About this Event
In Duo Dances, you are invited to join the musicians on a worldwide trip through exciting and unforgettable pieces from Italy, China, Mongolia, Canada, USA, and Romania! Violinist Alessia Disimino and pianist Jialiang Zhu are great friends in life and longtime partners in music. They cannot wait to share with you music that represents their respective cultures and music that they both admire. Guest violinist Heng-Han Hou will join the party to make it even livelier!
This recital concludes the Empowered by Friendship Concert Series, generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Government, Ontario Arts Council, and Canadian Music Centre.
Date: Sunday, June 23, 2024 @7pm
Location: Canadian Music Centre, 20 St. Joseph Street, Toronto ON M4Y 1J9
General Admission: $28.50
Senior Tickets: $22.50
Student/Arts Worker Tickets: $15.50
Doors open 30 minutes before the concert.
Limited Tickets! Seats are first come first served.
Program
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedeso - Sonata quasi una Fantasia for violin and piano
Sha Hankun 沙汉昆 - Pastoral Song 牧歌 for violin and piano
Huang Huwei 黄虎威 - E' Mei Mountain Moon Song 峨眉山月歌 for violin and piano
David Jaeger - Tristan and Isolde Sonata for violin and piano
Anita Pari - Incongruous for two violins and piano
Massimo Guida - Three Compositional Studies in Gestures for two violins
Amy Beach - Romance for violin and piano
Béla Bartók - Romanian Folk Dances for violin and piano
Meet the Performers:
Alessia Disimino, Violin
Photo by Bo Huang
Award winning Toronto/Boston-based violinist is recognized for her thoughtful musicality and instinctive interpretations. Described as "one of Toronto's finest violinists" (Snapd Beaches/Danforth), she is the co-founder and violinist of the Bedford Trio (2016-current), the 2023/24 Guest Artist in Residence at the University of Toronto with the Bedford Trio, and founder and Director of Strings at the North York String Academy. Alessia has performed extensively as a chamber musician and soloist, and is the recipient of numerous awards. She has appeared as soloist and concertmaster with the North York Concert Orchestra, Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Toronto Concert Orchestra, and performs regularly with orchestras including Esprit Orchestra, Royal Conservatory Orchestra, and Kindred Spirits Orchestra. Alessia has performed in notable recital halls including Carnegie Hall (New York), Koerner Hall (Toronto), Walter Hall and MacMillan Theatre (University of Toronto), Sony Centre (Toronto), Haggar Hall (Notre Dame University), and Studzinski Hall (Bowdoin College, Maine). As a soloist, Alessia received a Fellowship to the prestigious Bowdoin International Music Festival (2022), a competitive subset of the Festival which invites only 30 musicians internationally each year. With the Bedford Trio, Alessia has concertized across Ontario, Canada and competed internationally.
Heng-Han Hou, Violin
Photo by Alice H Photography
Hailing from Taiwan, has emerged as a highly sought-after violinist with his intuitive musicality and captivating performances. He establishes himself as a versatile musician, performing as a soloist, chamber player, and orchestral musician. A notable crowning moment in his career was the honour of performing in the Coronation Orchestra for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, a rare opportunity bestowed upon only two individuals from outside the UK.
Recent solo highlights include being featured in the Shuffle Hour recital at the Toronto Summer Music. Heng-Han also looks forward to performing Bartok Violin Concerto No.1 with the Kindred Spirits Orchestra in March 2025. Since September 2020, Heng-Han has held the tenured Principal Second Violin position with the Regina Symphony Orchestra. Besides performing, Heng-Han has held multiple teaching assistantships for the University of Toronto. His excellence and commitment to teaching led him to be a coach in the Toronto Summer Music Community Program and the Lake George Music Festival in the United States.
Heng-Han received his Doctor of Musical Arts in violin performance at the University of Toronto in 2022 under the tutelage of Prof. Jonathan Crow. He recently joined the faculty of Brandon University for a one-year position.
Jialiang Zhu, Piano
Photo by Alice H Photography
is a co-founder of the Bedford Trio, who has been Artists in Residence at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music since 2021. The Trio adjudicates the annual U of T Piano Trio Composition Competition and frequently performs in the U of T New Music Festival. In 2023/24, Jialiang produces and performs in two concert series – “The Power of Words” and “Empowered by Friendship” – exploring her connections with fellow Canadian and international artists and showcasing their works of music and poetry.
Jialiang specializes in Chinese art song and has performed this repertoire with vocalists from different cultural backgrounds at Canadian Opera Company, Canadian Museum of Human Rights, University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, and University of Manitoba. Her article “Singing Classical Chinese Poetry” was published by Art Song Canada. Currently pursuing a Doctoral of Musical Arts Degree at the U of T under the tutelage of Lydia Wong, she is researching art songs inspired by classical Chinese poetry and creating a performance guide for non-Mandarin speakers.
Jialiang is a Chamber Music Coach the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists, sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge with new-generation musicians.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
CMC, 20 Saint Joseph Street, Toronto, Canada
CAD 15.50 to CAD 28.50