Program

Shiuan Chang (b. 1989)
Theater on the BEDs
 From "Songs of Dun Ren "

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 - 1975)
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major, Op. 134
Andante
Allegretto
Largo - Andante - Allegretto

~ intermission ~

Clare Schumann (1819 - 1896)
Three Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 22
Andante molto
Allegretto
Leidenschaftlich schnell

Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856)
Sonata No. 2 in D minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 121
Ziemlich langsam - Lebhaft
Sehr lebhaft
Leise, einfach
Bewegt

William Wei, violin

Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition 2015, William Wei gained recognition as one of the most promising violinists of his generation in Taiwan. With inherent musicality and refined sensibility, Wei is a liberated virtuo with shimmering dynamism. Praised by Le Soir (Belgium), Wei "burns all his passion and freedom in the music till the end"; and "[is]… proved to be a virtuoso, but [with] a special and sensitive interpreter at the same time" (WestDeutsche Zeitung).

 Highlights in the last season include a successful debut in Germany with Niederrheinische Sinfoniker and Shao-Chia Lü for Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3. Back at home in Taiwan, Wei made his debut with the London Philharmonic under the baton of Edward Gardner performing Sibelius and Saint-Saëns violin concerti which received great attention, following his first collaboration with Eiji Oue and the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra performing on Tchaikovsky violin concerto. His strong mental strength and adaptability have allowed him to several last-minute step-in concerts with Eliahu Inbal and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, the latest being Prokofiev’s first violin concerto for Baiba Skride. His season 2024 begins with a return to Weiwuying International Music Festival for a duo concert with Sunwook Kim and debuts with Taipei Chinese Orchestra, National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan, a seasonal opening concert with Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra with Brahms violin concerto; giving master classes at Talent Music Summer Course and Festival in Brescia, Casalmaggiore Music Festival in Italy and a debut concert at Brandenburgische Sommerkonzerte in Berlin.

As an active soloist and a chamber musician, Wei has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Eliahu Inbal, Marin Alsop, Edward Gardner, Wen-pin Chien, Shao-Chia Lü, Eiji Oue, Gil Shaham, Nai-Yuan Hu, Pei-Yao Wang, Sung-Won Yang, Orion Weiss, Sunwook Kim; his orchestral collaborations include Belgium National Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Niederrheinische Sinfoniker, Sejong Soloists, Taiwan Philharmonic, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Boston Longwood Symphony; He has appeared on stage of Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Jordan Hall, the Henry Le Boeuf Hall in Brussels, Gasteig Concert Hall in Munich, Seoul Arts Center, Cremona Stradivari Museum (Museo del Violino), National Concert Hall in Taipei and Weiwuying Concert Hall in Kaohsiung.

William Wei captured international attention as the joint gold medalist of the Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition in 2013. He was later awarded Laureate Distinction at the Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition in 2015, followed by a reception of the Salon de Virtuosi career grant in 2018. Wei plays the 1722 Stradivari Joachim-Elman violin on a generous loan from the Chimei Cultural Foundation in Taiwan.

Evan Wong, pianist

Praised by the Chopin Magazine in Japan for his "transparent, beautiful tone and thoughtful interpretation," Taiwanese American pianist Evan Wong is the Silver Medalist and audience prize winner of the 6th Sendai International Competition in Japan. He has appeared in recitals and concerts throughout North America, Europe and Asia in venues such as Carnegie’s Weill Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, Jordan Hall and John Hancock Hall in Boston, Chicago Cultural Center and Pick-Staiger Hall in Chicago, Toppan Hall, Hitachi Systems Hall, Kirishima Concert Hall and Itzumity 21 Concert Hall in Japan, Daegu Concert House in South Korea, Flagey Studio 4 in Belgium, Brussels, Richard Jakoby Saal in Hannover, Germany, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Spain, Teatro Marrucino in Italy, Music Centre in Helsinki, Finland and Taiwan National Concert Hall, Taichung Opera House and Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan.

He released his first solo album under the Acousence Label in Germany in 2020 and has also recorded for the MPR (Minnesota, USA), WFMT (Chicago, USA), KBS (South Korea), Shanghai Classical 94.7 (China), and the Taipei Classical, Radio Taiwan International, National Education, Bravo 91.3 and Voice of Han (Taiwan) stations.

Mr. Wong has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Sendai Philharmonic, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes de México, Southern Illinois Festival Orchestra, Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra, New Sendai Philharmonic, Saga Symphony Orchestra, World Civic Orchestra, Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra and the NEC Philharmonia Orchestra and conductors Pascal Verrot, Julian Kuerti, Victor Yampolsky, Dorian Wilson, Daniela Candillari, Paul Meyer, Yuri Nitta, Edward Benyas, Kuokman Lio, Seitaro Ishikawa, Tung-Chieh Chuang, Gernot Schmalfuss and Ludwig Carrasco.

A frequent guest in several renowned festivals, Mr. Wong has performed at the Verbier, Lucerne, Ravinia, Aspen, Gilmore, Kneisel Hall festivals where he has worked and collaborated with musicians such as Itzak Perlman, Miriam Fried, Gary Hoffman, Midori, Mihaela Martin, Pamela Frank, Franz Helmerson, Laurence Lesser, Kim Kashkashian and members of the Cleveland, Takacs and Juilliard Quartets.

Mr. Wong holds degrees from the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany (Konzertexamen), Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music (D.M.A), The Juilliard School (M.M) and the New England Conservatory (B.M). His teachers include Matti Raekallio, Jerome Lowenthal, Wha Kyung Byun, Boris Slutsky, Mengchieh Liu, Alan Chow, Ewa Kupiec and Rolf-Peter Wille.

Currently, Mr. Wong is a Full-time Assistant Professor at the Taipei National University of the Arts. He has also taught at the Harbin Conservatory of Music in China as their Distinguished Professor and served on the faculties at the University of Taipei and Fu Jen University.

Silver medalist and audience prize winner of the 6th Sendai International Competition in Japan, Taiwanese American pianist Evan Wong has appeared in recitals and concerts throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Mr. Wong has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Sendai Philharmonic, Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes de México, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and released his first solo album under the Acousence Label in Germany in 2020.

Mr. Wong currently teaches at the Taipei National University of the Arts.