Free outdoors classical music performances featuring precollegiate Chicago artists
CHICAGO – July 14, 2022 – Pier and WFMT announce a dynamic live presentation of WFMT’s Introductions, a weekly classical music showcase for pre-college musicians, Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 am at Navy Pier’s Lake Stage in Polk Bros Park. This free program will feature some of the nation’s most promising young classical artists, and will air and stream live on 98.7WFMT, wfmt.com, and the WFMT app.
“As part of WFMT’s ‘Introductions in the Community’ program, which inspires young musicians through peer-led experiences with live classical music, we are excited to bring Introductions – and the bright talents of these young performers – to Navy Pier and our WFMT listeners,” said WFMT President & CEO Sandra Cordova Micek.
“Navy Pier is thrilled to team with Chicago’s classical station WFMT to bring its wonderful Introductions live performance here for the first time,” said Navy Pier President and CEO Marilynn Gardner. “This is the perfect project for the People’s Pier and its mission to be a hub for Chicago’s cultural community. It’s gratifying to add a classical music concert to our year-round schedule of free programming, especially one that serves as both a window into this genre and a mirror that lets kids inspire other kids.”
This live performance will feature The Incendio Saxophone Trio, a group composed of Alexander Procajlo on soprano, Zachary Solomon on alto, and Emma Phillips on baritone, hailing from Victor J. Andrew High School in Tinley Park and Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park. Coached by Bryan Polacek, they won the Silver Medal in the Junior Wind Division of the 2022 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, one of the country’s most prestigious competitions for high school musicians.
Clarinetist Louis Auxenfans and violinist Henry Auxenfans will perform a duo, plus one solo piece each. Louis Auxenfans, 17, has performed twice as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, taking first place in both the 2018 American Protégé Concerto Woodwind Competition and Piano Competition. He is a clarinet student of Ms. Kai-Yun Lu. Violinist Henry Auxenfans, 15, won First Prize at the 2022 The President’s Own United States Marine Band Concerto Competition and 2022 NYIAA (New York International Artists Association) Violin Competition. He studies the violin with Frank Almond.
Note: All artists and dates are subject to change.
Introductions is WFMT’s weekly Saturday morning program that features talented pre-college classical musicians in the Chicago area. Soloists and chamber ensembles perform live in WFMT’s Fay & Daniel Levin Performance Studio, and large ensembles, including orchestras, choirs, and bands, are recorded at their home venues and broadcast at later dates. The program also features youth music competition winners. While many Introductions alumni pursue careers outside of music, some have gone on to study at some of the most prestigious music schools around the world and maintain careers as professional musicians.
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Introductions is made possible in part by Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kiphart Family Foundation, The Negaunee Foundation, and John Norwood Lee Bows.
ABOUT WFMT
WFMT is one of the world’s most respected classical music radio stations, available on-air at 98.7 WFMT, online at wfmt.com, and on the WFMT app. WFMT showcases superlative programs, concerts, and live events – from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Grant Park Music Festival, the Metropolitan Opera, Ravinia Festival, and many more. WFMT is also a leading producer and syndicator of a diverse selection of outstanding musical series, including Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin, the Beethoven Network, and the Jazz Network. Connect with WFMT on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT NAVY PIER
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts – including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit navypier.org.