A founding member of the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble will be back in front of an audience on Sunday (May 14) afternoon after an extremely long hiatus.
Yong Sun has been unable to perform at major concerts for two decades due to injuries suffered in 2002 and 2005.
“After that, I was completely disabled,” Yong told CBC Radio One Early Edition host Stephen Quinn on May 12.
Yong will play the dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) at the Spring Break concert in Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. According to Yong, he began feeling better about three years ago. As a result, he decided to write music at home.
“I’m a regular flute player but I cannot play regular flute yet,” Yong told Quinn. “The bamboo flute is easier for me. I do my best.”
Watch Yong Sun play the dizi (bamboo flute).
Chinese ensemble will feature guest soprano
He began mastering the dizi at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. From there, Yong attended the Boston Conservatory, where he earned a bachelor’s of music degree with honours. After that, he he obtained a master’s in music and bachelor of music education degree from UBC.
Yong will unveil new compositions in the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble’s Mother’s Day concert, which begins at 2 p.m.
In addition, the ensemble will present work composed by Michael O’Neil with guest soprano Emily M. Cheung. There will also be new arrangements by composer in residence Alan Lau.
The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble was created in 1989. It includes co-founder and erhu (Chinese two-stringed violin) player Jirong Huang, pipa player Guilian Liu, guzheng player Sarah Yusha Tan, ruan player Zhi Min Yu, cellist Allan Zhou, and sheng and suona
The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble will present Spring Break in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden at 2 p.m. on Sunday (May 14). For tickets, visit the ensemble’s website. Follow Pancouver on Twitter @PancouverMedia.
