Windover Piano Duo Concert

Windover Piano Duo Concert
Saturday, Feb 7th 3PM
Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church
Refectory

Join us for a delightful afternoon of beautiful music featuring classical canons, romantic soundscapes and 20th century salon and cabaret. The program will feature pieces by Schumann, Poulenc, Piazzolla, and Chaminade, among many others.

The Windover Piano Duo features Michigan concert pianists Ellen Kendall and Susan performing “popular classics” for one piano 4-hands and specialize in presenting the music of women composers as well as standard repertoire for piano duets and two pianos. The name of their duo refers to the westerly winds, blowing across Kendall’s home on the majestic Lake Charlevoix and onto Wheatley’s intimate Lake Ona nestled in Michigan’s Oakland County. They founded the piano duo during their college days at MSU and have performed together and as soloists in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Windover was featured as invited artists at the International Congress for Women in Music in Beijing, China.

      

Ellen Kendall received her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Michigan State University, where she studied with concert artist Joseph Evan’s, and a Master of Arts degree from University of Michigan. She specializes in performing the music of women composers as well as standard repertoire composed for two pianos. Miss Kendall has performed in several national and international venues, such as the Birmingham Musicale concert series, Chicago, People’s Music School, and the Athena Festival at Murray State University, IUP‘s festival of women composers. She has also accompanied the Little Traverse Choral Society for over ten years.

Susan Wheatley has been invited as performer throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. She served as Professor of Music at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Oakland University in Michigan and is currently collaborative pianist at Schoolcraft College. Dr. Wheatley was awarded a Fulbright grant to Salzburg, Austria, to support her research in performing, premiering, and restoring the music of women composers. She directed IUP’s prestigious Festival of Women Composers, performing the music of Libby Larsen, Judith Zaimont, Katherine Hoover, Cecile Chaminade, Lili Boulanger, Louise Talma, Germaine Tailleferre, Amy Beach, Ruth Crawford, Margaret Bonds, and Marian McPartland, among others. She also has premiered the piano works of her late husband, Michigan composer Daniel Perlongo, for CMS worldwide. Dr. Wheatley holds a Ph.D. in music from The University of Michigan.

Suggested donations at the door: $15 individual $25 families. Donations will benefit Kirk’s Renew and Resound Campaign which is helping to rebuild and renew our facilities for worship and community.

Some of the future concerts and musical events happening in 2026 at Kirk in the Hills include: March 14: A Bach Birthday Concert. April 2: Journey to Jerusalem, April 26: Scottish Hymn Festival, July 11,18, 25 and Aug 1: Summer Carillon Concert Series. More information coming soon!