Kentucky Wesleyan College on Sunday will host a faculty recital with clarinetist Kirsten Ahnell, an Owensboro native. Pianist Garnet Ungar and violinist Michael Chu will take part in the program, which will consist of French music and works by Poulenc, Debussy, Saint-Saens, and Milhaud.
The recital will begin at 3 p.m. in Tapscott Chapel in the Barnard-Jones Administration Building, and a reception will follow.
Ahnell is a product of professional musician parents. Her musical studies began with piano at age 4, violin at age 6, and clarinet at age 10. She was principal clarinetist and a featured soloist with the Owensboro Symphony for 30 years. Ahnell also has an extensive history in music education, including currently teaching at Kentucky Wesleyan College.
She was a featured soloist at the 2022 International Clarinet Festival in Reno. She is a former member of the Savannah Symphony, Erie Philharmonic, and Youngstown and Elgin symphonies. She has also performed with many orchestras including Gateway Chamber Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Orchestra Kentucky, and the Evansville Philharmonic.
Ahnell is the founder and organizer of Brown Bag Lunch Concerts, a free chamber music series that brings classically oriented programs and musicians to the community.
Ungar has performed in many countries and has appeared on American Public Radio, the CBC, and Hong Kong Radio. He is the author of “Inner Voices,” which highlights the career of American pianist Abbey Simon. Ungar retired as a tenured professor after 26 years of teaching at the University of Evansville to concentrate on performing and private teaching.
Chu is both an active performer and a music educator. His diverse musical education includes violin, piano, trumpet, and saxophone, and he has placed in numerous competitions. He plays with the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and is a substitute violinist with the Nashville Symphony.
