Piano Duets Unleashed: Exploring The Art of 4 Hands Mastery

About Foo Mei Yi

Winner of the 2013 BBC Music Magazine’s Best Newcomer award, Foo Mei Yi is recognised internationally as an innovative pianist with a diverse and eclectic repertoire. Described as ‘an artist with courageous individualism’ (Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen), her concerts are lauded for their ‘liberating’ and ‘virtuoso display’ (The Times) that show ‘astounding perfection and creativity’ (Unsuk Chin).

A prolific concerto soloist, Mei Yi has appeared with the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Nomad, Fort Worth Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Iceland Symphony, London Chamber Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Remix Ensemble, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the MPO, working with conductors such as Matthias Bamert, Martyn Brabbins, Claus Peter Flor, János Fürst, Pascal Gallois, Antony Hermus, Kirill Karabits, Peter Rundel, John Storgårds, Jonathan Stockhammer, Bas Wiegers, Mark Wigglesworth and Benjamin Zander. She has performed at the world’s most eminent festivals such as the Lucerne Festival, Ultraschall Festival Berlin, Huddersfield Festival, Suvisoitto Finland, Punkt Festival in Norway and Born Creative Festival in Tokyo.

As a new music advocate, Mei Yi works regularly with living composers including Dai Fujikura, Richard Baker, Chris Harman and Unsuk Chin. She was also the featured artist at Southbank Centre’s Music of Today series in 2017. Her award-winning solo album ‘Musical Toys’ and her chamber concerto CD ConNotations with the Britten Sinfonia have been met with unanimous critical acclaim.

A native of Malaysia, Mei Yi resides in the UK after completing her studies at the Royal College and Royal Academy of Music in London with Yonty Solomon, Chris Elton and Alexander Satz.  Currently, she holds a teaching position at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and was an Artist-in-Residence at the National University of Ireland 2022-2023. She was also awarded the medal of Setiawan Tuanku Muhriz for her contribution towards art and music in her home country.

About Ng Chong Lim

Hailing from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, pianist and composer Ng Chong Lim grew up in Seremban and studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London, under the tutelage of Professor Frank Wibaut. He also studied piano with Professor Elza Kolodin and composition with Professor Beat Furrer at the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, Austria.

Chong Lim has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician in many international festivals including the 3rd Asian Grand Piano Concert in Seoul, ‘Evmelia’ International Music Festival in Greece, 21st New Music Festival in Almaty, Kazakhstan (2014), International Taipei Piano Maestro Festival (2018), Perugia Music Festival in Italy (2019) and a concerto performance with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2022. He has served as juror of international competitions such as the ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition in Malaysia, The Jakarta International Piano Competition and Singapore International Piano Competition.

A keen composer, Chong Lim’s works have been premiered in various countries. Notable works include Three Sketches for Two Pianos(premiered in Taiwan, 2004), Rimba, Window and Xiang (by the MPO, 2006 and 2007), Amorphous for String Orchestra (at ‘Streams’ New Music Festival in Brauweiler, Germany, 2010), Footprints for Piano Solo (at John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, New Mexico, USA, 2011), Shadowsfor Piano and Malay Traditional Instruments (at International Festival Of Classical Music Kuala Lumpur, 2011).

Chong Lim was adjunct lecturer at Universiti Malaya and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore. He devotes his free time to charity work, helping homeless and underprivileged children both locally and in Nepal and Cambodia. For his great contribution to the Malaysian music scene, he was awarded STM (Pingat Setiawan Tuanku Muhriz – Associate Order of Loyalty to Tuanku Muhriz) by the Yamtuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan in 2011.

General Public: RM25

Participant*: RM200 per duo/slot

*to reserve your slot and register as participants, please email to talent@mpo.com.my

Foo Mei Yi and Ng Chong Lim will perform Piano Duo: A Celebration of Malaysian Talents concert with the MPO conducted by Gerard Salonga on Saturday, 25 May 2024.