Participating Artists for Stars of Today & Tomorrow Concert
- December 4, 2014
- Posted by: admin
- Category: Uncategorized
Stars of Today
Piano
Pianist Michelle Kim has captivated audiences all over the world for her unique blend of pianistic power, poetry and striking stage presence. Ms. Kim has performed in concert halls throughout the US, Europe and Asia including performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Caramoor, the New Jersey Performing Art Center, the Sejong Cultural Center, the Hong Kong Cultural Center, LACMA and the Chicago Cultural Center. She has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras across the world including the New Jersey Symphony, the Brevard Music Festival Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic, the Xiamen Philharmonic, the Bergen Philharmonic, the Orchestra del Teatro Massimo di Catania, among many others. Her performances have been televised in United States, Italy and South Korea and broadcast on radio stations throughout the US including NPR, WQXR, K-Mozart and WFMT.
Recently, Michelle Kim was featured as one of the “Inspiring Women of Hong Kong” in the October 2013 Anniversary Issue of Marie Claire for her charity work in Hong Kong. Ms. Kim is the founder and artistic director of Hong Kong Generation Next Arts (HKGNA), a Hong Kong Charity dedicated to nurturing artistic excellence and personal success in young artists and transforming lives through music. She has performed numerous concerts to raise money for Hong Kong Charities including performances with violinist Lu Siqing and the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and” Concert of Power” event with Nick Vujicic.
Born in Seoul Korea, Ms. Kim began her musical studies at age four. At age ten, she gave her orchestral debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She went on to graduate from The Juilliard School earning both a Bachelors and Masters of Music. She was also the recipient of the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Award and garnered top prizes in national and international competitions including the Bartok-Kabalevsky-Prokofiev International Piano Competition and the Vincenzo Bellini International Piano Competition.
Since his televised debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of six, Hong Kong-born pianist Warren Lee was destined for a lifelong career in music, both on and off the stage.
Graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and Yale School of Music with the highest of honours, Warren was the first-prize winner of the 1995 Stravinsky Awards International Piano Competition and the “Grand Prix Ivo Pogorelich”, following which he made his European debut at the Pogorelich Festival in Germany at the age of 18.
Warren’s artistry has brought him to concert stages in four continents, gracing stages of all sizes and forms, and in collaboration with leading artists in the region. In recognition of his achievements in the performing arts and contribution to the community, Warren received the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in Hong Kong in 2012.
Born in Hong Kong, It has been written of her as a pianist , “the music combined with honesty, sensitivity and simplicity.” Beverly has given performances throughout China, Japan, Serbia, Austria, Italy, Canada and USA . Her performances has been broadcasted on RTHK and the CBC Television.
In 2009, Beverly attended the 5th San Danielle International Piano Conference, and she was subsequently awarded an outstanding performance award playing the Schumann piano concerto. Beverly was invited to collaborate with the HKAPA School of dance, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in their season finale concert, the MUSES concert Series at HKIED and the David Meek’s opera production in Canada. She was granted the offer of the keyboardist of the Civic Symphony Orchestra under the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Violin
Born in Guilin, China, Jing Wang is currently the Concert Master of HK Philharmonic. He made his first public appearance in Marseille, France and his concerto debut aged nine with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Canada. Subsequent engagements have taken him across North America and Europe and include concerto appearances with the Czech Radio Philharmonic, Moscow State Symphony, Montreal Symphony and Metropolitan Orchestra of Montreal. Jing Wang has given solo recitals and chamber music performances at prestigious venues including the National Arts Center in Ottawa and throughout Canada where his performances are frequently broadcast on CBC Radio-Canada.
Jing Wang has been the recipient of first prizes in numerous international competition including the Irving M. Klein International Competition, Concertino Praga, Montreal Symphony Competition and the Canadian Music Competition.
Korean violinist, Rami Yoo, is a graduate of Peabody Conservatory of Music (Master of Music), and Yonsei University. She performed as the member of Korean Symphony Orchestra, Festival Orchestra of Seoul Arts Center, and KT Chamber Orchestr. Ms.Yoo also performed in numerous solo recitals including at the Seoul Arts Center, Youngsan Art Hall, Sejong Chamber Hall, and LA Korea Center. She participated and performed in the Asia-Pacific United Orchestra Europe tour in 2012 and Vienna Music festival.
