May 18, 2014
The Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County Presents

"More Mendelssohn"

Featuring
The Bravura Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble

Chiu-Ling Lin, piano
Cheng-Chih Kevin Tsai, violin
Mira Kang, cello
Angela Zhao, piano

Program
Mendelssohn "Scottish Sonata," Op. 28
Mendelssohn Songs Without Words
     Venetian Gondola Song, Op. 30, No. 6
     Spring Song, Op. 62, No. 6
     Op. 67, No. 5 and Op. 109
Mendelssohn Variations Serieuses
Fanny Mendelssohn Piano Trio in D minor

Return to 2013-14 season

"Great impact, not only with her exceptional virtuosity, but also with her ability to capture the intent of the composer" ... "great sense of style - emotional strength - impressive quality in performance..."  This is how composers and critics described Chiu-Ling Lin - internationally renowned pianist and educator - after her tour as the United States Information Agency's Artistic Ambassador to Latin America. An energetic and passionate performer, Dr. Lin plays before enthusiastic audiences around the world. Dr. Lin made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut as the winner of the East and West Young Artist Auditions. She has soloed with fourteen orchestras, including the Atlanta Symphony, the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Singapore Symphony, and the Des Moines Symphony. Appearances in New York, Boston, Chicago, England, Canada and throughout the Far East have featured Dr. Lin's unique mix of music by Chinese and Western composers. Her virtuosity is showcased in a new CD, "Portraits of China." Dr. Lin is a residence of West Windsor. She was the past-President of the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra Board, and is the President of the New Jersey Music Teachers Association. 

Violinist Cheng-Chih Kevin Tsai, the newly appointed concertmaster of the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, has been described by The Strad magazine as a violinist “with admirable facility.” Mr. Tsai earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts from Rutgers University as a student of Arnold Steinhardt. He was also a pupil of Glenn Dicterow and Dorothy Delay at the Juilliard School. Mr. Tsai studied chamber music with Felix Galamir and members of the Tokyo, Emerson, and Guarneri String quartets. He was the first violinist and founding member of the Killington String Quartet. A native of Taiwan, Mr. Tsai is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes, including winning both the Chi-Mei and Taiwan National Violin competitions, and was also the first recipient of the Darrow Prize from the Killington Music Festival. He has given solo recitals and master-classes, and performed as a soloist and with string quartets in many major cities in North America, Taiwan, and Europe including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and France. He has appeared in concerts at Avery Fisher Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Alice Tully Hall, and collaborated with artists such as Arnold Steinhardt, Michael Tree, and Pinchas Zukermann. Kevin Tsai is a member of Opera New Jersey, Princeton Symphony, and Princeton ProMusica Orchestra. He has served as the concertmaster of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra (Canada) and Sinfonietta Nova.

Mira Kang, principal cellist of the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra, has performed throughout South Korea, Northeastern US, and Germany as a recitalist and chamber musician. At age 16, Mira Kang was a guest artist in the Young Performer's Ensemble Series of the Seoul International Music Festival, which featured celebrated musicians from around the world. She also appeared on an MBC Television Broadcast in Korea as a featured artist in a classical music program. She followed this with a successful debut concert as a soloist with the Seoul Civic Orchestra. After graduating from Seoul National University, Mira continued her studies at the Manhattan School of Music, where she received a Master of Music Degree. She received the Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University, where she studied on full scholarship and served as a part-time lecturer. Mira made her New York debut recital at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall as a winner of the Artist International Competition. She performed as a soloist with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra last season on the Elgar Cello Concerto. Ms. Kang is an active teacher and educator. She has judged local competitions, including the National League of Performing Arts and Young Virtuosi Recital Competitions. She has been on the faculty of the Bravura Summer Music and Northern Lights Music Festival. With the Bravura Youth Orchestra, she has served as a conductor and chamber music director. Her favorite collaboration is featured in the CD release “Lullaby” with the American Boychoir.

Angela Zhao, 15 years old, is a student of Ms. Chiu-Tze Lin. She began studying piano at the age of 5 with Ms. Irene Lu. Angela made her orchestral solo piano debut with the Ambler Symphony. She was the winner of 2013 Young Artist Concerto Competition and played with Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra. Angela has won first prize in the New Jersey Music Teachers Association Young Musicians Competition five times. She was also the NJ Junior Piano Division winner of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Performance Competition, which enabled her to be the NJ representative to compete in the MTNA Eastern Conference Competition. As a result of winning Competitions, Angela performed as a soloist in Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Weill Recital and Zankel Hall, and Steinway Hall. She has also performed in the Crescent Concert Series Showcase, and was a winner of the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey and Steinway Society Scholarship Competition. Angela was also selected to perform in Master Class of Joseph Kalichstein, Seymour Lipkin and Eduardus Halim. She also performed at Melvin Stecher & Norman Horowitz Piano Duet Master Class. Angela received distinction in the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music Examinations; her marks were the highest in the tri-state area. Angela was also Outstanding Achievement Award Recipient of Marlboro Township in 2013 and received the award from Mayor Jon Hornik hosted at town hall council meeting.Angela is a 9th grader at Biotechnology High School. She has shown a variety of interests including starring as a pianist on the television series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” which was broadcasted across the US Besides piano, Angela is an avid dancer. She is currently on the Dance Attitudes competition team.