An Evening with Jeannette Fang: A Symphony of Stories and Sound

Chatham Hall was honored to welcome Jeannette Fang for a spectacular piano recital on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Jeannette Fang is an imaginative and expressive pianist whose dynamic performances captivate audiences worldwide. Since 2015, she has been the pianist of the acclaimed Garth Newel Piano Quartet, performing over 50 concerts annually as an artist-in-residence and artistic director at the Garth Newel Music Center. Jeannette, a decorated soloist and chamber musician, has performed at renowned venues, including Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Zankel Hall, and has earned top prizes in prestigious competitions such as the Seattle International Piano Competition, and the MTNA Young Artist National Competition. Passionate about chamber music and new compositions, she has collaborated with leading artists and composers, co-founded the Khemia Ensemble, and published articles on music while co-hosting the podcast So Many Wrong Notes. Jeannette holds degrees from Juilliard, Yale, and the University of Michigan, where she completed her DMA, studying under esteemed mentors including Robert McDonald and Yoheved Kaplinsky.

The evening's performance was an immersion of diverse musical expression featuring Jeanette’s piano artistry. The program began with Sofia Gubaidulina’s Chaconne, a compelling and introspective work by one of the most celebrated contemporary composers. Sergei Prokofiev's selections from Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75 followed, capturing the drama and passion of Shakespeare’s timeless tale through vivid and evocative piano movements, including The Young Juliet, Masks, and The Montagues and Capulets.

The program continued with Gustave Le Gray by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw, a modern piece inspired by the evocative imagery of the 19th-century photographer. Closing the performance was Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004, arranged for piano by Ferruccio Busoni, a masterful fusion of Baroque brilliance and Romantic intensity. Throughout the performance, Fang weaved stories and context, offering the Chatham Hall community and guests an inward look at the composers and herself. 

This captivating repertoire showcases Jeannette Fang’s versatility and expressive power, promising an unforgettable musical journey.

This unforgettable recital was made possible by the generous support of the Sarah C. Benson ’47 Endowed Music Fund and the Joan Danforth Cook ’48 Concert Lecture Fund.