Paul and Sophia Chandley do at least 24 concerts a year, performing at points throughout the world.

However, they will not have to travel far for their next show. The Chandleys, who are based in Troy, will close out the season for the Stanly County Concert Association series. They will appear at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center.

“They performed for us early last season and we had many requests to bring them back,” said Charlotte Maness, president of the concert association. “They are amazing artists, perform on their own two pianos which they bring to our facility and prepare for performing. One of these pianos is the personal piano of the famous composer, Rachmaninoff, a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist and conductor of the late Romantic period.

“Sophia is from Kiev, Ukraine, and she and Paul met when they were performing together. It is a beautiful story and I understand the piano was a wedding present to Sophia from Paul,” Maness added. “And now, that famous piano will be on our stage and played by this amazing artist.”

Paul is the director of music and Trinity United Methodist Church in Troy. Sophia is the director of music at First United Methodist Church of Mount Gilead.

They head up Trinity Music Academy, where they train musicians as young as first grade up through the professional division. They also collaborate with professional artists through piano, pipe organ and voice training.

Besides classical performances, the Chandleys take part in piano competitions and participate in church music.

Paul met Sophia when she was a featured soloist in the Kiev Symphony and Chorus performing in Montgomery County.

“We’ve been together ever since,” he said.

Paul completed undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained master’s and doctoral degrees in performance at the University of Missouri and the Kansas City Conservatory of Music.
Paul Chandley calls their music “virtuistic, beautiful, very approachable, very listenable.”

Individual concert tickets are at the Agri-Civic Center at 704-986-3666, Starnes Jewelry Store at 704-982-1013, Stanly County Chamber of Commerce at 704-982-8116 or from Pam Medlin at 704-983-1684 or 980-621-5852. Tickets are $20 for adults.

“This is a great opportunity for piano students of all ages to come and hear professional performance by these artists,” Maness said. “Student tickets are $10 and we encourage them to come. Pfeiffer University and Stanly Community College students are welcome, at no cost, as a part of our educational outreach program.”