| L y n n K u o |
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Photo Credit: BO HUANG
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“…. Lynn Kuo’s violin is dramatic, both rousing and melancholy..." - Showtime Magazine "NEXUS presented the world premiere of “PHOENIX” by Canadian composer, Elizabeth Raum…. The solo violinist for this premiere performance was Lynn Kuo, a native of St. John's, Newfoundland, whose virtuosity and musicianship were readily apparent throughout." - Nexuspercussion.com
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Violinist Lynn Kuo has appeared as soloist and chamber musician across Canada, United States, Wales, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania. As guest soloist, she has performed with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Sinfonietta, Brandon Chamber Players, Nexus percussion ensemble, Bulgaria’s Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Croatia’s Cantus Ensemble, and Hungary’s gypsy orchestra, Rajkó Band.
In demand as an interpreter of new music, Lynn has given numerous world premieres of acoustic and electroacoustic works written for her and various ensembles by international composers: Michael Pepa (six works), Dennis Patrick, Daniel Foley, Elizabeth Raum, Scott Godin, James Harley, John Oliver, Constantine Caravassilis, Avalon Rusk (Canada), Séan Clancy (Ireland), Katarina Miljković (Serbia/USA), and Viktorija Ćop (Croatia). In 2008-09, Lynn gave both the Canadian and European premieres of a fifth Michael Pepa work (ISOMORPHE) as soloist with the Cantus Ensemble of Croatia, as well as led the Les AMIS Ensemble in world premiere performances of Canadian compositions at the 2009 Music Biennale Festival in Zagreb, Croatia. In Bulgaria, Lynn gave performances of the Mendelssohn Concerto in D minor with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in Bulgaria and the Chausson Concerto for Piano, Violin and String Quartet with Marianna Humetska, piano and the Penderecki String Quartet in Romania and Serbia.
Lynn continues to collaborate with leading artists, having performed solo and chamber works with artists such as pianist William Aide, pianist/conductor Christoph Eschenbach at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Germany), the Gryphon Trio at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, and at the soundaXis Festival (Toronto), University of Toronto New Music Festival, and Music Biennale Zagreb Festival (Croatia). Lynn has led Toronto’s Les AMIS Ensemble in three European tours (2005, ’07, ‘09) (members have included: Marianna Humetska, piano; Rachel Mercer, cello; Lori Freedman, clarinet; Joseph Macerollo, accordion; and Katarzyna Sadej, mezzo-soprano), as well as performs numerous duo recitals with Ukrainian Canadian pianist Marianna Humetska.
Lynn has also formed exciting performance collaborations with cellist Winona Zelenka as well as Vancouver guitarist/composer, John Oliver, (violin/guitar duo, Duo Vita). 2010-11 collaborations include performance projects with Canadian accordionist Joseph Petric, a NAXOS CD recording of Nino Rota music with pianist Mary Kenedi, two European tours as head of the Les AMIS Ensemble (Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, Croatia). Maintaining a busy performance schedule, Lynn serves both as Assistant and Guest Concertmaster of the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra, and has also served as guest concertmaster of orchestras including the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Lynn also performs with the Canadian Opera Company, Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing, Lynn is also a doctoral candidate in the Doctoral of Musical Arts program at the University of Toronto for which her dissertation research is “Holistic Health and its Role in the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Musicians.”
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T h o m a s Y e e |
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Pianist Thomas Yee, from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada has won First Prizes in over 20 national and international competitions. Most recently, Dr. Yee earned an unprecedented distinction from his alma mater, Memorial University of Newfoundland - he was presented with the Horizon Award for Lifetime Achievement under the age of 35 for extraordinary professional, volunteer, and academic achievement. Highlights of his career include winning top prizes at the Josef Hofmann International Piano Competition where he was also awarded a special prize for the best performance of the imposed piece, Ludmilla Kneskova International Piano Competition where he also won a special prize for best etude, Le Tremplin International (International Stepping Stone) where he also won a special prize for best contemporary work, Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Association Schubert Recital Competition, Concours de Musique du Canada, Young Artists Concert Tour Series Competition, and the Eastman-Hamamatsu Piano Competition among others.
