West Michigan Symphony Presents International Guitar Virtuoso and Rising String Quartet in Back-to-Back Concerts
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Muskegon, MI — West Michigan Symphony (WMS) will showcase a dynamic range of musical talent with two upcoming performances along the lakeshore. Internationally acclaimed classical guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas will take the stage at the Frauenthal Center on Friday, April 17, followed by a performance from one of Chicago’s rising string quartets at The Block on Saturday, April 18—highlighting the depth and diversity of WMS programming.
Pablo Sáinz Villegas, hailed as “the soul of the Spanish guitar,” will perform Joaquín Rodrigo’s beloved concerto for guitar and orchestra, the Concierto de Aranjuez, with Music Director Scott Speck and WMS. “To call Pablo Sáinz Villegas a guitarist is an understatement,” said Scott Speck.
“He is a force of nature who has captivated audiences from the Berlin Philharmonic to our own Frauenthal stage. In Pablo's hands, a single guitar can command an entire orchestral hall, with boundless flair and remarkable emotional depth.”
Undoubtedly the most virtuoso guitarist of his generation, Sáinz Villegas has been acclaimed by the international press as the successor to Andrés Segovia and an ambassador of Spanish culture in the world. The New York Times has praised him for “irresistible exuberance and a range of bright colors.”
The program, which traverses the vibrant musical landscapes of Spain and Latin America, will also include Astor Piazzolla’s Tangazo and selections from Rodrigo’s Soleriana.
Sponsored by Howmet Community Fund and a coalition of donors, the Friends of Pablo Sáinz Villegas, the performance will be held at 7:30pm on Friday, April 17 at the Frauenthal Center, 425 W. Western Avenue. Mike and Kay Olthoff are the 2025-2026 Mainstage Season Sponsors. Tickets start at $19 for adults, $10 for students.
Free shuttle transport is available from Muskegon Farmer’s Market to the door of the Frauenthal Center, and back again after Friday night’s concert. A post-concert gathering is held in the lower-level Frau Lounge, an opportunity for the audience to mingle with conductor and musicians. Beverages, desserts and charcuterie are available for purchase.
The Varo String Quartet is “destined to impress even the most attuned music lovers,” according to Chicago Magazine. The group of young female virtuosi includes three WMS musicians—violinists Carmen Abelson and Hannah Christiansen and violist Lena Vidulich—along with Chicago-based cellist Isidora Nojkovic. Varo performs at The Block at 7:30pm on Saturday, April 18 in a program that will include selections from Mozart’s arrangement of Five Fugues for String Quartet from Bach’s The Well Tempered Clavier, Mendelssohn’s Fugue in E-flat Major, and Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 7, among others. Abelson commented that the performance, “explores counterpoint throughout different eras of music.” The Block, West Michigan Symphony’s (WMS) 120-seat live listening room, is located at 360 W. Western Avenue in downtown Muskegon. For tickets, starting at $35 for adults, $10 for students, call 231.726.3231 or visit westmichigansymphony.org.
