Dr. Juyeon Kang, professor of music at Northwestern College, will present a concert titled “Dr. Kang and Friends” on Friday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. in Christ Chapel. The performance will feature Kang alongside the Dakota String Quartet and pianist Janelle Phinney. The concert is free and open to the public.
The program was designed to commemorate Maurice Ravel and Dmitri Shostakovich, two influential 20th-century composers. The concert will include Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau” for solo piano and “Ma mère l’Oye” for piano four hands, as well as Shostakovich’s “Piano Quintet.” Together, the works highlight the composers’ distinctive musical voices and innovative approaches to sound.
Ravel, a French composer often associated with musical impressionism, and Shostakovich, a Russian composer working under the Soviet regime, represent contrasting yet compelling musical styles. Their music moves beyond traditional tonality, incorporating dissonant harmonies, scales from diverse historical periods and cultures, and elements of folk music.
“This concert will offer a multifaceted musical experience, with each segment featuring unique sound combinations created through varied instrumental settings and musical styles,” says Kang.
