th B-day), China Gates
Amy Williams, Falling
Andrea Mazzariello, Flight School
Stephen Andrew Taylor, The Dove is Sad
Linda Buckley, Siar (Gaelic “West”)

Gyorgy Ligeti, Five Pieces for Piano Four-Hands

Mabel Kwan Bio:
Chicago-based, Austin-born pianist Mabel Kwan performs a diverse range of repertoire for keyboard instruments. She is a member of Ensemble Dal Niente and the trio Pesedjet, and has performed nationally and internationally, including concerts at Ravinia, Millennium Park, Library of Congress, Harvard University, and the Darmstadt Summer Courses. Her recent solo albums, one poetic switch and Inventions, feature new works written for her on clavichord and piano. Upcoming releases include the world premiere recording of Trois Hommages by Georg Friedrich Haas, and chamber music of George Lewis with Ensemble Dal Niente.

Matthew McCright Bio:

American pianist Matthew McCright has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific as piano soloist and chamber musician. He has thrilled audiences and critics alike with imaginative programming that places the greatest piano repertoire alongside the music of today’s most innovative composers. A native of Pennsylvania, McCright now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a member of the piano faculty of Carleton College. An accomplished recording artist, McCright has released five solo recordings: three albums on innova Records (Second Childhood, A Waltz through the Vapor, andBlender), a 2011 release of the piano works of Gene Gutchë on Centaur Records and a 2015 release on Albany Records of the piano music of Olivier Messiaen. His solo touring shows include Evening Preludes, The People’s Music, Contemplations: the Music of Messiaen, Connecting Flights, and Endurance.
The recipient of numerous awards, grants, and prizes, he has performed at festivals such as Bang on a Can at MassMOCA, Printing House Festival of New Music (Dublin), Late Music Festival (UK), Hampden-Sydney Chamber Music Festival, Engelbach-Hart, Kodály Institute, Perilous Night, Fringe, Bridge, Spark Festival of Electronic Music, Seward Arts, Zeitgeist Early Music, Music 2000, CCM Village Opening, and Minnesota Composers Alliance. McCright completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota, Master of Music Degree in Piano from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance, Magna Cum Laude, from Westminster College. His past teachers include Lydia Artymiw, Nancy Zipay DeSalvo, Lisa Moore, and Richard Morris. He is represented by Proper Canary Artist Services. For more information please visit: www.matthewmccright.org

Narloch plays Glass
2017-05-19 20:00 - 21:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Christopher Narloch performs Philip Glass Études for solo piano, Book 1 (#1-10)

Ursa Ensemble
2017-07-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Ravenswood Manor Park, Chicago, IL, United States
Temporal Brass Quintet and Ursa Ensemble perform for the Ravenswood Manor Park Summer Concert Series.

Summer Recital
2017-07-09 15:00 - 16:00 | Ravenswood Manor Park, Chicago, IL, United States
Students of Narloch Piano Studio perform outside in the park for the annual summer concert series.

NMSG: What Makes a Recording Good?
2017-07-13 20:30 - 22:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Grayson Elliott Taylor will dive deep into the recording realm, discussing the process of recording, including recording techniques, philosophies, set-ups, electronics, and more. Audience participation is included with a Q+A to follow! Feel free to bring a snack to share. This will be a great session for musicians of any style.

Cllouds
2017-08-29 21:00 | Cafe Mustache, 2313 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, 60647, United States
Todd Leibov, guitar;
Jon Jackson, drums;
Christopher Narloch, keyboard

Robin Meiksins
2017-09-30 20:30 - 21:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Robin Meiksins, flute, performs a solo program of new commissions.
Detailed program TBA.

Now/Then: Ustvolskaya and the Next Generation
2017-10-06 20:00 - 21:00 | Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St., Chicago, IL, 60637, United States
Concert talk by Olga Panteleeva;
Dariya Maminova: Déjà vu for piano 4 hands (2013);
Marina Khorkova: a priori for flute and cello (2013);
Galina Ustvolskaya: Trio for clarinet, violin, piano (1949);
Galina Ustvolskaya: Grand Duet for cello and piano (1959);
Christopher Narloch performs Maminova’s Déjà vu with Andrew Rosenblum.

Galina Ustvolskaya Piano Sonatas
2017-10-07 15:00 - 17:00 | PianoForte, 1335 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60619, United States
Pre-Concert talk by Maria Cizmic

Sonata No. 5 for piano (1986)
Sonata No. 4 for piano (1957)
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1952)
Sonata No. 2 for piano (1949)
Sonata No. 6 for piano (1988);

Christopher Narloch performs Galina Ustvolskaya’s Piano Sonata No. 2.

