About this Event
Join us for an extraordinary afternoon of classical music exploration, where centuries of musical storytelling meet through the expressive partnership of the violin and piano. Echoes and Contrasts with pianist Esther Ning Yau and violinst Shuxiang Yang takes listeners on a journey from the lyrical and mystical soundscapes of the 20th century back to the romantic warmth and fiery virtuosity of the 19th century.
📅 Sunday, November 15, 2026
🕠 5:30 PM
📍 Scandinavian Cultural Center, West Newton, MA
Artist Bios
Esther Ning Yau is an active and versatile pianist based in the New England region. Known for her work in chamber music, Esther’s expertise extends to the realms of solo piano, orchestral piano and even other keyboard instruments such as harpsichord and celesta. Esther has been featured in concerts at Jordan Hall, Emmanuel Music Chamber Series, Harvard Musical Association Concert Series, Harvard-Epworth Concert Series, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Concert Series, Longy SeptemberFest, WCRB Live at Copley, Newport Music Festival and Bar Harbor Music Festival.
Esther has also appeared in numerous concert venues further afield, including Merkin Concert Hall in New York, Museum of Arts in Puerto Rico, Giovanni Arvedi Auditorium in Cremona, Esplanade Recital Studio in Singapore, National Concert Hall in Taipei and Government House in her hometown Hong Kong.
An adventurous musician, Esther has performed many young composers’ works (such as Garrett Byrnes’ Concerto for Piano and Chamber Orchestra and Derek Bermel’s Tied Shifts for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano and Percussion), in addition to the standard repertoire. In recent years, Esther has been programming complete cycles of works. To date, she has successfully performed cycles of Beethoven’s piano trios, violin sonatas and cello sonatas. The upcoming season will feature cycles of Schumann’s piano trios, violin sonatas and cello-piano works and Brahms' complete sonatas for piano and violin.
Esther is a faculty member of Longy School of Music of Bard College and was faculty member at New England Conservatory's Preparatory and Continuing Education departments and member of the New England Conservatory Alumni Council. She is the chair of the Bay State Piano Contest in Massachusetts and on the Board of the Massachusetts Music Teachers' Association. In the summer, she also teaches at the Cremona International Music Academy in Italy. She holds a double Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano from New England Conservatory, where she studied with Patricia Zander and Irma Vallecillo. Honors received include fellowships from International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy, UCLA Song Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Music Academy of the West and Yellow Barn Music Festival.
Singaporean violinist Shuxiang Yang play-directs the re:Sound Chamber Orchestra while maintaining solo and chamber music appearances across Asia, Europe, and North America. His emotionally charged (or, as one critic puts it, hair-raising) performances have been witnessed at festivals and concert series such as the Singapore International Festival of Arts, Chamber Music and Arts Singapore, More than Music, Siam Society, Macau Arts Festival, Cremona Music Festival, and Perlman Music Program. In 2012, he was given special praise for his extraordinary showing at the President’s Young Performers Concert with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra:
“Yang gave arguably the finest solo performance in the history of the President’s concert series. Seldom has there been a performance of such intensity, one that grabbed the listener by the lapels and never let go.” (Straits Times)
Chamber music occupies a central position in Yang’s oeuvre. Away from his duties as Concertmaster and Associate Artistic Director of the conductorless re:Sound, Yang is particularly excited to work with Singaporean superstars Leslie Tan and Jonathan Shin in a creative series cheekily named “Off Menu.” He also feels fortunate to have musicked—in this most intimate of genres—with artists such as Alasdair Beatson, Melvyn Tan, Albert Tiu, and members of the Aoi, Merz trios as well as Artemis, Cavani, Dover, T’ang quartets.
Yang holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the New England Conservatory, where he was a protégé and teaching assistant of the eminent artist-pedagogue Donald Weilerstein. His musical metamorphosis was also shaped by the ingenious hands of Qian Zhou, Almita Vamos, Roland Vamos, Victor Danchenko, Lynette Lim, and Sylvia Khoo—each leaving unique touches of inspiration on his musical voice. With their guidance, he earned top prizes at the Hong Kong, Cremona, and Atlantic Symphony competitions in addition to the prestigious Loke Cheng-Kim Foundation Scholarship.
Yang looks to pass on his musical inheritances as Artist Faculty member of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (National University of Singapore) and instructor at the School of the Arts. Seasonal teaching residencies include the Singapore Chamber Music Festival and Cremona International Music Academy.
Program
Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953)
Five Melodies for Violin and Piano, Op. 35bis
I. Moderato
II. Lento
III. Animato, ma non allegro
IV. Andantino
V. Andante non troppo
Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
Rondo in B minor, D. 895, Op. 70
“Rondeau brillant”
-------
Fazıl Say (b. 1970)
Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 7
Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78
I. Vivace ma non troppo
II. Adagio
III. Allegro molto moderato
Tickets:
- 🎟 Free for Attacca students
- 🎟 Suggested donation ($25) for Attacca parents
- 🎟 Non-Attacca Adults: $35
- 🎟 Non-Attacca Children: $15
- 🎟 College Students: $20
Reserve your tickets today! Seating is limited — early arrival is recommended.
About the Series
The Attacca Visiting Artist Concert Series brings internationally recognized musicians to the Boston area for collaborative performances, masterclasses, and community engagement. This October concert exemplifies Attacca’s mission to connect artistry, education, and inspiration in a vibrant and inclusive musical environment.
Event venue & nearby stays
Scandinavian Cultural Center, 206 Waltham Street, Newton, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.