Bach’s Lunch Season
What began as an Advent organ recital in December 2010, our Bach’s Lunch Recital Series is entering its 16th season of musical artistry and outreach. Our exciting 2025-2026 season will begin on Friday, August 29th at 12 Noon with international concert pianist Dr. Kristina Pelechová Henckel.
An accomplished pianist and teacher originally hailing from the Czech Republic, Dr. Henckel earned her degree from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, studying under the guidance of Professor Peter Toperczer. Kristina has been recognized for her talents in various competitions, placing third in both the Chopin Piano Competition and Smetana Piano Competition, and taking home first prize in the National Piano Competition of Conservatories, where she received a special award for the best performance of Antonín Dvořák’s compositions.
In pursuit of furthering her education, Kristina moved to the United States in 1999 to earn a doctorate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma. During her time there, she won several awards, including first place in both the Donna Turner-Smith Piano Competition and the 2012 Graduate Concerto Competition. Her dissertation, titled “Pianistic Analysis of Bedřich Smetana’s Piano Cycle Dreams,” earned her a nomination for the University of Oklahoma Provost’s Dissertation Prize in 2016.
Kristina has performed as a soloist and collaboratively in recitals across Europe and the US. Her music has been broadcasted on various radio stations, such as Radio Vltava in the Czech Republic and King FM 98.1 in Washington. She is a Ritmüller piano artist and in 2022 became a laureate of The American Prize competition.
Kristina released a CD with the piano trio Turnía, featuring music of Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana. She also co-founded the 4HANDS Piano Duo with Cuban-American pianist Amanda Virelles. They have released two CDs, “Rhapsody in White and Blue” in August 2021 and “Slava” in November 2022. The duo was awarded the Grand Prize and the Artist of the Year award in the Chamber Music category at the 2022 International Youth Music Competition. In May 2023, they won the Progressive Musicians Sound Espressivo competition, and performed at Carnegie Hall in November 2023.
Currently, Dr. Henckel is a music faculty member at Sandhills Community College and Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.
Kristina’s program for Friday, August 29th is as follows:
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Prelude and Fugue D Minor BWV 875
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Sonata F Major K. 332
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Assai allegro
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) - Dreams; Six Characteristic Pieces for Piano
1. Faded Happiness
2. Consolation
3. In Bohemia
4. In the Salon
5. By the Castle
6. Harvest
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)/ Franz Liszt (1811-1886) - Rigoletto Paraphrase
All are welcome and invited to attend the Bach’s Lunch programs of Emmanuel Episcopal Church. A $10 donation is suggested, but all programs are offered free of charge. For questions or more information, please contact Homer Ferguson, Organist/Choirmaster, at hferguson@emmanuel-parish.org. For more information about pianist Kristina Henckel, please visit her website at: www.kristinahenckel.com.