Her Many Facets
In conjunction with Women’s Month, Sopranos Wong Ming Li and Chew Shi Yun, together with Pianist Iau Jo Yee (www.versespj.com) will present a program of arias and art songs, showcasing the many facets of women. The all-girl team will perform iconic arias from the Baroque period to the Romantic period, bringing to life characters such as Queen Cleaopatra (from Giulio Cesare), the innocent Pamina (from The Magic Flute) and the sultry Musetta (from La Bohème). The program then continues with the ladies presenting arts songs from France, China and Italy.
Aria Cleopatra: Piangero la sorte Mia (Giulio Cesare - Handel)
Zerlina: Batti, batti, o bel Maserto (Don Giovanni - Mozart)
Musetta: Quando m’en vo (La Bohème - Puccini)
Art Song Lied: Als Luise die Briefe ihres ungetreuen Liebhabers verbrannte (Text: Baumberg, Composer: Mozart)
Italian art song: Ridente la calma (Text: unknown, Composer: Mozart)
Chinese art song: Song of the Viet Boatman 越人歌 (Text: 528 BC, Composer - Liu Qing)
Waltz: Il Bacio (Text: Aldighieri, Composer: Arditi)
Iau Jo Yee (Piano)
Iau Jo Yee was awarded Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from Birmingham Conservatoire in 2016. During her 3-year course in Birmingham Conservatoire, Jo Yee studied with Jan Loeffler and Philip Martin. She was active as an accompanist for both instrumentalists and vocalists, and has participated in various piano competitions and music festivals aside from her annual recitals. During her senior year, she had the opportunity to perform with the City of Birmingham Youth Symphony Orchestra, and has also won the Marjorie Hazlehurst Piano Award for her recording a full-length CD featuring works by Tatum, Schulhoff, Gershwin and Antheil.
Jo Yee is now teaching piano in MIA, ASWARA and Yamaha Sonata Music and Art. She is also frequently sought after as an accompanist for exams, recitals, competitions, gigs.
She recently performed as a guest pianist in Heart 2 Heart Charity Gala Night organized by Malaysian celebrity Lee Sinje. Apart from performing, Jo Yee is also interested in music scoring and arrangement. She was one of the programme arrangers of Young Malaysians Go Classics II (2017), and the programme leader and one of the key performers of Yamaha Sonata Music and Artâ's first major public performance: Dear Parents Concert 2018.
She was also one of the recipients of the Young Song Weavers Scholarship Program and performed in the Rossini's Heart and Soul (2018) as an accompanist and soloist. In March 2019, Jo Yee was invited to perform with bass trombone principal of SÃo Paulo State Symphony Orchestra (Brazil), Darrin Milling at the 'First Brass Weekend with Darrin Milling', hosted by The British International School in Kuala Lumpur.
Wong Ming Li (Soprano)
B.A (Vocal Performance), Nanjing Normal University ATCL, Trinity College London
Winner of: 2014 Ching Yong Young Singer’s Competition & Vocal Scholarship 2019 Malaysia National Classical Singing Competition: Champion (Female- Central Region)
2019 Malaysia National Classical Singing Competition: 3rd Runner Up (Female- National)
Ming Li received her early vocal training from Low Kok Yau, Wong Wai Quan and Tan Kar Ghee, before furthering her voice education in Nanjing Normal University, in the studio of Assistant Professor Chen Jie.
While in China, she was an active soloists, both for the prestigious university choir, and as a solo recitalist. While in China, she was frequently selected as lead singer for the prestigious university choir, which received gold prize for two consecutive years in the Jiangsu Zijin Choir Festival and in 2018, the top prize in the All-China University Students Performing Arts festival. In Malaysia, Ming Li was involved in the musical “Magic Mirror” at the Istana Budaya – a joint production between Malaysia and China.
Ming Li now teaches voice and performs regularly with the KL Madrigal Singers and VerSeS around the Klang Valley.
Chew Shi Yun (Soprano)
Penang born soprano Chew Shi Yun holds Diploma in Musician Building from Te Deum Music Workshop. She pursued her piano performance and collaborative piano under the tutelage of renowned pianist Elaine Pao. She also studied vocal performance with sopranos Cecilia Yap, Mei Foong Ang, Chiong Rong Lu, tenor Solomon Chong and tenor Peter Chung.
Over the years, Shi Yun has appeared as an active concert soloist and chorister in collaboration with conductors Elaine Pao (Yin Qi Choir), Caeleb Tee (Yin Qi Choir) and Dr. David Chin (Bachfest Malaysia).
Shi Yun currently serves as the Director of Yin Qi Children’s Choir and Subang City Discipleship Presbyterian Chinese Church Choir and sings with Yin Qi Chamber Singers and performs with KL Madrigal Singers (by VerSeS).