Courtesy Photo Piano soloist Tyler Kivel will perform with the Alpena Symphony Orchestra at their May 6 concert.

ALPENA — The Alpena Symphony Orchestra will perform a Spring Gala concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, at the Alpena High School auditorium, 3303 S. 3rd Ave.

The program will feature two masterpieces by two leading composers. The first selection on the program will be Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1 in C Major,” followed by an intermission, and then a performance of Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major.”

The featured piano soloist is Tyler Kivel from Northern Michigan and now based in Chicago. Performances at Chicago Symphony Hall, the Piano Forte Studios and Carnegie Hall showcased his talent and ability as an outstanding pianist. Kivel is a Principal Associate Keyboardist with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a student of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Keyboardist Mary Sauer and the pianist in the Piano/Organ duo named Dual-Art.

The Alpena Symphony Orchestra will be directed by Maestro Jim VanEizenga, director of orchestras for Novi High School.

There is an admission charge for this concert of $15 per adult with students and children admitted for free. Tickets are available at the door only.

The ASO is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. A reception will follow the performance in the lobby of the high school.

Please contact Andrea Arbuckle at 989-464-9586 if you have any questions.

About Tyler Kivel

Kivel is a Chicago-based pianist and collaborator, who attended Johannesburg-Lewiston Area High School and studied piano with Wayne Wrembelski in Gaylord. Kivel went on to study at Central Michigan University (BM in Piano Performance) and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (MM in Piano Performance and Literature).

Kivel has performed throughout the country at such venues as Chicago Symphony Hall, PianoForte Studios, and Carnegie Hall. Currently, he is an Principal Associate Keyboardist with the Civic Orchestra, a unique training program that educates participants in the art of orchestral and collaborative playing, while they receive personal instruction from former Chicago Symphony Orchestra Keyboardist, Mary Sauer.

In addition to his time with the Civic Orchestra, Kivel also is half of the Piano/Organ duo known as Dual-Art. The Duo performs throughout the Midwest and Canada, presenting virtuosic concerts of original transcriptions and new arrangements of classical literature. The duo has taken part in projects that vary from Beethoven’s 250th birthday year commemorations to being invited to celebrate Bastille Day in Milwaukee.

Other highlights of Kivel’s career include receiving the John Irwin Memorial Piano Competition Scholarship and participating in a music symposium at Princeton University where he performed in masterclasses and lectures with world-renowned musicians. He made his Chicago debut as the music director of the hit show “Thrones! The Musical Parody,” and was featured live on Fox-32 News, thanks to the show’s popularity and longevity.

As an orchestral performer, Kivel has been a featured soloist with the LakeShore Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Metropolitan Orchestra. Additionally, he has worked with the modern group Fifthhouse Ensemble on their collaboration with the prestigious Tuvan throat singing group, Alash. Most recently, he was invited to be an Artist in Residence in Flint where he presented three unique concerts based around blending classical and pop music. Highlighting the residency, Kivel performed one of the most challenging piano pieces written, Alkan’s Piano Sonata “The Four Ages” and was featured on the Alkan Society’s website being viewed worldwide. Aside from practice, Kivel spends copious amounts of time with his beloved pup.