Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts presents:
Stella Chen, violin • Matthew Lipman, viola • Brannon Cho, cello
Live at NEC's Jordan Hall, Boston, MA
January 13, 2024

http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/...

Suite for Violin, Viola, and Cello - Emmy Frensel Wegener
00:09 I. Inleiding: Moderato chiara
01:14 II. Fugato: Rigoroso
02:35 III. Scherzo: Scherzo Leggiero e presto
03:48 IV. Andante: Dolce
06:50 V. Finale: Vivace. Rigoroso possibile

Patrick Keating audio & video
Photo by Chung Cheng

Stella Chen, a globally acclaimed American violinist, garnered praise for her "phenomenal maturity" and "emotionally profound" performances, winning the first prize at the 2019 Queen Elizabeth International Violin Competition. Her accolades continued with the 2020 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2020 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.

During the 2021-22 season, Chen made her Carnegie Hall debut and performed across Europe, Asia, and North America. Noteworthy engagements included collaborations with Kremerata Baltica, German State Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Belgian National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, and the Luxembourg Philharmonic. She also participated in prestigious festivals like the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, Salzburg Mozarteum, Ravinia, and Kronberg Academy.

A recipient of the Robert Levin Award from Harvard University, Chen is the top prize winner of the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition and the youngest-ever prize winner of the Menuhin Competition. She plays the 1700 ex-Petri Stradivarius, generously loaned by Dr. Ryuji Ueno and Rare Violins In Consortium.

Renowned violist Matthew Lipman, recognized for his "rich tone" and "elegant phrasing," is a leading figure of his generation. Notable performances include debuts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Festival and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe at the Rheingau Music Festival in 2021.

Lipman's career spans collaborations with the Minnesota Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, and Academy of St Martin in the Fields, performing at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. His 2019 release, "Ascent," on Cedille Records, received acclaim for its authoritative phrasing and attractive sound, featuring the first-ever recording of Shostakovich's recently discovered work and Clarice Assad's "Metamorfose."

Named the 2019 Artist-in-Residence for the American Viola Society, Lipman is recognized on WFMT Chicago's "30 Under 30" list of top classical musicians. A dedicated chamber musician, he collaborates with renowned artists like Mitsuko Uchida, Itzhak Perlman, and Pinchas Zukerman. Lipman actively expands the viola repertoire, premiering works by composers such as Helen Grime, Clarice Assad, and David Ludwig.

Recipient of the 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Lipman holds a Kovner Fellowship and the Jack Kent Cooke Award. A prize winner in multiple international viola competitions, he studied at The Juilliard School with Heidi Castleman and was mentored by Tabea Zimmermann at the Kronberg Academy. Lipman occupies the Wallach Chair at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and performs on a 1700 Matteo Goffriller viola loaned through the Pine Foundation.

Renowned cellist Brannon Cho, hailed as "a finished artist, ready to play in any hall in the world" by Arto Noras, stands out as a remarkable musician of his generation. As the First Prize winner of the 6th International Paulo Cello Competition and a prize winner in prestigious competitions including Queen Elisabeth, Naumburg, and Cassadó, Cho has become a sought-after soloist with top orchestras worldwide.

Cho has graced the stage with leading conductors like Susanna Mälkki and shared musical moments with luminaries such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Christian Tetzlaff, and Joshua Bell. A recipient of the 2019 Ivan Galamian Award and a scholarship holder in the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, Cho's love for chamber music is evident in collaborations at renowned festivals like Marlboro, Kronberg Academy, and Music@Menlo.

Recent and upcoming solo performances showcase Cho's artistry in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and Cello Biënnale Amsterdam. Born in New Jersey, Cho holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Laurence Lesser. Currently enrolled in the Professional Studies program at the Kronberg Academy under Frans Helmerson, Cho is sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld and plays on a rare cello crafted by Antonio Casini in 1668 in Modena, Italy.