Arts at Noon presents percussion, piano duo

The 38th season of the Arts at Noon concert series continues its winter and spring lineup February 17 with a musical mix of piano and percussion. 

Jani Parsons, pianist, and Chris Sies, percussionist, have actively performed across North America both as soloists and as members of the mixed chamber sextet, Latitude 49. During this performance, the Chicago-based duo will perform works that celebrate the versatility of their instruments.

Born in Cranbrook, British Columbia, to a musical family, Parsons made her orchestral debut with the Symphony of the Kootenays at age 16. An active recitalist, Parsons has established herself throughout western Canada and into the U.S. as a sensitive pianist whose performances are noted for their warmth, personality and vivid expression. She has earned prizes in the Vancouver Women's Musical Society Competition and the Ann Arbor Society of Musical Arts Competition. Parsons began piano studies at the age of 5 and has an Associate of The Royal Conservatory (ARCT) diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She earned a bachelor's in music in 2008 from the Vancouver Academy of Music S.K. Lee College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and her master's in music from the University of Michigan's School of Music Theater and Dance in 2008. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Michigan.

Originally from Manchester, Maryland, Sies has appeared with the United States Navy Band, New Music Detroit, Michigan Arab Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra and So Percussion. An avid promoter and performer of contemporary music, Sies has performed at the Midwest Composer's Symposium, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and New Music Detroit's annual Strange Beautiful Music Festival. As a composer and collaborative artist, Sies has given his time and talents to the worlds of dance and performance art, as well as various multimedia projects with works presented by the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, Percussion Arts Society and Ann Arbor Dance Works. 

All Arts at Noon concerts are free, open to the public, begin at noon, last approximately one hour and take place in the Cook-DeWitt Center on the Allendale Campus.

For more information about the Arts at Noon concert series, call the Music and Dance Department at (616) 331-3484 or visit the Arts at Noon website.