Pianist performs tonight at First Church in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – Pianist Andrew Focks is scheduled to give a free concert on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at First Church in Swampscott, 40 Monument Ave.Focks, who grew up in Middleton and is a 2007 graduate of St. John’s Preparatory School, is a student at Florida State University College of Music.The program will feature lyric pieces and “March of the Trolls,” “Homesickness,” and “Wedding Day at Troldhaugen” by Edvard Grieg.Other selections include “Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann,” by Johannes Brahms, and the “Appassionata Sonata,” by Ludwig von Beethoven.Focks is scheduled to be joined by his former teacher, Patricia Clark, for the piano duet “Lebenssturme” by Franz Schubert.Focks has distinguished himself with numerous solo, duo and collaborative piano performances, and by performing as guest artist with the Florida State Wind Ensemble. He has participated in master classes throughout the United States and Europe, and performed in several distinguished performance venues, including the Williams Recital Hall, Opperman Hall of Music, Hockett Recital Hall, Lindsay Recital Hall and for the Boston Classical Music Station.A recipient of an American Guild of Organists’ scholarship, Focks studied organ with Christa Rakich, and served as organist of the Second Congregational Church of Boxford. Focks studied under Ya-Fei Chuang in the pre-college division of the New England Conservatory of Music, where he received the distinguished high pass with honors.