Music at Noon Sept 12, 2024 Biographies

Sept. 10, 2024

Xueao Yang, Violin

Xueao Yang is a professional musician who has played in many major Canadian orchestras, including Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, where she served as the Associate Principal second violin.

Beyond her work as an orchestral musician, Xueao has performed at the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Zodiac Music Academy and Festival in France, the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and the Madeline Island Chamber Music Festival in the United States.

Xueao began to play the violin at the age of 4 and was accepted into the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing at the age of 12. She earned a Bachelor and a Master of Music at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. She also obtained a Performance Artist Certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Equally passionate about teaching, Xueao currently teaches violin at Laurier Academy of Music and Arts and runs a private studio. Her students have frequently participated in and won top prizes at the Kiwanis Music Festival.

Felix Hong, Piano

Having captured the Grand Prize of the prestigious Concours Prix d’Europe in 2017, as well as the Prix Jean Marchand for the best collaborative pianist in 2022, Felix Hong has been performing solo/ chamber music recitals extensively, as he is nominated in CBC's 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30, and one of the rising star artists in La Scena Musicale Magazine.

Born in Taiwan, Felix Hong studied with Ilya Poletaev at the Schulich School of Music and completed his B.Mus, plus an Artist Diploma. He completed his post-graduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England under the guidance of Ronan O'Hora and Joan Havill.

Felix has given performances in many prestigious concert venues; recent performances included Mozart Piano Concerto K271 at the memorial concert hall in Taipei, and piano trio performances at Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin. He was also featured as a soloist with the Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes de Montreal (Rachmaninoff 3rd), Voice of Spring Symphony Orchestra (Chopin 1st) and the Guelph Symphony Orchestra (Prokofiev 2nd).

Besides his musical activities, Felix is also an associate of the Society of Actuaries.

Jung Tsai, Violin

Based in Kitchener, Ontario, violinist Jung Tsai has performed extensively in the region where she serves as 2nd Associate Concertmaster in Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. Her other main appearances include performing as guest concertmaster and guest soloist with several local symphony orchestras in Ontario. Starting from 2024-2025 she will also join Canadian Opera Company in Toronto as sectional violinist.

Ms. Tsai is also a committed chamber musician in addition to her solo and orchestral performances. She has participated in the ensembles of string quartet and piano trio in the past which brought her to performances in North America. Recently she has been part of Coriolis chamber ensemble that has been annually presented in chamber series concert in Quebec and Ontario provinces.

Jung received her Bachelor degree in Mannes The New School for Music (New York), Master Degree in DePaul School of Music (Chicago) and Artist Diploma in McGill School of Music (Montreal). During her stay in United States she has won several prizes including winner of Mannes Community Concerto Competition, finalists of Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and Luminaries Fellowship winner of string category. Her past teachers include Nina Beilina, Ilya Kaler, Axel Strauss, Jonathan Crow and Denise Lupien.

Jung is currently teaching at the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts.