City Hall Virtuosi Series: Viola Recital by Sun Yu

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has invited violist Sun Yu to stage a recital under the “City Hall Virtuosi Series” on July 31. With his superb viola skills, Sun Yu will play various music pieces specially written for the viola by famous composers, allowing the audience to appreciate the unique character and beautiful tones of the viola.

The recital will include a selection of compositions of different musical periods to comprehensively present the characteristics of the viola and its vital role in the history of Western music. The recital will start with the Baroque period by featuring “the father of classical music”, Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Clavier, BWV 1028”. This will be followed by Romantic composer Schumann’s “Märchenbilder, Op. 113”, and Paganini’s “Sonata per la Grand Viola, MS 70”. In the second half of the recital, Sun Yu will present contemporary composer and violist Hindemith’s “Sonata for Viola, Op. 31, No. 4” and “Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 11, No. 4”, drawing this journey of the viola to a perfect ending.

Sun Yu is currently the Principal Viola at Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and was the Principal Viola of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Sinfonieorchester Basel and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he continued his studies in Europe, and joined the Berliner Philarmoniker as guest viola and toured throughout Europe. He then served in the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra as a viola tutti. As a soloist, he has performed in chamber music concerts in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Korea and the Mainland.