Ms. Yoo was a violin factulty at the Yonsei University, Yewon School of music and Seoul Arts Center Music Academy for young artists in Korea.
Viola
A native of Israel, Mr. Yehudayan performs around the world, as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. He recently performed at the International Chamber Music Festivals of AMEROPA in the Czech Republic, Fossa String Festival, California and a few Concertos in USA, Hong Kong, Korea and Israel. Mr. Yehudayan was also invited to play solo at the main event of the World Peace Festival 2005 in Korea in which all proceeds from the festival were donated to Unicef.
Mr. Yehudayan received his Bachelor of Music Degree and Artist Diploma in the Faculty of Performing Arts from the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, later studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. He acquired his Master of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.
Mr. Yehudayan is the Orchestra and Strings Director at Hong Kong International School since 2001.
Cello
Richard Bamping has held the title of Principal Cellist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic since 1993. His many solo appearances with the Philharmonic have been greeted with critical acclaim.
As a freelance cellist based in London, Richard Bamping played in many chamber music ensembles performing across the United Kingdom, Europe and the U.S.A. He has also performed with many of the leading orchestras in Europe including the Philharmonia, the Royal Philharmonic and the European Community Chamber Orchestras.
In 1990, Leonard Bernstein chose Richard Bamping to play Principal Cello for the first Pacific Music Festival in Japan, where he also worked closely with Michael Tilson Thomas and Marin Alsop.
Stars of Tomorrow
Piano
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Young Artists Division – Grand Prize Winner
Yue Zhang began studied piano at 7 years old. In 2004, he was accepted by Shenzhen Arts School. At present, he is pursuing his bachelor degree in HKAPA with full scholarship tutoring by Gabriel Kwok.
He has won Third Prize at the 1st Wenhua National Piano Competition in Xiamen and Silver prize (General Category) at the 14th International Piano Competition in Asia, Yamaha Music Scholarship and HKSAR Government The Talent Development Scholarship.
He has performed in Shenzhen Concert Hall and Shenzhen Poly Theatre and appeared as soloist with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, Xiamen Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra. He was invited to give a solo recital in Shantou University. Recently he was invited to make his debut concert in Italy, and the concert was broadcasted to cities in Europe by classical music channel radio 3 Rai. He has participated in master classes of Dan Zhaoyi, Jerome Lowenthal, Boris Berman and Anton Kuerti.
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Jury Special Prize Winner
Wong Sze Yuen is 16 years old and began his piano studies at an early age. He studied with Huang Tian-Dong at the Xinghai Conservatory of Music. In 2008, he enrolled at the Junior School of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and studied with Wang Nan and since 2010, with Professor Gabriel Kwok.
Wong Sze Yuen has won many prizes in competitions including gold medal of the Grade 9 in the 1st National Piano Grading excellent players Showcase Competition; first prize of the Amateur Class , group C in the 75th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition (2011) ; third prize of the Open Class in 17th Hong Kong – Asia Piano Open Competition in 2012 ; second prize and classic sonata prize of The 1st Korea International Competition for Young Pianists.
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Senior Division – 1st Prize Winner
Valerie Wai Yuen Wong has been a junior music student since 2004. She is a student of Prof. Eleanor Wong, Artist-in-residence of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. She has won numerous prizes in Hong Kong and overseas, including the 2nd Prize in the International Piano Competition for Young Musicians, Enschede, the Netherlands 2012 with Press Award and Audience Award; the 3rd Prize in the 1st Korea International Competition for Young Pianists.
In 2011, she won the 1st Prize and Professional Grand Prize at the 75th Steinway & Sons International Youth Piano Competition and performed at “The International Steinway Art Festival 2012” held in Hamburg, Germany, representing China. She was also awarded the 1st Prize at the 65th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales UK and the 5th Asian Youth Music Competition in Hong Kong and 2nd Prize in Beijing Zhou Guang Ren Young Pianist Award.
In addition to holding recitals in Beijing and Hamburg, she has collaborated twice with the Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra as a sololist. She performed the “Magic Piano & The Chopin Shorts” at the 42nd Hong Kong Arts Festival. She has also performed in the piano master classes with Gary Graffman, Sequeria Costa, Francois Chaplin, Alexander Braginsky, Joyce Yang, Fernando Garcia Torres and Lang Lang. In 2013, Wong was awarded the Certificate of Commendation by the Hong Kong SAR Government for her outstanding achievements in the promotion of international arts and culture activities.
