Cellist Lindsey Sharpe and pianist John Bitoy perform works by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Margaret Bonds, Claude Debussy, and Astor Piazzolla, live at the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago.
Cellist, Lindsey Sharpe is an active performer, teacher, and administrator based in Chicago, IL. Raised in Atlanta, GA, she began playing cello at age 7 and piano at age 10. In 2007, Lindsey was accepted into the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program and studied with Martha Gerschefski until she graduated high school in 2015. Lindsey went on to earn degrees at the University of Michigan and the Shepherd School at Rice University, studying with Anthony Elliott and Norman Fischer. An active orchestral musician, Lindsey recently completed a three year term with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, two of which she served as a fellow. Currently, she holds positions in the Sphinx Virtuosi and Chicago Sinfonietta and has previously appeared with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Lindsey has also performed alongside popular artists such as Lauryn Hill, Chance the Rapper, and Smokey Robinson.
John Bitoy is an Afro-Dominican pianist and composer originally from Chicago, where he enjoys a multi-faceted career as a soloist and collaborative pianist. His recent solo engagements include performances of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the South Loop Symphony and Symphony of Oak Park. He has performed in esteemed halls such as the Eastman Theatre, Chicago Symphony Center, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. Past projects include the recording and world premiere of several pieces from Steve Wallace’s Solo piano and chamber compositions in 2020, followed by his opera in 2021. As an avid chamber musician, John has been invited to play at the Gateways Music Festival, The Boston Celebrity Series, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and has performed works by Marcus Norris, Tyshawn Sorey, Davóne Tines, Ahmed Alabaca, and Brian Raphael Nabors. He was invited to perform with Sigur Ros during their 2019 United States Tour of Riceboy Sleeps, and has been a featured artist at the Jazz Showcase and Andy’s Jazz Club.
