Chandler's twelfth annual The Next Generation concert was scheduled for May 15 but then the pandemic happened, meaning the auditions and the concert had to be cancelled. But now, in spite of the pandemic, twelve teenage classical musicians from nine towns in Vermont and New Hampshire have moved through the auditions and will showcase their performing artistry. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at Chandler Music Hall in Randolph.  Through the State's current guidance, an audience of safely-spaced 75 is permitted and the concert will also be live-streamed.

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In 2007, to kick off Chandler's centennial celebration, pianist Christopher O'Riley brought his acclaimed NPR Boston "From the Top" program to the Chandler stage to much audience enthusiasm. Among the eight performing teenagers, only two were from our area.  The others hailed from Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New York. However, the whole format was so appealing that since that year, Chandler decided to go it alone and for the past eleven years has enjoyed this engaging look-alike program with young musicians just from our own area.

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For this concert, the area’s top music teachers recommend students whose accomplishments deserve special recognition, and this performance will feature those students who were selected after a competitive audition. Several of this season's youth have performed in past The Next Generation performances and many will be making their debut on Chandler's stage. 

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On the program will be works for solo flute, for solo piano, solo tenor saxophone, solo oboe, as well as duos for piano and violin and violin and cello.  The composers represent a range from the 15th Century to the present, and include Albinoni, Bach, Chopin, Fauré, Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff, Johan Halvorsen,  British composers Arthur Woodall and Paul Harvey, French composer Paul-Agricole Génin, and contemporary Russian composer Lera Auerbach.

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The performing artists will be pianists Colin McQuillin, of Northfield; sisters Amica and Liana Lansigan, Hanover NH; Jack Brandon, Randolph Center; and Patcha Hennessey, Hinesburg; flutists Isabelle Serrano, East Montpelier, Logan Crocker, Colchester, and Avery Cochran, East Calais; oboist Sierra Winand, Meriden, NH; and tenor saxophone, Eric Chen, Hanover NH.  The Lansigan sisters appear on the stage again together with a piano-violin duo. Also performing together are violinist Eric Chen and cellist Henry Wu of Essex Junction.

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