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Junior Division – 1st Prize Winner
Sun began learning piano at the age of 5. He has received numerous awards, including 1st runner-up at the 4th Toyama Asian Youth Music Competition 2008, 1st runner-up at the 19th Fuzhou Secondary and Primary Schools Piano Competition 2009, 1st prize at the 20th Fuzhou Secondary and Primary Schools Piano Competition 2010, Merit in the 5th Steinway National Youth Piano Competition 2010, to name a few. Sun began study in Lang Lang Music World in 2012, performed with Lang Lang in the same year and received scholarship of merit in the same year. In 2013, Sun attended the Lang Lang Master Class in UK and performed in the student concert there. Sun is now attending HKAPA Junior Music Programme under the guidance of Prof. Eleanor Wong.
Top Prize winner of HKGNA NY Debut Piano Competition 2010
Liyan He has performed in mainly cities in China such as Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Recently, his concert in Italy was broadcasted by RAI Radio 3 through the Europe, performed Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 with Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra and HKAPA Academy Symphony Orchestra, collaborated with Trombonist Zheng Guo and Clarinetist Martin Choy in duo recitals. He is invited to perform in HKGNA Music Festival in December of 2014. He was also being invited to perform in Israel Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Art Festival, hailed as the Talent from the Far East in 2007 and Carnegie Hall in New York in 2010.
Liyan He has won many competitions, including the First Prize in 2012 BIMFA Concerto Competition in Beijing, Top Prize winner of HKGNA NY Debut Piano Competition 2010, Second Prize in the 2005 KAWAI National Competition in China, and Third Prize in the 2007 Schimmel USASU International Junior Piano Competition in USA. Since 2009, Liyan He received scholarship to study in Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under Professor Gabriel Kwok and now is a Master degree student.
Formerly, he studied with pianist Chengzong Yin privately, studied in Shanghai Music Conservatory with Dr. Zhe Tang and Shenzhen Art School with Prof. Jintian Kang.
Law Wai Ting has been the student of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Junior Music Program since 2006 and achieved the LTCL in Piano in 2009. In 2010, Law performed at New York Carnegie Weill Recital Hall as a 2nd prize winner of HKGNA Music Competition presented by HK Generation Next Arts. He was awarded the second prize of the Internationaler Deutscher Irmler-Klavierwettbewerb Professional Junior Class. His major mentors included Nancy Loo, Mary Wu, Raymond Young and violinist Yang Bo Zi.
HKGNA Musical Angel
Lee Shing experience serious vision impairment due to congenital retinitis pigmentosa. Despite his gradual worsening eyesight, Lee Shing continued with a strong pursuit of piano music. He gave his first solo piano recital in 2009. In recent years, Lee Shing has actively participated in various performances. He performed with his brother Lee Hin in 2012, in a mini music concert titled “Blurred Music Notes” which is part of “The Sound of Art – Free Sunday Concert Series” held in the Hong Kong Museum of Arts. The same year also saw him perform with musicians from the Royal Academy of Music HK Alumni Association in St. John Cathedral for “Musical Bridge – A Charity Concert for the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong”. He was awarded both The Most Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award and The Most Outstanding Performer Award at “Cross All Borders: Hong Kong Festival Showcasing New Performing Artists with Disabilities 2011”.
HKGNA Musical Angel
Lee Hin started learning piano when he was 11. He was awarded the Most Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award of “Cross All Borders: A Mini Festival Showcasing New Performing Artists with Disabilities”. In 2010 LCSD’s Community Cultrural Ambassardor Scheme – Dancing Keys, Lee Hin performed with the Hong Kong Ballet and floral arragement artist Mandy Tang in different communities to boost for an inclusive society. Apart from the local performances, he also had the opportunities to exchange with overseas artists in the 2010 International VSA Festival in Washington D.C. and “The 8th International Abilympics (Seoul)”. In 2011, he performed with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and Hong Kong SAR Philharmonic Orchestra in the “Hong Kong Phil and Friends Fundraising Concert 2011” and “Romancing the ADA Charity Concert 2011” respectively.
The loss of eyesight due to congenital Retinitis Pigmentosa brings inconvenience to his practice, yet does not defeat his enthusiasm for arts and continuous music learning.
