From Ruth Gipps to Vivian Fung
Program
Gipps, Quintet for Oboe, Clarinet, and String Trio
Hindemith, Morgenmusik
Day, Ignition
Fung, Frenetic Memories for clarinet and string quartet
Program
Ruth Crawford Seeger - Music for Small Orchestra (1926)
Seare Ahmad Farhat - Muzzahaimat (2023) - Bay Area premiere
Vivian Fung - Ominous (2024) - West Coast premiere
Steve Reich Jacob’s Ladder (2023) - West Coast pemiere
Experience a bold new fusion of percussion and violin as Kristin Lee and Sandbox Percussion perform the DMV premiere of a new work by Vivian Fung, co-commissioned by Constellations.
Program:
Joan Tower To Sing or to Dance (Seattle Premiere) ECM co-commission
Gabriella Smith FIVE (World Premiere)
Vivian Fung New Work (World Premiere) ECM co-commission
Kristin Lee, violin | Sandbox Percussion, Ensemble in Residence: Jonny Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney, percussion
Curated and conducted by Brian Current, this special concert honours the extraordinary legacy of Sofia Gubaidulina (1931–2025) with a performance of Introitus, her deeply spiritual concerto for piano and chamber orchestra. Also featured are two bold contemporary works: Black Ice by Rashaan Allwood, a visceral reflection on unseen danger and structural inequality, and Ominous by Vivian Fung, a tense, vibrant work that explores precariousness and urgency through vivid textures. Together, these pieces explore vulnerability, voice, and transcendence through three distinct and powerful lenses.
Dvorak Symphony No. 7
Kalena Bovell, Guest Conductor
Aaron Smith, Percussion
Program
FUNG: Dust Devils
SÉJOURNÉ: Concerto for Marimba and String Orchestra (Aaron Smith, Percussion)
DVOŘÁK: Symphony No. 7 in D minor
Experience an exciting blend of contemporary and classical music, with a program that truly has something to offer every orchestral music fan. This evening's concert opens with two LPO premieres- Vivian Fung’s energetic Dust Devils, a vivid and energetic work inspired by nature's forces, and Emmanuel Séjourné’s virtuosic marimba concerto, featuring the talents of LPO’s own principal percussionist Aaron Smith. We end the night with one of Dvořák’s grandest works, his moody and passionate Symphony No. 7.
WOMEN CROSSING/ LIMINALITY
Friday, April 17, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Cha Chi Ming Hall, Bowes Center, SF Conservatory of Music, 200 Van Ness, SF and livestreamed on SFCM's Vimeo channel
FREE
Pre-concert talk at 7:00 p.m.
The culmination of E4TT's two-year exploration of women's immigration and identity and our sixth collaboration with the SF Conservatory of Music Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) Department, featuring:
Commissions by Juhi Bansal, Vivian Fung, and Pamela Z
Program
Haydn: Quartet in C Major, Op. 50, No. 2
Fung: String Quartet No. 5"Spiraling"
Beethoven: String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2
Program
Vivian Fung: Quartet "Spiraling" - New York Premiere
Haydn: Quartet in C Major, Op. 50, No. 2 (1787)
Felix Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat, Op. 20 (1825)—with members of the Ulysses Quartet
Concert will also be livestreamed
Ever wonder how professional musicians prepare for a concert? What does a professional rehearsal look and feel like? We invite you and your high school or middle school students to attend a working rehearsal as artists prepare for their upcoming concert at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Open Rehearsals include a pre-rehearsal discussion, rehearsal, and Q&A session with the artists. Attendees are also provided with a resource guide prior to the rehearsal to familiarize themselves with the repertoire they are about to experience.
All Open Rehearsals take place from 10:30 am–12:00 pm in the Rose Studio at CMS or Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.
Events are free with registration.
SONIC SPECTRUM IV
Kristin Lee, Violin
Sandbox Percussion (Jonathan Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian David Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney)
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center - Rose Studio at CMS
Program
Vivian Fung, Goddess//Insect
Joan Tower, Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra
Harrison, Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra
Program
Haydn: Quartet in C Major, Op. 50, No. 2 (1787)
Vivian Fung: Quartet "Spiraling"
Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36 (1945)
Described as “exhilarating” by The New York Times and “utterly mesmerizing” by The Guardian, GRAMMY® Award-nominated Sandbox Percussion is committed to highlighting living composers with fearless, boundary-pushing performances. Since their 2011 debut, they’ve wowed audiences worldwide with visually striking, sonically thrilling concerts that showcase the excitement and innovation of contemporary chamber music. Joining them is violinist Kristin Lee, praised in The Strad for her “elegance” and “vivacity and electric energy and founder and artistic director of Seattle’s Emerald City Music. Together at The Breakers mansion, they present a program featuring a new work by Vivian Fung titled “Goddess//Insect, co-comissioned by Newport Classical. Derived from the term ‘God-Bug Syndrome’ where a “’god complex’ (inflated self-importance) acts as a defense against deep-seated feelings of worthlessness,” says Fung. “I believe our world right now is facing these conflicting emotions.” Exploring the vibrant dialogue between violin and percussion, Lee and Sandbox Percussion bring this dynamic new work to The Breakers, along with music by two other women composers, Gabriella Smith and Joan Tower.
Program:
GABRIELLA SMITH FIVE
VIVIAN FUNG Goddess // Insect [Regional Premiere, Newport Classical Co-Commission]
INTERMISSION
JOAN TOWER To Sing or Dance
Every one of our composers for this special New@Night brings us music from the many corners and traditions of the Americas—north to south, east to west. We’ll hear selections from the great Brazilian master Heitor Villa-Lobos and Chinese Canadian composer Vivian Fung, plus dynamic new works by seven-time Grammy nominee Curtis Stewart, rising-star pianist/composer Clayton Stephenson, and the esteemed David Serkin Ludwig.
Come join our artists for lively conversation about these exciting contemporary works both before and after their performances.
Performance at the 2026 Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival
Few works announce themselves with the visceral impact of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. From its arresting opening notes, this iconic score speaks with a voice of searing honesty. Composed in the aftermath of World War I, it is widely regarded as one of the great masterpieces of the early 20th century as Elgar sheds the pomp of his earlier work in favor of introspection and quiet anguish, reflecting the recent loss of his wife and his post-war disillusionment. In the expressive hands of Johannes Moser and led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, the concerto’s lyricism and emotional vulnerability will resonate with seasoned audiences and newcomers alike.
The concerto is framed by music of restless motion as Vivian Fung’s Dust Devils sweeps listeners into a world of kinetic energy and swirling momentum, with vivid textures evoking the raw power of nature and the thrill of constant movement. The sense of urgency carries forward into Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, a work of dark intensity and dramatic sweep. Considered by many to be his greatest symphony, the Seventh channels Dvořák’s inner conflict and nationalist longing into a gripping symphonic statement you will need to see to believe.
Few works announce themselves with the visceral impact of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. From its arresting opening notes, this iconic score speaks with a voice of searing honesty. Composed in the aftermath of World War I, it is widely regarded as one of the great masterpieces of the early 20th century as Elgar sheds the pomp of his earlier work in favor of introspection and quiet anguish, reflecting the recent loss of his wife and his post-war disillusionment. In the expressive hands of Johannes Moser and led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, the concerto’s lyricism and emotional vulnerability will resonate with seasoned audiences and newcomers alike.
The concerto is framed by music of restless motion as Vivian Fung’s Dust Devils sweeps listeners into a world of kinetic energy and swirling momentum, with vivid textures evoking the raw power of nature and the thrill of constant movement. The sense of urgency carries forward into Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, a work of dark intensity and dramatic sweep. Considered by many to be his greatest symphony, the Seventh channels Dvořák’s inner conflict and nationalist longing into a gripping symphonic statement you will need to see to believe.
Few works announce themselves with the visceral impact of Elgar’s Cello Concerto. From its arresting opening notes, this iconic score speaks with a voice of searing honesty. Composed in the aftermath of World War I, it is widely regarded as one of the great masterpieces of the early 20th century as Elgar sheds the pomp of his earlier work in favor of introspection and quiet anguish, reflecting the recent loss of his wife and his post-war disillusionment. In the expressive hands of Johannes Moser and led by Music Director Peter Oundjian, the concerto’s lyricism and emotional vulnerability will resonate with seasoned audiences and newcomers alike.
The concerto is framed by music of restless motion as Vivian Fung’s Dust Devils sweeps listeners into a world of kinetic energy and swirling momentum, with vivid textures evoking the raw power of nature and the thrill of constant movement. The sense of urgency carries forward into Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony, a work of dark intensity and dramatic sweep. Considered by many to be his greatest symphony, the Seventh channels Dvořák’s inner conflict and nationalist longing into a gripping symphonic statement you will need to see to believe.
