Candlelight Concert Society: Hanzhi Wang, accordion & Steven Banks, saxophone with Xak Bjerken, piano

• Hanzhi Wang, accordion
• Steven Banks, saxophone
• Xak Bjerken, piano

George Frideric Handel — Recorder Sonata in G minor, HWV 360
Krzysztof Penderecki — Three Miniatures for Clarinet and Piano
Johann Sebastian Bach — Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 (selections)
Martin Lohse — Seasons ("III. Autumn Rain" & "IV. Winter's Tale")
Mikołaj Majkusiak — The Elements
Astor Piazzolla — Milonga del Ángel
John Anthony Lennon — Distances Within Me
Steven Banks — Come As You Are

Candlelight's multi-decade partnership with the New York-based Young Concert Artists (YCA) Competition has showcased Candlelight's commitment to featuring diverse young musical stars as their careers take flight. Praised for her captivating stage presence and technically masterful performances, Hanzhi Wang wowed local audiences in her 2019 Candlelight debut and is the first accordionist in history to win First Prize at the YCA Competition. Likewise, saxophonist Steven Banks is YCA's first ever First Prize winner on his instrument. Banks is also recognized for his moving compositions, his glowing mahogany tone, and a blossoming collaboration with the Cleveland Orchestra. Joined by pianist Xak Bjerken, these two dazzling young virtuosi will weave a unique sonic tapestry that expands the boundaries of chamber music and leaves you wanting more.

About Candlelight Concert Society

https://candlelightconcerts.org/

About Hanzhi Wang, accordion

Acclaimed for her “staggering virtuosity,” Hanzhi Wang is praised for her captivating stage presence and performances that display passion and finesse. A groundbreaking artist, Hanzhi was the first accordionist to win Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the first to be named Musical America’s “New Artist of the Month,” and the first solo accordionist on WQXR Radio’s Young Artists Showcase.

Ms. Wang earned her Bachelor’s degree at the China Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She completed her Master’s degree and Soloist Diploma at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen with renowned accordion professor Geir Draugsvoll.

https://www.hanzhiwangaccordion.com/

About Steven Banks, saxophone

Winner of the prestigious 2022 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Steven Banks (b. 1993) is an ambassador for the classical saxophone, establishing himself as both a compelling and charismatic soloist, dedicated to showcasing the vast capabilities of the instrument, as well as an advocate for expanding its repertoire. Steven is also the first saxophonist to capture First Prize at the Young Concert Artists Susan Wadsworth International Auditions (2019). He was also recently chosen to join WQXR’s 2022 Artist Propulsion Lab, a program designed to advance the careers of artists and support the future of classical music.

Steven has recently appeared as soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, Colorado Music Festival, Colorado Symphony, Utah Symphony, the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and on subscription with the Cleveland Orchestra, performing with such conductors as John Adams, Peter Oundjian, Earl Lee, Xian Zhang, Nicholas McGegan, and Rafael Payere. Upcoming orchestral engagements include the Kansas City Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Detroit Symphony, New World Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Steven is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education, performance, and newly commissioned works in the classical realm. He presented at the TEDxNorthwesternU 2017 conference presenting his dynamic approach to overcoming institutionalized prejudices against women and people of color, and he has written and given lectures on the history of black classical composers. He also collaborated with flutist Anthony Trionfo and violinist Randall Goosby to create the Learning to Listen roundtable, a discussion on the nuances of the Black experience in classical music and beyond. In partnership with the Sphinx Organization, they also created the Illuminate! series, which opened three essential conversations on the subject of music education, artist activism, and the LGBTQIA+ community in classical music.

Steven has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Saxophone Performance with a minor in Jazz Studies from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Master of Music degree from the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music.

http://steven-banks.com/

About Xak Bjerken, piano

https://music.cornell.edu/xak-bjerken