Jay Pike and Sixto Franco, Viola Duo
2017-10-21 19:30 - 20:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Program:
Re-tuning, by Ann Southam
Duet for two violas, by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
Mechanics, for two violas, by Sixto Franco
Lament, for two violas, by Frank Bridge
Jay Pike studied viola in his home state at the University of Montana, and later at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He has performed with many ensembles in the Chicago area including Chicago Opera Theatre, the Elgin Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and Ensemble Dal Niente. Some highlights include a beautiful production of Bluebeard’s Castle at Thalia Hall with the New Millennium Orchestra, and performing alongside his college teachers and mentors in a String Orchestra of the Rockies concert last fall.
Jay also keeps a busy teaching schedule. In addition to running a Suzuki violin program in Morton Grove, Jay also teaches for The People’s Music School’s new community music program in Back of the Yards, on Chicago’s south side.
Sixto Franco, viola
Mr Franco is an active performer, teacher and composer, having performed in Europe, United States and Mexico. Mr Franco has performed with ensembles such as the Eight Black Bird and the Fifth House ensembles, Camerata Chicago, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Symbiosis Ensemble in LA, and Camerata Musicalis in Spain, Barcelona Symphonic Orchestra, and Shleswig-Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra, among others.
As a former member of the Kaia String Quartet, Sixto Franco has released two albums titled “Latinoamerica” (2015) and “Quartango” (2016). As chamber music performer, Sixto Franco has also appeared at the Latino Music Festival of Chicago performing, Pritzker Theater, Fullerton Hall of the Chicago Arts institute, Mayne Stage, University of Chicago, and has joint artists such as Paquito D´Rivera, Fareed Haque, Ernie Adams, and Rick Ferguson.
Besides his presence in the chamber music and orchestra scene, Mr. Franco has also appeared as soloist in California and his native Spain, performing works of Mozart, Bruch and other contemporary composer. In 2012, composer, Jason Barabba dedicated his duet for viola and clarinet to Mr. Franco who then premiered and recorded the work June of that year in Madrid, Spain.
As a composer, Sixto Franco has written for different mediums such as chamber music, theater and dance. He made his debut on February 2011 premiering his work “Blanco y Negro” in a Cancer Benefit Concert promoted by the Spanish Consulate of Los Angeles and the Symbiosis Ensemble. The “MalArte Association”, Spain, premiered his piece Five “O’clock Tabu” as the sound track for an interdisciplinary theater and dance show with the same title. His last collaboration included the Tiffany Lawsone Dance Company resulting on the creation of “Calm Panic” for solo viola and dancer. Some of his future engagements are: the premiere of his Viola Duet and the world premier of a viola concerto by composer Kevin Hartnett’s viola concerto.
Sixto Franco is a Master Graduate from Thornton School of Music at University of Southern California and has earned a Performance Degree in Chamber Music studies at the Northern Illinois University under the guidance of the Avalon String Quartet. His teachers include Donald McInnes, Ashan Pillai, Anthony Devroye, Hagai Shaham and Midori Goto.