Beethoven’s beloved “Pastorale” Symphony is filled with imaginative musical depictions of birdsong, a flowing stream, a thunderstorm, and other sounds of country life. Edmonton-born Vivian Fung’s Parade, inspired by watching her 6-year old son in a parade following pandemic lockdowns, is a “celebration of community that also explores the journey from solitude to togetherness.” Camille Saint-Saëns often said, “form is the essence of art,” a principle that is eloquently realized in his compact Cello Concerto No. 1, featuring Montreal-born Jean-Guihen Queyras in his long overdue ESO debut.
Program
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”
Fauré, Élégie for Cello
Saint-Saëns, Cello Concerto No. 1
Fung, Parade
Beethoven’s beloved “Pastorale” Symphony is filled with imaginative musical depictions of birdsong, a flowing stream, a thunderstorm, and other sounds of country life. Edmonton-born Vivian Fung’s Parade, inspired by watching her 6-year old son in a parade following pandemic lockdowns, is a “celebration of community that also explores the journey from solitude to togetherness.” Camille Saint-Saëns often said, “form is the essence of art,” a principle that is eloquently realized in his compact Cello Concerto No. 1, featuring Montreal-born Jean-Guihen Queyras in his long overdue ESO debut.
Program
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”
Fauré, Élégie for Cello
Saint-Saëns, Cello Concerto No. 1
Fung, Parade
A live performance of music and poetry by Del Sol Quartet and poet Genny Lim, co-author of ISLAND, the first book of Angel Island poetry. This performance will amplify the experience of the Chinese diaspora on Angel Island through excerpts of their new project "Facing the Moon." The 45- minute concert includes new poetry by Genny Lim & music by Vivian Fung, Meilina Tsui, Theresa Wong, and Chinary Ung.
There will be one performance at 12:00 in the Detention Barracks Museum. Please note that the start time of this performance is subject to change.
There will be shuttles from Ayala Cove to the Immigration Station at 10:30 and 11:30 for the concert.
The performance is included in your $5 admission to the Detention Barracks Museum. Sign up below to let us know you’re attending.
Canadian composer Vivian Fung’s bold and vibrant Parade and Kevin Chen’s take on Mozart’s elegant Piano Concerto No. 17, filled with wit, sparkling interplay, and serene beauty, complement Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7—a fiery, dramatic, and powerful masterpiece regarded as one of his greatest.
TSO RBC Resident Conductor
Kevin Chen, piano
Vivian Fung: Parade
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453
Dvořák: Symphony No. 7
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
Conductor: Earl Lee
Soloist: Kerson Leong
Vivian Fung: Aqua
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
Sibelius’s Violin Concerto occupies rare territory—technically demanding, deeply expressive, and long admired by audiences. Kerson Leong returns to pour his talent into this haunting and expansive work. Vivian Fung’s Aqua brings a vivid, contemporary voice to the program, evoking shifting textures and fluid motion inspired by the natural world. The program closes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, a deeply introspective work spanning a range of emotions, from quiet melancholy to vibrant, almost frenetic intensity.
Canadian composer Vivian Fung’s bold and vibrant Parade and Kevin Chen’s take on Mozart’s elegant Piano Concerto No. 17, filled with wit, sparkling interplay, and serene beauty, complement Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7—a fiery, dramatic, and powerful masterpiece regarded as one of his greatest.
TSO RBC Resident Conductor
Kevin Chen, piano
Vivian Fung: Parade
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 17, K. 453
Dvořák: Symphony No. 7
Artistic Director Kristin Lee teams up with our three-time GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble-in-residence, Sandbox Percussion, for a groundbreaking performance featuring three new premieres. This cutting-edge program showcases the dynamic blending of violin and percussion quartet- an unforgettable experience that pushes the boundaries of chamber music.
Program:
Joan Tower To Sing or to Dance (Seattle Premiere) ECM co-commission
Gabriella Smith FIVE (World Premiere)
Vivian Fung Goddess//Insect (World Premiere) ECM co-commission
Kristin Lee, violin | Sandbox Percussion, Ensemble in Residence: Jonny Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney, percussion
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
Conductor: Earl Lee
Soloist: Kerson Leong
Vivian Fung: Aqua
Jean Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
Sibelius’s Violin Concerto occupies rare territory—technically demanding, deeply expressive, and long admired by audiences. Kerson Leong returns to pour his talent into this haunting and expansive work. Vivian Fung’s Aqua brings a vivid, contemporary voice to the program, evoking shifting textures and fluid motion inspired by the natural world. The program closes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, a deeply introspective work spanning a range of emotions, from quiet melancholy to vibrant, almost frenetic intensity.
Artistic Director Kristin Lee teams up with our three-time GRAMMY®-nominated ensemble-in-residence, Sandbox Percussion, for a groundbreaking performance featuring three new premieres. This cutting-edge program showcases the dynamic blending of violin and percussion quartet- an unforgettable experience that pushes the boundaries of chamber music.
