CHINESE born Fangbin Xia, a student at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, has been invited to open the autumn season of classical concerts at Stokesley Methodist Church.

Fangbin began learning piano at the age of six in Zhengzhou in her native China. Since starting her studies in England, she has regularly appeared at festivals and concert series across the North of England.

Born in 1998, Fangbin loves to play jazz, contemporary piano and pop keyboard music in addition to classical music. She supports fellow students as an accompanist and is much sought-after as a chamber musician, currently working in a piano duet and piano trio.

The programme includes Mozart's Sonata No.12 in F major, (K 332) and Lowel Leibermann's Nocturne No.1 Op. 20, two waltzes by Chopin and Bach's Preluse & Fugue no. 2.

The concert takes place at Stokesley Methodist Church on Thursday, September 6, at 1.30pm. Tickets are £7 at the door. Light lunches are available in aid of church funds from noon. For more details search online for classical-cleveland.