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Dr. Yee earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland where he studied with Maureen Volk and received the University Medal for Academic Excellence. He received his Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder where he studied with Angela Cheng and Alvin Chow. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with and was teaching assistant of Nelita True. He has also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Currently, he is enjoying his eighth year at UH and is presently Associate Professor and Associate Music Department Chair. He has also served on the faculty at the State University of New York at Buffalo. As a chamber musician he is a member of a faculty trio, Trio Xia, with flutist Dr. Frederick Lau and cellist Dr. I-Bei Lin. Trio Xia has completed two concert tours of Taiwan and one in Japan. He is also a member of Trio Benetri, with violinist Lynn Kuo and cellist Rafael Hoekman.
As a respected teacher, his students have won top prizes in state and regional competitions, including five winners of the Honolulu Symphony Concerto Competition and two winners of From The Top's Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Artist Award.
Dr. Yee has performed as guest soloist with orchestras throughout Canada and the United States and has performed extensively as soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative artist. He was Guest Artist and Juror at the Besparmak International Piano Competition and Festival in Cyprus. Notable past engagements included a performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Honolulu Symphony and the Tchaikovsky Concerto with the UH Symphony Orchestra. Recent engagements include a performance of Liszt's Totentanz with the UH Band, Grieg Concerto with the Hawai'i Youth Symphony, Tchaikovsky Concerto with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, a concert tour of China and an upcoming tour of Taiwan. Dr. Yee has received generous financial assistance from the Liberace Foundation, Canada Council, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, University of Hawai'i Research Council, and the College of Arts and Humanities.
Through Plan Canada, Dr. Yee is proud to be the foster parent of a 13 year old boy from Haiti named Dukervens. An avid runner, Dr. Yee is thrilled to have completed the 2009 Honolulu marathon in 1890th place, a 62 minute improvement over the past two years, and is extremely motivated to go faster!
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R o b y n B r e e n |
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Robyn Breen is a 22 year old dance artist from St. John's. She has recently completed her studies at York University and will receive her BFA (Honours) in Dance this coming October. This past year she had the pleasure of studying choreography with Carol Anderson and Limon technique with Donna Krasnow. In September, Robyn will begin another professional training program at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre. She is excited to work alongside dance educators like Julia Sasso and Christopher House. As a choreographer, Robyn has created a number of contemporary dance pieces, and most recently premiered "Spoiler Alert!" in Toronto, Ontario. When creating this piece, she had the opportunity to work with Danny Grossman as her outside eye. In 2008, Robyn created NewFoundDance which has produced two shows in St. John's, and one in Toronto, as well as held many workshops and open classes. Robyn's newest solo, to be premiered at "Apostles" touches on the roles women have played in a religious world. Inspirations for choreography include "The Thornbirds", her great-grandmothers diary, Hildegard von Bingen, Father David, Martha Graham, "God Wears Lipstick", Kabbalah, The Holy Bible, "Blood Memory" and Robyn's own personal struggles with belief.
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Dancer, choreographer and dance educator Jill Dreaddy, started dancing at the age of 5 in her native St. John's. As an eagar young dancer Jill studied at Quintee Ballet School and has travelled to various Canadian Cities, England, LA and New York for open classes, workshops and courses. After graduating from dance college she established her 1st dance school in 1997, JILL DREADDY DANCECO located in CBS, and expanded with a second location in St. John's in 2006. Jill performed with El Viento Flamenco, a Halifax based Flamenco Company, from 1999-2004 and toured across Newfoundland and Labrador and parts of Nova Scotia. Jill continues to perform and travel regularly.
Choreography Credits:
Oliver! for Holy Heart (1998)
Princess and the Pea for Holy Spirit (2000)
Evita for Beothuck Players (2001)
Gypsy for TaDa! Events (2007)
Rocky Horror Picture Show for TaDa! Events (2009)
Little Shop of Horrors for Holy Heart (2009)
Jill is thrilled to have 2 of her students Heidi Dowden and Erica Gosse perform the piece you will see at the show.
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