Charlie Albright, who last appeared in west Michigan as a 2010 Gilmore Young Artist, has spent the last four years earning degrees at Harvard, the New England Conservatory, and the Juilliard School.
Hardly a by-the-book pianist, Albright's approach to music includes the classics, new modern works, and exploring his own improvisational muse.
In a preview of his appearance with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, which will be led by guest artist Bobby McFerrin, Charlie and Cara Lieurance discuss Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F, and how it bridges the composer's pop chops and classical aspirations. They discuss Albright's current career and upcoming projects, which include a second solo album and a Gilmore-commissioned new work, written for him by Matthew Aucoin.