Taipei Cultural Center will present Taiwan Rising Stars Classical Music Concerts Ⅲ on June 5th at Taiwan Academy. We sincerely invite you to attend our concerts again.
Musicians: Hsiang John Tu, piano / Han Chen, piano
Dates:Wednesday, June 5 at 7:00PM
Venue: Taiwan Academy (1 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017)
Free Admission, RSVP require, please e-mail:tpecc@tpecc.org
Han Chen
Hailed by the NY Times as a pianist with "a graceful touch... rhythmic precision.... (and) hypnotic charm,” Han Chen is a distinctive artist whose credentials at a young age already include important prizes in competitions of traditional music as well as increasing respect in the avant-garde.
As a soloist, Mr. Chen has appeared with China Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (under Maestro Vladimir Ashkenazy), Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Xiamen National Orchestra and Shanghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. Last February, he made his solo debut in Alice Tully Hall with the Juilliard Orchestra with Maestro Jayce Ogren. In December, he appeared as a soloist again in Alice Tully Hall playing John Adams’ Grand Pianola Music with AXIOM.
As an advocator of modern music, Mr. Chen actively performs music from both 20th-century classics and emerging newcomers. In the 2011-2012 season, he played Pierre Boulez’s Sur Incises in AXIOM, and John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes in FOCUS! Festival. In the 2012-2013 season, he gave a recital dedicated to John Cage playing all the Sonatas and Interludes, continued to perform with AXIOM (program included Charles Wuorinen’s Cyclops 2000 and the aforementioned Adams). Also, he collaborated with Aspen Santa Fe Ballet in Aspen, Dallas and Kansas playing Philip Glass’ solo piano pieces.
Mr. Chen has won numerous top prizes in competitions, including Mozart Piano and Violin Works Competition and National Piano Competition in China, International Russian Music Piano Competition, and Hong Kong International Piano Competition, among others.
A native of Taiwan, Mr. Chen graduated from the Middle School of Shanghai Conservatory. Mr. Chen is now a junior at The Juilliard School with Professor Yoheved Kaplinsky. He also studies composition with Professor Philip Lasser. For more information, please visit: hanchenpiano.com.
Hsiang John Tu
The New York Times has praised the "eloquent sensitivity" in pianist Hsiang John Tu’s playing. A recent winner at the American Pederewski Piano Competition and the Iowa International Piano Competition, Dr. Tu has appeared with the Iowa Symphony Orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Lake George Chamber Orchestra, Boston University Symphonic Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been presented in repeated engagements by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts in Boston, and the National Recital Hall in Taiwan.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Tu came to the United States at the age of 14, after winning Taiwan’s National Youth Piano Competition. Under the tutelage of Hung-Kuan Chen, Dr. Tu studied at the Walnut Hill School, Boston University and the University of Calgary. He then continued his study at the Juilliard School, where he earned a Master of Music degree and the Doctoral of Musical Arts degree, both in piano performance, studying with Jerome Lowenthal.
As an active performer in New York City, Dr. Tu has regularly collaborated with students and faculty members of virtually all major music schools in the city. Highlights from the past few seasons: chamber music concerts at the Museum of Modern Arts, the Loewe Theatre at New York University, where Dr. Tu serves as an adjunct faculty, and providing live music in a series of sold-out performances by the renowned modern dance company Rioult at the Joyce Theater.
Dr. Tu made his New York debut at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center as the winner of the Juilliard School Concerto Competition, playing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. He will return to the Tully Hall as a soloist with the World Civic Orchestra on June 9th, playing Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1. For more information, please visit www.hsiangjohntu.com