Baruch Performing Arts Center ends 2024-25 season with concert accordionist Hanzhi Wang. On Monday, May 19, 2025 at 7:PM, Hanzhi Wang returns to Baruch Performing Arts Center’s stage after her popular performance last season. Her program, which closes out the 2024-25 concert season, brings summer to the stage with two works by Vivaldi and Piazzolla inspired by that season. She also performs music by Bach and two of her original compositions. Full program details below.
Hanzhi plays “Allemande of C-minor Partita “- Bach
Hanzhi was the first accordionist to win the 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.
She has performed in the U.S. from coast to coast including UC Santa Barbara’s Lively Arts and The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City. Composers Martin Lohse, James Black, and Sofia Gubaidulina have written and dedicated works to her. Her awards include the Ruth Laredo Prize, and a career development award from YCA, and first prize in the 40th Castelfiadardo International Accordion Competition in Italy.
Tickets to the May 19 recital are $40, available online. The entrance to Baruch PAC (55 Lexington Ave. New York, NY) is on 25th street between Third and Lexington avenues.
Hanzhi Wang shares on what makes the concert accordion unique:
“The main difference between the concert accordion and the regular accordion is the left hand part. While the regular accordion produces an “Oom-pa-pa” sound, the concert accordion also has single tones in the bass side which allows us to perform polyphonic music such as Bach or any great classical composers with bass notes exactly as composed. The right-hand side has 107 buttons while the left-hand side has 120 buttons.”
Program:
J.S. Bach: “Chorale Prelude BWV 639”
J.S. Bach: “Sheep May Safely Graze BWV 208 J.S. Bach: Chorale from the Cantata BWV 147”
Hanzhi Wang: “Sunrise Chanting”
Hanzhi Wang: “Mountain’s Song”
Saad Haddad: “Shifting Sands”
Martin Lohse: “Menuetto”
Martin Lohse: “Autumn Rain”
Astor Piazzolla: “Verano Porteno/Summer”
Antonio Vivaldi: “Summer (Mvt. 1)”
