The South Haven Performance Series resumes on Friday, July 28, when pianist May Phang takes the stage at the First United Methodist Church for a 7:30 pm concert. Series organizers detailed the planned concert in this announcement:
Currently Professor of Piano at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, Phang was well received by the South Haven audience when she performed in an inaugural Performance Series in 2010. Her performance on July 28 is dedicated in memory of her former teaching associate, Maureen Carkeek, who was the first to befriend her when she began teaching at DePauw and who introduced her to the South Haven community. Phang fondly remembers Maureen (a former South Haven resident) as the person who graciously hosted her when she was in South Haven. Memories of backyard picnics, starry skies, rustling trees, lapping waves and the connections with nature have led her to title this performance, “Memories of Summer.”
Praised by critics and audiences for her imaginative programming and compelling performances, pianist Phang enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire. From striving to deeply understand and bring new insight into masterpiece composers such as Bach, Liszt and Chopin to discovering and championing the works of today’s living composers, she brings performances that are described as “vibrant”, “colorful” and “evocative”. She premiered the works of Armando Bayolo and Geoffrey Gordon and has worked with composers such as Aaron Jay Kernia and Joan Tower.
In addition to her solo work, Phang is an avid chamber musician. Recent collaborations include the Jose White Quartet, The Philomusica Quartet and the Percussion Plus Ensemble.
Performances as soloist and chamber musician have taken her to venues such as the Goethe Institute in Bangkok, Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, the Concertebouw in Amsterdam, the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington DC and the Detroit Institute off Art. She has traveled to festivals such as the Montreal International Piano Festival and the Festival deMusica de Camara de Aguascalientes, Mexico. Solo performances with orchestras include the Banff Chamber Players, Singapore Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Competition prizes include the Chopin Young Pianists’ Competition in Buffalo, NY, Canadian Music Competition and the Pontoise International Young Artists Competition in France.
A former teaching artist with Young Audiences of Indiana, and artist faculty at Interharmony, Italy, Phang frequently adjudicates competitions and presents master classes nationally and internationally.
Her debut CD, Travels Through Time, features works centered around Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Fanfare Magazine reviewed her recent recording of Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations (Centaur Records, 2021) as “outstanding . . . a fresh and illuminating look at a famous masterpiece.”
Upcoming concerts in the Performance Series include The Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet on Friday, August 25, at 7:30 at the First United Methodist Church and the annual holiday concert on Thursday, December 14, which will feature the Southshore Concert Band. It will take place at Listiak Auditorium. All tickets will be $15.00 at the door. Students are always admitted free.
