The young Chinese-Canadian marimbist PIUS CHEUNG has already been recognized as a master soloist on his unusual instrument.  His brilliantly played CD of Bach’s Goldberg Variations elicited a feature story in The New York Times which praised not only his technical feat of performing the intricacies of this keyboard work with 4 mallets, but also his “deeply expressive interpretation, notable for its clear voicing, eloquent phrasing and wide range of color and dynamics.”  The album has been heard in the U. S. on National Public Radio and in Canada on CBC Radio.  

After winning First Prize in the 2008 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Mr. Cheung made debuts in the Young Concert Artists Series at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.  As recipient of the Usedom Music Festival Prize, he also performed in Germany.  This season, Mr. Cheung’s appearances include a concerto with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Bill Eddins in Alberta and recitals at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC and at the Oberlin College Conservatory (OH).

In 2003, Mr. Cheung appeared as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center as winner of their annual concerto competition, and appeared as soloist with the British Columbia Chamber Orchestra and the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra in Canada.  He has performed marimba recitals at the Boston Public Library, Missouri State University, the University of Georgia, the Colonial Theatre (MA), The Paramount Theatre (VT), Jordan Hall in Boston, at the Bucks County Performing Arts Center (PA), and also in his native Hong Kong.

As a composer, Mr. Cheung’s Three Etudes won First Prize in the Classical Marimba League’s 2007 Composition Competition.  Among his other compositions are a Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra.

Mr. Cheung moved to Vancouver with his family at the age of 12.  He received his Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, his Artist Diploma from The Boston Conservatory, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate at the University of Michigan.  Mr. Cheung is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

*[pronounced Chung]