Lee University will present Ning An and Friends, an evening of world-class music in the intimate chamber setting of Squires Recital Hall, on Thursday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m.. This will be the final event in the 2007-2008 Squires Recital Series.

This year, Ning An and Friends will feature a new group of guest performers. Mr. An, artist-in-residence at Lee University, along with award-winning musicians Soovin Kim, Yizhak Schotten, Marc Johnson and DaXun Zhang, will present Botessini's "Grand Duo Concertanta" for violin and bass, Dvorak's "Piano Quartet no.

2 in E flat major op.87" and "Trout Quintet" by Franz Schubert.

Ning An made his concerto debut at the age of 16, performing the Rachmaninov Second Piano Concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra. He has since appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, and the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, among others.

He has also worked with such conductors as Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos and Kamierz Kord and was the first prize winner of the 2006 Tivoli International Piano Competition.

Mr. An made his debut at Carnegie Hall at an all-Chopin program presented by the Chopin Foundation of the United States in Weill Recital Hall.

American violinist Soovin Kim is increasingly sought after for the character, nuance, and excitement of his performances as concerto soloist, chamber musician and recitalist, both in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Kim has appeared with such groups as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, and the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic.

Mr. Kim was also named the first prize winner of the prestigious Paganini violin competition, received the Avery Fisher Grant, the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, and the Henryk Szeryng Foundation Career Award.

Yizhak Schotten, an Israeli-born violist, came to the U.S. under the influence of renowned violist William Primrose. He has worked with composers such as Seiji Ozawa, Thomas Schippers, and Arthur Fiedlerhas, and has performed in numerous countries including Israel, Taiwan, Austria, and Mexico.

Mr. Schotten has recorded four albums for Crystal Records. One of his recordings was chosen as "Critics' Choice" for three months in High Fidelity Magazine.

Marc Johnson became the youngest member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 18. He has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, winning several awards, including first prize in the Washington International Competition.

Mr. Johnson, a cellist, has been a member of the Vermeer Quartet for 31 years. The group has received two Grammy nominations and makes regular appearances at music festivals around the world. Johnson continues to pursue an active career outside the Quartet, appearing in recitals, and as soloist with various orchestras. He is also a professor at Northern Illinois University.

DaXun Zhang, a double bassist, has performed with the Silk Road Project, including concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall. He has also appeared in the Orange County's Pacific Symphony, the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra.

In April 2007, Mr. Zhang won an Avery Fisher Career Grant, only the second double bassist in the history of this prestigious award.

Tickets are available through the Dixon Center Box Office and are free, but limited. For ticket information call 614-8343. For information regarding other upcoming musical events contact the School of Music office at (423) 614-8240 or visit the website at www.leeuniversity.edu.