HKGNA Musical Angel
Sun Yim, from St. Stephens’, had no musical background and never touched a piano. He became a Musical Angel at age 21 and now at 25, he plays like a trained classical pianist, performing at many HKGNA events. Sun found his passion and purpose in music, and he was transformed as a person. Sun now serves as an HKGNA Fellow, giving back and teaching next generation youth. He wants to serve the community and glorify god through music.
Violin
Alison Kwok Wing Yan is the Concertmistress of the St. Paul’s Co-educational
College Orchestra as well as the Junior Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Now a scholarship recipient at both institutions, Alison began learning the violin at the age of 3 with Mr. Leung Chi Tak, and is currently under the guidance of Mr. Nicholas Leung. Alison is a holder of the Trinity Guidhall ATCL and LTCL Diplomas in Violin Performance with distinctions.
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Junior Division – 1st Prize Winner
Hannah Tam is currently a student of St. Paul’s Co-education College Primary School. She joined the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) junior music program when she was 5 years old and received training from Mr. Chan Kwok Wai and now from Professor Michael Ma, Head of Strings, HKAPA. She was the champion of violin section (solo) of Inter-school Music Competition in 2011. She was honourably invited to perform in Tokyo, Japan in 2013 and passed Grade 8 ABRSM exam with distinction.
Helen Yu Ching Shan is the Principal Second Violin of the School Orchestra of St. Paul’s Co-educational College. Helen began learning violin at the age of 5 with Ms. Monica Chu at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and is currently studying violin with Professor Michael Ma. In addition, she also plays piano and percussions to ABRSM Grade 8 level. Helen is an active participant in music competitions and festivals in Hong Kong, and was the winner of the 2009 Tom Lee Music Foundation Music Scholarship. Helen is a holder of the Trinity Guildhall ATCL and LTCL Diplomas in Violin Performance.
Born in Hong Kong on Oct 1, 1996, Justin Karl Li is a Senior at the Hong Kong International School.
Justin has come a long way and his talent was recognized even as an Upper Primary student when he started to be involved in the different musical ensembles. He is recognized as an accomplished musician who has the potential to be a top player on the violin. He is one of the concertmasters in the High School String Ensembles & Symphony Orchestra.
Over the years, Justin has contributed much to the music scene in the Hong Kong International School as well as to the Hong Kong community. He has played for the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and the China Philharmonic Orchestra. Justin had the opportunity to participate in several International Strings and Orchestra Festivals in and out of Hong Kong. He also won a few important Excellence Awards and Competitions. He was accepted to Summer String Intensive 2014 in California and won 2nd place in the Concerto Competition.
Justin is currently receiving music and violin education under the guidance of Mr. Meidad Yehudayan, Orchestra and Strings Director of HKIS, Ms. Cheng Siu-sing and Mr. Le Hoai-nam. He was previously a student of the highly acclaimed violinists and conductor Mr. Lim Kek-han. Justin also plays the Piano and was a student of Ms. Yim Wan.
Cello
HKGNA Music Competition 2014 Young Artists Division – 3rd Prize Winner
Tsz To appeared as a soloist regularly with orchestras including Pan Asia Orchestra, Hong Kong Children Symphony Orchestra, Chung Chi Orchestra and St. Stephen’s Girls’ College Orchestra since 2007. Tsz To toured around the world with the Hong Kong Children Symphony Orchestra every year since he joined the orchestra in 2003, appearing as a soloist and the cello principal. Tsz To is currently a final-year music major student in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His teachers include Mr. Chang Hsin Yu and Mr. Cheung Ming Yuen.
Clarinet
A student of St. Paul’s Co-educational College, Jason Fee received an LTCL Recital Diploma in Clarinet with distinction in 2013, studied clarinet with Mr. Andrew Simon since the age of eleven. As Principal Clarinetist of the School Orchestra, Band Master and Chairperson of the School Wind Band, and a chamber music member, Jason has had ample performance opportunities. These include performances at the Tsinghua University, Beijing, and more recently in a charity concert with Mr. Warren Lee.
Soprano
Ashley currently attends St. Paul’s Co-educational College. After three failed attempts to be accepted into the Hong Kong Children’s Choir, and four to the school choir as a child, she learned the values of hard work and perseverance. After finally being admitted to both choirs and improved enough to be assigned solos in a number of performances, she is grateful to have travelled around the world with her singing. She feels blessed to have participated in the 2012 and 2014 World Choir Games in Cincinnati, USA and Riga, Latvia respectively, as well as a choral conference in Canterbury in the United Kingdom in 2013.