Newport Classical will present two concerts in November as part of its ongoing Chamber Series, featuring a Taiwanese American pianist and a Siberian saxophonist making his local debut.
Pianist Charlotte Hu will perform works by Chopin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn St. Saxophonist Valentin Kovalev will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at the same venue.
Hu, described as a “first-class talent” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, will present a program spanning Chopin’s “Polonaise-Fantasie,” Piano Sonata No. 3 and the Nocturnes. Her debut album, “Chopin,” won Best Classical Album of the Year at Taiwan’s Golden Melody Award in 2011.
“I hope that my performances encourage people to listen deeply and discover anew the work of even the most well-known composers,” Hu said.
Kovalev, a gold medal winner at the Jean-Marie Londeix International Saxophone Competition, will perform works by Schumann, Chaminade, Fazil Say, Debussy, Barry Cockcroft and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” in his Newport Classical debut. He recently gave a sold-out debut recital at Carnegie Hall as a 2022 Naumburg Foundation Saxophone Competition winner.
Both concerts are part of Newport Classical’s fifth full-season Chamber Series, which features 12 concerts between September 2025 and June 2026. Doors open at 7 p.m., with complimentary wine provided by Gold’s Wine and Spirits served before the performance and during intermission.
As part of Newport Classical’s Music Enrichment and Engagement Initiative, Hu will visit Pell Elementary School and Kovalev will visit East Bay Community Action Program’s Head Start preschool during their time in Newport.
Tickets and information are available at newportclassical.org.
