“Let the children of Moore County not simply observe the Orchestra, but let them become the Orchestra,” Maestro David Michael Wolff once said. For the last seventeen years, The Carolina Philharmonic has lived up to this lofty aim, educating more than 25,000 students through its’ programs. They continue to demonstrate the excellence of the young musicians in Moore County with Side by Side on March 28th at 7:30 PM at Owens Auditorium, BPAC, SCC.

Watch along as a new generation of brilliant musical talent takes the stage. The Carolina Philharmonic will be joined by The Carolina Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Youth Choir, and three exceptional young soloists: Logan Duke, Tennyson Taylor, and Newnew Hong.

Logan Duke is a rising singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based out of the NC Sandhills. Born in New Jersey and raised in a bi-cultural environment, Logan discovered a deep connection to music at a very early age. Today, Logan’s performances continue to captivate audiences in concert halls and intimate venues. He stands at the intersection of folk and classical, with the hope of creating a musical tapestry that seamlessly weaves together the warmth of folk melodies with the refined elegance of classical piano. He began his classical studies with an AFA in Classical piano from SCC in May 2024 under the mentorship of Dr. Henckel, while performing and continuing his education at Flow University. He is now at UNC School of the Arts studying under Dmitri Vorobiev.

Tennyson Taylor is a longtime member of The Carolina Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra and Chorus.
Philharmonic patrons have seen her playing in the lobby before concerts, but now it’s her turn to step
into the spotlight as a featured vocalist. Tennyson is a shining example of how The Carolina Philharmonic’s music education programs are shaping not only bright young musicians, but lovely people.

Born in Zhuhai, China, Kangqi Hong, also known as “Newnew,” began to play the piano at the age of six
in China, taught initially by her mother. She currently studies under Dr. Kristina Henckel. In February
2023, Newnew played her first public performance at a sold-out concert sponsored by the Arts Council
of Moore County. Newnew has taken part in numerous music competitions, winning first place in the
solo piano category at Carmel Klavier 2022, Carmel IN, Fayetteville Piano Teacher’s Association
competition in 2022, Fayetteville, NC, and Weymouth Young Musician’s Festival in 2020, Southern Pines,
NC. Furthermore, she was a finalist in the 2023 North Carolina Symphony Concerto Competition. She is
also a laureate of the Piano League competition, participated in the MTNA competition, and received
the Grand Prize in the Rising Talents Festival 2021, allowing her to perform at Carnegie Hall.
The accomplished pianist, Dr. Kristina Henckel, will join her longtime student, Newnew Hong, onstage in
a joint performance.

Come experience the joy of these emerging musical talents as they join David Michael Wolff and The
Carolina Philharmonic at BPAC’s Owens Auditorium on Saturday, March 28th at 7:30PM. Tickets are available online or through The Carolina Philharmonic box office. To purchase tickets online, CLICK HERE.