Pius Cheung

Pius Cheung (Chinese name: ; b. 1982) is a marimbist and composer.

Biography

Born in Hong Kong, Pius Cheung started to learn piano at age five and marimba at age nine at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. At age 10, he made his solo debut as a marimbist in Hong Kong in 1993. In his teenage years, Pius was a member of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra. He appeared as marimba soloist with the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra at the World Music Forum in 1999 and on its tours to Holland (1999), Australia (1997) and Canada (1996). In 1998, he made his European solo debut in the Great Hall of Moscow, performing the Marimba Concerto by Paul Creston.

In 2000, Pius was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia U.S. where he studied with the late principal percussionist, Michael Bookspan, and the principal timpanist, Don Liuzzi, of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Pius was awarded a merit-based full-tuition scholarship, the Mary Louise Curtis Bok Fellowship. During his studies, he has presented in concert with the world famous marimbist, Keiko Abe, and in master classes with Evelyn Glennie, Nancy Zeltsman, William Moersch, Robert van Sice, and Keiko Abe. In 2004, Pius continued his studies with the international concert marimbist, Nancy Zeltsman at the Boston Conservatory under full scholarship.

As an orchestra musician, Pius has worked with world-renowned conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Mstislav Rostropovich, Yuri Temirkanov, and David Zinman. In 2003, he was awarded 1st prize at the senior division of the Philadelphia Orchestra Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition. He then made his U.S. concerto debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at Kimmel Centre, and was invited to perform with them again in June 2004.

Recent performances include a concerto appearance with the British Columbia Chamber Orchestra performing Keyboard Concerto in d minor, BWV 1052 by J.S. Bach, as well as concerts and master classes at the V Festival Internacional de Marimbistas in Mexico, Zeltsman Marimba Festival 2005 and 2006, Amsterdam Conservatory, University of Michigan, Boston Conservatory and Boston University.

In addition, Pius Cheung won First Prize in the 2008 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and will give debut recitals during the 2008-2009 season in the Young Concert Artists Series at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, as well as his Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum debut in Boston. At the Auditions, he was also awarded the Miriam Brody Aronson Award, the Brownville Concert Series Prize (NE), the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation Award for an engagement in Europe, the Embassy Series Prize (DC), the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center Prize, and the Usedom (Germany) Music Festival Prize.

As a composer, Pius has written numerous works for the marimba, including a set of five Musical Moments (Lust, Storm, Solitude, Dance of the Golden Mean, and Romance) for solo marimba, Marimba Concerto with String Orchestra, Sonata No. 1 "Vitanata", Etude in e minor, and Ballade for Eriko Daimo. His music is published by the Connecticut Hill Music Publishing Company.

Pius is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vic Firth endorser. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music and his Artist Diploma from The Boston Conservatory. He is currently attending the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance in pursuit of a doctorate in music.

Recorded works

* "Goldberg Variations BWV 988, J.S. Bach", arranged for solo marimba (June 2006, Pius Cheung)

Published works

* "A set of five Musical Moments (Lust, Storm, Solitude, Dance of the Golden Mean, and Romance)" (for solo marimba; published by Connecticut Hill Music Publisher)
* "Marimba Concerto with String Orchestra"
* "Sonata No. 1 "Vitanata"
* "Ballade for Eriko Daimo"
* "Etude in e minor" (for solo marimba)

External links

* [http://piuscheung.com/ Pius Cheung, Marimba Artist & Composer]
* [http://www.zmf.us/ Zeltsman Marimba Festival]
* [http://www.bcco.ca/ British Columbia Chamber Orchestra]