Van-Anh Nguyen & Chris Pidcock: The Acoustic Set

Sunday 28th September, 2014, 6.00pm- 7.15pm*

Please note there will be no intermission

Both with an intense touring and performance schedule, international concert pianist, producer and composer Van-Anh Nguyen comes together to join forces with SSO cellist Chris Pidcock in a one night only duo concert.

The Acoustic Set includes an evening of original and arranged works by Janacek, Kapustin, Bon Iver, Above & Beyond, Radiohead, Sia, Arcade Fire, Zedd and more!

VAN-ANH NGUYEN

Described by Michael Kieran Harvey (concert pianist and composer) as ‘a true talent…she will be a great hit wherever she goes’, Van-Anh Nguyen is a passionate Australian-Vietnamese versatile pianist, producer and composer amidst teacher, tv host, blogger and model.

Incorporating music, fashion, lighting, DJs and her contagious personality, any concert experience with Van-Anh will leave you wanting to know more, to hear more and to feel more.

Born in Sydney, 1987 to Vietnamese refugee parents, Van-Anh started learning the piano at the tender and astounding age of 15 months with both of her parents (of whom are both professional musicians). By the age of 4, she was accepted into the Young Artists Program for gifted & talented musicians at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. By the age of 9, she had obtained her Associate Diploma in Music (Australia), and at aged 12, received her Licentiate Diploma in Music (Australia), making history as one of the youngest in her generation. She has given numerous media performances across all major Australian TV channels, on radio 2MBS-FM and the ABC since the age of 5.

Having won several prizes nationally and internationally, she now is published across international magazines including Elle, Esquire and most recently TV host on Discovery Channel.

She currently has three independent albums out including her solo piano album ‘Mise-en-scene‘ (2008), her classical-crossover album ‘Tonalita‘ (2012) and her piano and duo album with Melbourne based cellist, Chris Howlett entitled ‘Sentimentales‘ (2013). She is soon to release a collaboration Broadway/Opera album.

Her bubbly personality and emotive playing has graced the stages Australia including the Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall, Parramatta Riverside Theatres, Spensers Live as well as at events such as the Mostly Mozart Series, World Youth Day 2008, the Chinese Chamber Music Festival, Crossroads Music Festival, Australian Festival of Chamber Music and various charity events.

In November 2005, Van-Anh made her solo debut in Vietnam with the Ho Chi Minh City Symphony Orchestra and has continued giving annual concerts with the Australian Embassy. She maintains an intense touring schedule globally. Van-Anh is the consummate pianist.

To follow Van-Anh’s blogs and vlogs, subscribe to

www.vananhofficial.com and

www.youtube.com/vananhnguyenmusic

CHRIS PIDCOCK (CELLO)

Canberra cellist Christopher Pidcock obtained his Bachelor of Music degree from the Tasmanian Conservatorium, studying under Christian Wojtowicz. At Sydney University he completed a Graduate Diploma in Music (Performance) in 2006 under Georg Pederson, and a Master of Music (Performance) in 2010 under Uzi Wiesel.

In 2007 a Churchill Fellowship allowed him to travel to Germany to study with Anner Bylsma, Peter Bruns and Gavriel Lipkind. He performed the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Neue Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and gave recitals at the Schumann-Haus, Euro Arts Festival (Leipzig), and the Radolfzell Summer Festival. On his return in 2008 he attended the Australian National Academy of Music on full scholarship.

In 2010-2012 he studied with Hans Jørgen Jensen at Northwestern University, Chicago, completing a performance certificate. He was also a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, performing in concerts with Yo-Yo Ma, Riccardo Muti, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Jaap van Zweden.

Highlights have included the 2008 International Cello Congress (Israel), first prize in the 2007 Gisborne International Music Competition (New Zealand), European tours with the Australian Youth Orchestra (2007) and Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra (2009), as well as concertos with the Christchurch and Adelaide symphony orchestras and the Adelaide Chamber Players, and performances with Charmian Gadd and Katherine Selby. In 2010 he was a String finalist in the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards.