Flint Symphony Orchestra

Enrique Diemecke, music director & conductor
Zhengyi Huang, piano
2024 William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition Winner 
Flint Symphony Chorus, Nada Radakovich & Jeffrey Walker, directors
Shayla Hottinger Powell, soprano
Abigail Kasenow, mezzo-soprano
Nicholas Music, tenor
Benton DeGroot, baritone

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major
 Requiem, K. 626 

The Flint Symphony Chorus joins FSO for this concert of masterworks that pays homage to one of the most celebrated composers in history. In the final performance of the season, the combined ensembles will render the last piece Mozart ever composed — or nearly. After his death at 35, the piece was completed by one of his peers. A funeral rite for the dead, Mozart’s Requiem is also a representation of vitality, the young composer having given life to the piece with his final breaths.

Where have I heard this before?
All of the music on the program was featured in the highly acclaimed 1984 film Amadeus. The movie was a fictionalized account of Mozart’s life, but captures its essence— all to the soundtrack of his best-known works.

Inside the Music • 6:30pm 
Title: Inside the Mozart Requiem
Guest Speaker: Nada Radakovich, Flint Symphony Chorus director and soprano

About the guest artists:

Zhengyi Huang, piano
2024 William C. Byrd Young Artist Competition Winner

Zhengyi Huang is currently pursuing the Artist Diploma at Rice University under Professor Jon Kimura Parker. He previously earned two Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance and Chamber Music with Logan Skelton at the University of Michigan under full-tuition scholarships.

Zhengyi has achieved significant international success, winning seven consecutive first prizes in prestigious competitions, including the Paris Concours Européen de Piano, Eisemann International Young Artists Competition, Italy Amadeus International Competition, 81st Naftzger Young Artist Competition, Rubato International Competition, Mika Hasler Competition, and William Byrd International Competition. He also won first places in more than 20 competitions in the recent years (2021-2024), such as the MTNA-Steinway Piano Competition, the Young Texas Artists Music Competition, the Chicago International Piano Competition, and many more.

Last year, he performed with the Grand Junction Symphony and Richardson Symphony orchestras, with upcoming engagements with the Flint Symphony Orchestra in Feb. 2025. He was also featured on Seattle’s Classical KING-FM with 100,000 live listeners. This year, he has been invited to present solo recitals and teach masterclasses across the globe, with engagements in Sapporo (Japan), Shenzhen (China), Athens (Greece), Barcelona (Spain), Paris (France), Milan (Italy), as well as cities across the United States, including Washington D.C., Houston, Alaska, and Seattle. He is also planning to record and release three new albums this year under the TVClassique label in Paris, Hunnia Records in Budapest, and OnClassical in Italy.

Shayla Hottinger Powell, soprano

Soprano and pianist, Shayla Powell, holds a BME from UM-Flint and went on to complete coursework for a master’s degree in Choral Music Education. She currently leads the Milan Community Schools choir program and the Ann Arbor Youth Chorale Descant Choir, where she and her students have succeeded statewide.  

Abigail Kasenow, mezzo-soprano

Praised for her “clear mezzo” voice by South Florida Classical Review, Abigail Kasenow holds a degree from Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Abigail recently appeared as alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Handel’s Messiah. Her recent opera credits include China Cup/Dragonfly (L’enfant et les sortilèges) with Opera MODO and Mrs. Herring (Albert Herring) at Miami Summer Music Festival. She lives in Livonia, Michigan and studies with Jim Patterson.

Nicholas Music, tenor

Recognized for his sensitive expression and versatility, tenor Nicholas Music hails from Grand Rapids. Based in Ann Arbor, he completed a Master of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Michigan after earning his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin Conservatory, where he was named a Rubin Scholar. Music has received many awards and scholarships, including the Vocal Arts Ensemble’s Professional Pathway Award and the Voices of Canton VOCI Scholarship.

Benton DeGroot, baritone

Benton DeGroot, baritone, has worked both on and off stage in numerous productions throughout Michigan. He received his Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Michigan in 2020 where he studied with Stephen Lusmann and George Shirley. While there, he performed as Marcello (La Boheme) and Pangloss (Candide). Since 2017, he has sung with the Detroit Opera Chorus, while also music directing and teaching private lessons.

Principal Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors
Drs. Paul & Barbara Adams

ASL Sponsor  

Age recommendation: No one under 5 admitted (including babes in arms)

Runtime: Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes
Including intermission

Sensory warning: Full band and loud volume.

Genesee County residents receive 30% off – discount applied at checkout. 

Tickets start at $18 (plus fees)