Program:
Joan Tower To Sing or to Dance (Seattle Premiere) ECM co-commission
Gabriella Smith FIVE (World Premiere)
Vivian Fung Goddess//Insect (World Premiere) ECM co-commission
Kristin Lee, violin | Sandbox Percussion, Ensemble in Residence: Jonny Allen, Victor Caccese, Ian Rosenbaum, Terry Sweeney, percussion
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
Program
Li Huanzhi, Spring Festival Overture
Vivian Fung, Pizzicato
Zhao Jiping, Concerto No. 2
Chen Gexin, Gōngxǐ Gōngxǐ (恭喜恭喜)
Huang Ruo, Folk Songs
Grieg, Piano Concerto A Minor, Op.16–Mvt. I
Alison Yun Fei Jiang, The Mountain Paths of Shu are Treacherous! (Shǔ Dào Nán / 蜀道难) (World Première)
Liu Tieshan (刘铁山) & Mao Yuan (茅沅), Dance of Yao People
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
2026 Summer Series: Groove Café
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
The Del Sol Quartet residency is a UI String Quartet Residency Program / Center for Asian and Pacific Studies/ Obermann Center for Advanced Studies collaboration with support from the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Endowment Fund
Experience the sounds of Alberta with ESO Music Director Jean-Marie Zeitouni. This performance will feature music by familiar composers with connections to the province, including John Estacio, Zosha Di Castri, and Cris Derksen, and more, plus two exciting world premieres.
Program
John Estacio, King Arthur Suite: Picnic Bacchanale
Zosha Di Castri, Pentimento
Allan Gordon Bell, Sundogs Reel (ESO Premiere)
Joel Toews, Sleeping Giant (ESO Premiere)
Cris Derksen, Amiskkwacîwâskahikan (World Premiere)
Annika Schoenhardt, For the Star Chasers (World Premiere, Young Composers Project)
Vivian Fung, Earworms (ESO Premiere)
Jiannan Cheng, conductor
Yekwon Sunwoo, piano
Yazhi Guo, suona
Program
LI Huanzhi Spring Festival Overture
Xiaogang Ye Cantonese Suite, IV. Thunder in Drought
TRADITIONAL (arr. Albert Wang) Doraji
Kelly TANG Sketches of Singapore, II. Rasa Sayang
DU Mingxin Piano Concerto No.1 “The Elegance of Spring,” I. Largo – Allegro con spirito
-INTERMISSION-
HE Luting Evening Party
Vivian FUNG Pizzicato
WANG Jianzhong One Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix
Tyzen HSIAO The Angel from Formosa
ZHOU Long The Rhyme of Taigu
Maestro Peter Oundjian has been hailed as a masterful and dynamic presence in the conducting world and has developed a multi-faceted portfolio as a conductor, violinist, professor, and artistic advisor. He has been celebrated for his musicality, an eye towards collaboration, innovative programming, and an engaging personality.
Program:
Vivian Fung: Dust Devils
Fryderyk Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, op. 21
(Eric Guo, Grand Prize winner of The Robert W. and G Ann Corcoran Concerto Competition)
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, op. 74
"A Storm Within: The Music of Vivian Fung”
University of Toronto New Music Festival: Contemporary Music Ensemble
Wallace Halladay, conductor
Sophie Lanthier, flute
UofT Saxophone Ensemble
Walter Hall
Program
Vivian Fung: The Shaman Speaks (2009)
Vivian Fung: Ominous (2024)
Vivian Fung: Flute Concerto: “Storm Within” (2020-21)
(Sophie Lanthier, flute)
Unsuk Chin: Xi (1998)
UTNMF: Percussion Ensemble: Vis a Vis
Norbert Palej, festival coordinator
Music of Vivian Fung and Morton Feldman
Uri Mayer, conductor
Program
Fung – Earworms
Villa-Lobos – Chôros No. 10 (Rasga o Coração)
Korngold – Sinfonietta Op. 5
Program
In The Woods, Toru Takemitsu
Mythos, Andrew Staniland
A Tre, Ester Mägi
Twist, Vivian Fung
Program
Bright Angel, Roshanne Etezady
Wood Point, Ian Crutchley
Down and Dirty: III. Impassioned, Vivian Fung
Limbo, Jocelyn Morlock
The University of Toronto New Music Festival and the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing present a very special concert including works by Vivian Fung, the Roger D. Moore Distinguished Visitor in Composition, alongside works by student composers from the Faculty of Music.
