Tony Yan Tong Chen Piano Recital - Queenstown, NZ

Program


Nikolai Medtner: Two Fairy Tales, Op. 8

i. Andantino

ii. Recitato


Zihan Wu: Rhapsody on Hmong


Pyotr Tchaikovsky/arr. Florian Noack: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture


~Intermission~


Alexander Scriabin: Sonata in E flat minor WoO

i. Allegro Appassionato 16’

ii. Andantino

iii. Presto


John Psathas: Songs for Simon

iii. Demonic Thesis


Franz Liszt: Reminiscences de Norma von Vincenzo Bellini



“Playing with clarity and boundless energy, ... displaying Chen’s extraordinary speed and freedom on the

Steinway.” — Margot Hannigan, Nelson Mail

Born in Auckland of Chinese descent, Tony Yan Tong Chen (b.1999) has performed in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, and throughout New Zealand as recitalist, chamber musician, and concerto soloist with the Bach Musica, Orchestra Auckland, and Nelson Symphony Orchestra. His debut recording of Mozart, Liszt, Prokofiev, Tan Dun, and John Psathas on the Rattle label RAT-D112 was selected as one of three finalists for New Zealand’s Best Classical Album/Artist at Recorded Music NZ’s 2021 Aotearoa Music Awards. His competitive success has included winning the New Zealand National Piano Competition (2019), 2nd Prize at the Penn State University Marian Garcia International Piano Competition (2021), Finalist Award at the Stecher and Horowitz 10th New York International Piano Competition (2022), Honorable Mention and Finalist at the 17th Los Angeles International Liszt Competition (2022).

Chen has performed in public masterclasses receiving instruction from musical artists including Douglas Humpherys, Alexander Kobrin, Andre Laplante, Boris Berman, Boris Slutsky, Pavel Nercessian, Anton Nel, Jean Saulnier, John Perry, Edith Fischer, Ian Hobson, Pierre Réach, Juan Lago, Pascal Nemirvoski, Alberto Rosado, Henry Wong Doe, Stephen De Pledge, Marta Zabaleta, Avan Yu, and Alexander Malofeev. As a Young Artist, he has attended and appeared in concert at the Semaine Internationale Piano et musique de chambre, Valencia International Piano Academy, Orford Music Academy, Whakatipu Music Festival, and Akaroa International Music Festival. After studying at the University of Auckland School of Music's Young Scholars Program, he completed his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music with Prof. Alan Chow. His former teachers include Bryan Sayer, Jian Liu, Rae de Lisle, Able Zhu, and Blas Gonzalez.

His professional experience includes violin playing in the Manukau Symphony, Bach Musica, and Nelson Symphony Orchestras, violin and viola teaching in the Studio Strings Program at the Hochstein School’s ROCmusic Collaborative (Rochester, NY), and trumpet teaching at the Howick School of Music (Auckland, NZ). He holds qualifications in Violin (dipABRSM), Trumpet, and French horn (ABRSM Grade 8) Performance in the United Kingdom's Royal Schools of Music Examinations Board. In 2017, Tony received two CIE High Achievement Awards for attaining the highest score in New Zealand in both AS and A Level Music subjects in the Cambridge International Examinations.

“The first movement cadenza, moving from introvert reflection to extrovert roar, was spellbinding; the

folkish finale a dancing delight.” — William Dart, New Zealand Herald


Proceeds from this concert support his upcoming postgraduate study at the Cleveland Institute of Music

Ticketing includes Pre-concert alcoholic beverage