Young pianist to perform with Orchestra
Mount Doug’s Carolyn Tsao.
Email
Print
Letter to Editor
Share
The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra has had the distinction of bringing some of the brightest and most talented young musicians to the forefront.
Orchestra members encourage and promote the youth and give them the opportunity to play with a professional orchestra. Pianist Carolyn Tsao is one such talent.
Articulate and self-assured, Tsao’s maturity and attitude give a sense that she’s far older than her 15 years. When asked about other interests, she replied, “I consider myself a pretty dedicated student in school.”
Outside of school she spends time on the computer, doing homework and of course, practicing piano – at least 90 minutes a day and more if she has a performance coming up.
There are two such shows happening this weekend with the Sooke Philarmonic, entitled “An Evening with the Romantics.” One happens in Sooke tonight (June 26), the other tomorrow at the Alix Goolden Hall in Victoria.
Having just finished off Grade 10 at Mount Douglas secondary, Tsao said her future will most definitely involve the piano, but she also harbours goals of attending medical school.
In one performance with the Sooke Philly last year the young prodigy played a piece by Mozart, an experience she said was a lot of fun.
“I really like the people of the orchestra. They are so friendly. I enjoy them and (conductor/ music director) Norman (Nelson) is great.”
She performs frequently on the local scene and on May 17 performed for Members of the Legislative Assembly at Government House. In July 2008, Tsao participated in the prestigious International Music Bridge summer program in Calgary, where she received instruction from such world-renowned concert pianists as Anton Kuerti and Zhang Jin, the teacher of famed Chinese pianist Lang Lang.
Tsao performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra on two occasions in 2007, including at Symphony Splash. She also performed with the Mozart 250 Festival Orchestra and the Cathedral Festival Orchestra in 2005.
In 2007, Carolyn was the youngest recipient to receive the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival’s City of Victoria Silver Medallion, as the most distinguished pianist in the Open level. She played for Lt.-Gov. Steven Point and the Uruguayan Ambassador to Canada, as well as other government representatives from Canada, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
For this weekend’s performances, Tsao will play the complete Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Also on the program is Smetana’s “Three Dances from the Bartered Bride” and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8.
The Sooke show goes Friday at 8 p.m. at the Sooke Community Theatre, 6218 Sooke Rd. Saturday’s performance happens at 8 p.m. at the Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora Ave.
For more information about either show, call 250-642-2849 or go online to http://www.sookephil.ca.
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
v2
