Beacon. Duo to perform classical pieces in early June

The Howland Chamber Music Circle will present clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Gloria Chien on June 4 at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY. The program begins at 4 p.m.

Clarinetist Anthony McGill is one of classical music’s most recognizable and brilliantly multifaceted figures. In addition to his dynamic international solo and chamber music career, McGill is principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic — the first African-American principal player in the organization’s history.

Taiwanese-born pianist Gloria Chien has one of the most diverse musical lives as a noted performer, concert presenter, and educator. She was selected by the Boston Globe as one of its Superior Pianists of the year, “... who appears to excel in everything.”

Their program includes works by Georg Philipp Telemann, Johannes Brahms, and Carl Maria von Weber. The duo will also be performing “Peace,” written in 2020 by Jessie Montgomery. Montgomery’s inspiration for “Peace” comes from her experience during the COVID-19 quarantine as she said she learned to “observe sadness for the first time not as a negative emotion, but as a necessary dynamic to the human experience.”

Since 1993, the Howland Chamber Music Circle has been bringing world-renowned musicians to perform for Hudson Valley audiences in Beacon, New York.

The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main Street. Face masks are encouraged while indoors.

To purchase tickets or for more information, log onto https://howlandmusic.org.