Debut in Dayton

Pianist Justin Bird, 25, New Zealand’s young musician of the year in 2002, recently played a solo concert at Shiloh Church in Dayton, Ohio as part of the city’s final Soirees Musicales Piano Series. “This will be Justin’s first time in Dayton,” Series founder Don Hageman said. “Whenever I hear somebody that I think is wonderful I try to schedule them for the series.” As a teenager Bird made appearances with the Auckland Philharmonic at the “Symphony Under the Stars” and “Starlight Symphony” concerts before more than 250,000 people.