Musical Tapas Piano Trio Concert
2017-10-22 16:00 - 17:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Selections from piano trios around the world will be performed and paired with food represented from each country in the program.
Franz Schubert – Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat Major, D. 929
II- Andante un poco mossa
Franz Joseph Haydn – Piano Trio No. 39 in G Major, “Gypsy”, Hob. XV: 25
IV- Finale: Rondo all’Ongarese. Presto
Bright Sheng (b. 1955) – Four Movements for Piano Trio
III
Mark O’Connor (b. 1961) – Poets and Prophets
I- Man in Black
II- The Tennessee Two
Anton Arensky – Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32
III- Elegia. Adagio
Astor Piazzolla – Four Seasons
Otoño Porteño (Autumn)
Invierno Porteño (Winter)
Verano Porteño (Summer)
Sarah Hansen, cello; Katie Cousins, violin; Mickey Chien, piano
Mickey Chien is an accomplished solo pianist who has won top prizes in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in New York and the Kankakee Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in Illinois. Also active as a collaborative artist, he has performed throughout the United States and Asia, including appearances at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, the National Recital Hall in Taiwan, and the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Illinois. In 2012, he won the Sydney Wright Collaborative Piano Competition. In 2012, he served as guest soloist and collaborative pianist at the Clear Creek Festival in Oregon and as opera coach at the Illinois Lyric Theatre, working with conductor Eduardo Diazmuñoz and renowned tenor Nathan Gunn.
Mr. Chien currently serves as a Collaborative Pianist at Bradley University and as a faculty member at the Performing Art Institute at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania, where he teaches piano masterclasses and group piano classes in addition to coaching chamber ensembles each summer. In 2012 and 2013, he served as Chair of the Champaign Chapter of the Music Teacher National Association. In 2016, he has formed Estampes Musician in Peoria and Champaign-Urbana area, and give masterclasses, performances, and clinics in high schools and universities.
Mr. Chien earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and his Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Literature, with a cognate in a Piano Pedagogy, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Mickey currently resides in the Peoria, Illinois area, where he enjoys making friends with dogs and playing badminton.
Violinist Katie Cousins is a versatile performer and teacher with a passion for an enormous range of musical styles. She has been featured on stages across the U.S. and Europe, and is dedicated to making both classic and new music accessible to a diverse population.
Currently based in Chicago, Katie is a member of the Peoria Symphony. Throughout her musical career, she has also enjoyed performing as a part of the Heartland Festival Orchestra, Chicago Arts Orchestra, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, the Waterbury Symphony, the New Britain Symphony, the Hartford Opera Theater Orchestra, and the Spirit of Broadway Theater outside of New York, among others.
With a special passion for chamber music, Katie has been fortunate enough to spend time in Europe sharing masterpieces of the chamber repertoire with international audiences. She is currently a member of the Living Room Players, a chamber music collective based in Oak Park, and has worked with members of the Emerson, Pacifica, and St. Lawrence String Quartets. In the fall of 2011, she co-founded Isosceles​, a violin-saxophone-piano trio with which she toured across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.
​Katie holds a Master of Music and a Graduate Professional Diploma in Violin Performance from the Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut. While there, she developed a special interest in contemporary music, leading to her performances with the Hartt School Contemporary Ensemble and the 016 New Music Ensemble, also based in Hartford. In addition, she has had the opportunity to work with great living composers such as William Bolcolm, Jennifer Higdon, and John Corigliano.
​Before completing her graduate studies at Hartt, Katie received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is a strong advocate for the development and strengthening of music programs in schools across the U.S., and has been teaching in private, small group, and classroom settings for over 14 years.
When not performing or teaching, Katie can often be found traveling with loved ones in tow, a good book in hand, and a camera at the ready.
Sarah Hansen is a young and upcoming artist based in Chicago, Illinois. She began her musical education in her hometown of Cincinnati and has since studied and collaborated with leading musicians across the country. Her playing has been featured on stages around the world, from Chicago’s Symphony Center to the Sydney Opera House.
Sarah regularly performs with ensembles throughout the midwest; including the Illinois Symphony, the Quad City Symphony, the Chicago Composers’ Orchestra, the Peoria Symphony, and the Southwest Michigan Symphony. In the 2016-17 concert season, she also appeared as a featured soloist with the Salt Creek Chamber Orchestra, the Bradley University Symphony Orchestra, and on Christ’s Church of Kettering’s Joyful Sounds Series.
In the Fall of 2015, Sarah joined the music faculty at Bradley University in Peoria, IL, where she teaches cello and performs with the faculty new-music chamber ensemble, Peoria Lunaire. Sarah also maintains a private cello studio in Chicago; her students range in level from beginner to pre-professional and in age from elementary school to retirement. She has previously served on faculty at the Chicago School of Music and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
A dedicated ambassador for the partnership among performers, audiences, and communities, Sarah frequently presents educational concerts, programs, and discussions in a variety of venues and settings. In 2014, she lead a seminar at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for doctors and medical students looking to better understand the physical demands and challenges facing modern performing artists.
Sarah is a graduate of DePaul University’s School of Music, where she received her Master of Music degree, and The Hartt School of Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Music degree and was a Laureate in the prestigious Van Rooy Competition for Musical Excellence. Her primary teachers included Stephen Balderston, Mihai Tetel, and Tom Guth.
Outside of performing and teaching, Sarah spends her time training for her next marathon or triathlon. She also dabbles in art and enjoys exploring Chicago’s many cafés, restaurants, and sidewalk libraries.

Halloween Recital
2017-10-29 14:00 - 17:00 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Students of Narloch Piano Studio perform.

Second City Winds
2017-11-12 18:30 - 19:30 | Narloch Piano Studio, 4636 N Francisco Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Works by Valerie Coleman, Irving Fine, Gyorgy Ligeti, Gabriel Pierne, and others.
Azusa Inaba, flute
Becca Dora, oboe
Steven Gooden, clarinet
Dana Sherman, horn
Sandra Bailey, bassoon
$10 suggested donation.

Second City Winds is a young, up and coming woodwind quintet in the Chicago area. The group is composed of five professional wind players: Azusa Inaba (flute), Steven Gooden (clarinet), Becca Dora (oboe), Sandra Bailey (bassoon), and Dana Sherman (horn). Now entering their second season, Second City Winds presents classical recitals across the city, incorporating music composed in a wide range of time periods and styles. The group aims to engage the audience through its rousing repertoire and engaging performances. Last season, Second City Winds were one of only twelve groups invited to compete in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Members of the Second City Winds have performed previously with the, Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, Chicago Philharmonic, Chicago Composers Orchestra, Chicago Symphonic Winds, Elgin Symphony, Kwazulu-Natal Philharmonic, Northbrook Symphony, Omaha Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, Sheboygan Symphony, Dubuque Symphony, and Beloit-Janesville Symphony. They each also are active teachers throughout the Chicagoland area.
