Yuja Wang

Yuja Wang (Chinese: 王 羽佳 [http://www.yujawang.com/] "Wáng Yǔjiā;" born 1987) is a Chinese classical pianist educated in the U.S. She was born in Beijing, began studying piano there at the age 6 and went on to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

Debuts

In 2003 Yuja Wang made her European debut with the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, Switzerland playing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 under the baton of David Zinman. She made her North American debut in Ottawa in the 2005-06 season replacing Radu Lupu performing the Beethoven concerto with Pinchas Zukerman conducting.

Concert studies and work 2006-2008

She is currently studying with Gary Graffman at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is also increasing the numbers of concerts she is playing, and has "developed a novel reputation" of replacing sick pianists, yet going on "to deliver a knockout performance."

In 2006-2007 she is performing with the New York Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, and San Francisco Symphony, the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Japan, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic in the Netherlands, the China Philharmonic in Beijing and the Guangzhou Symphony and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

In March 2007, Yuja Wang replaced the legendary pianist Martha Argerich in concerts held in Boston.Matthew Westphal, "Yuja Wang Replaces Martha Argerich with Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit conducting", found at [http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6110.html Playbill Arts site] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] Argerich had cancelled her appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on four subscription concerts from March 8 to March 13. Yuja Wang performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, with Charles Dutoit conducting, receiving highly favorable reviews.

Wang played twice in Albuquerque in summer 2007, [ [http://www.about-albuquerquenm.com/sfcm-newswhats-this-music-plus-check-it-out/ about-albuquerquenm.com website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] and three concerts in Kansas City with its Symphony in November 2007. [Program Notes, "Yuja Wang Plays Mendelssohn", found at [http://www.kcsymphony.org/ConcertCalendar/view_program_note.jsp;jsessionid=245C9FAF5BAC6F59481A5BC70263716F?id=PAA6SDAPAEES2CIIASHS4DIBBE Kansas City Symphony website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.]

On January 21, 2008, Yuja Wang played at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, MI and, to standing ovations, returned to the stage repeatedly for a triple encore that included Melody by Gluck (Yuja’s transcription), Turkish March by Mozart (Volodos), and Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee in double time and a number of additions played in parallel to into the main body of the original song.

On April 2, 2008, Yuja Wang is scheduled to play with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in Boston Symphony Hall, on a concert originally scheduled to be conducted from the keyboard by Murray Perahia.

She recently performed in the 2008 Verbier Festival to great acclaim.

2008 residency at SPAC

In the summer of 2008, Wang played two performances at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), for which she was introduced by SPAC President Marcia White. [Peter Dobrin, "Shaping Up in Saratoga: The orchestra's three-week residency, Charles Dutoit at the helm, begins on a bright collaborative note." "Philadelphia Inquirer", August 9, 2008, found at [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/peter_dobrin/20080809_Shaping_Up_in_Saratoga.html Philadelphia Inquirer website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] [SPAC Schedules, found at [http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/jan/31/0131_Schedules/ Daily Gazette website] and [http://www.spac.org/article.php?articleId=21ee29c4-adf8-102b-ab32-c3b6463d6028 SPAC website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] Wang was called a "new pianist star", "a phenom", "a whiz", and "a sensation" after her concerto concerts at SPAC in August 2008.Geraldine Freeman, "Yuja Wang, 21, SPAC's new pianist star, is a sensation", "The Daily Gazette", August 23, 2008, p. D4.] Geraldine Freedman, "Pianist Wang enjoys unpredictable schedule", "The Daily Gazette", August 14, 2008, found at [http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/aug/14/0814_Wang/ Daily Gazette website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] Geraldine Freedman, "Pianist phenom Wang wows ’em as soloist and in ensemble," "The Daily Gazette", August 19, 2008, found at [http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2008/aug/19/SARACHAMBER_0819/ Daily Gazette website] . See also [http://www.gilmore.org/news_and_events/?id=140 Gilmore news website] . Accessed August 28, 2008.] Judith White, "Popular pianist proves she can deliver," "The Saratogian", August 20, 2008, found at http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20084646&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=664106&rfi=6] . Accessed August 28, 2008.]

In her first concert, with the Saratoga Chamber Orchestra, Wang "performed Liszt’s prodigiously difficult Sonata in B minor." A reviewer said that:

Another reviewer wrote that:

She also played Brahms' Horn Trio, where "Wang showed herself entirely capable of playing in ensemble."

For her second concert, she performed Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1 at SPAC to spectacular reviews, in which it was noted that she "is probably not much older than Prokofiev when he wrote the work." One reviewer wrote:

References

External links

* [http://www.yujawang.com www.yujawang.com] Official website of Yuja Wang

* [http://www.opus3artists.com/artists/yuja-wang Profile of Yuja Wang] on Opus3 Artists site