Tradition and Innovation

Derek Zhi Guang Chiu, piano (Steinway Artist) ; Laszlo Mezo, cello
 

Sunday, May 3 at 2:00 pm

VENUE: Sylvan United Church, Mill Bay

Please note that this concert starts at 2:00pm

Hungarian-born Mezo, recognized as one of the top cellists of his generation, joins acclaimed Steinway Artist Derek Chiu in a program of music by French, Hungarian and Italian composers. At the heart of this program is Franz Liszt, a composer whose musical identity bridges all three cultures. Debussy’s evocative colours, Piatti’s Italian brilliance, and the folk-infused fire of Bartók illuminates the distinctive yet interwoven sound worlds of these nations.
 
 

Programme

Background information

“Derek is an incredibly skilled and effective online music teacher. His vibrant personality and deep experience as an instructor make his online lesson engaging and productive. He has a top-notch studio setup and a broad capacity for using technology in his teaching. This creates a seamless and highly successful digital learning environment for his students.” – John Scully, Educational Online Program Specialist – The Royal Conservatory

Steinway Artist Derek Zhi Guang Chiu is a highly acclaimed Canadian pianist and music educator who has gained international recognition for his work. He is renowned for his versatility as a performer, music educator, clinician, adjudicator, and consultant. Chiu has garnered numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including the prestigious Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher Award in Calgary on three separate occasions. His accomplishments in the field of music education have earned him a highly respected position within the industry.

As a performer, Chiu has presented solo and chamber music recitals in Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United States. His orchestral engagements have encompassed performances with the Windsor Community Orchestra, Briercrest College Orchestra, Rockland Symphony Orchestras, The Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, and the Simon Fraser University Concert Orchestra. He has collaborated onstage with esteemed partners such as Roberto Cani, David Lakirovich, John Lowry, Laszlo Mezo, Sean Wang, and Dara Lynn Zusko.

Chiu is passionate about collaborating with living composers and has worked extensively to bring contemporary music to audiences worldwide. In 2021, he collaborated with Canadian composer Vince Ho on his composition The Twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals, Book 1. Chiu gave the world premiere performance of the pieces in 2022 in Canada, followed by subsequent performances in Germany, Italy, and the United States. In addition, he has worked with and performed the works of composers Michalis Andronikou and Margaret Boswell-Senyshen, further enriching his diverse repertoire. Looking ahead, Chiu will premiere a new work by up-and-coming Canadian composer Maggie Lu with the Kensington Sinfonia in their 2026/27 season, continuing his commitment to contemporary music.

Chiu’s expertise in online music education has been invaluable during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly when many music teachers faced the challenge of transitioning to remote teaching. He was sought out by other music teachers interested in establishing a virtual teaching presence. Chiu provides personalized consultations to teachers and demonstrates various online programs, resources, and apps that can enhance e-learning. He has also led professional development workshops to assist music teachers in adapting to online teaching.

Chiu is a dedicated piano pedagogue who has conducted pedagogical workshops on the use of technology in the teaching studio, cognitive practice, aural skills development, sight-reading, Baroque performance practice, and music memorization. His academic lectures have delved into the music of Bach, Chopin, Liszt, and Mozart. Chiu has presented at the Colorado State Music Teachers’ Conference, The Colburn School, The University of Windsor, and Lakehead University, among others. Additionally, he serves as a clinician for The Royal Conservatory of Music and has conducted workshops in both Canada and the United States.

In Calgary, Chiu maintains a private studio where his piano students have earned scholarships to attend undergraduate and graduate music schools. They have also received gold medals from The Royal Conservatory of Music and have won prizes at local, national, and international piano competitions. Beyond Calgary, he is on the Faculty of the Cremona International Music Academy (Italy) and the Vancouver Island Music Academy. Chiu is sought after as a master class clinician, ensemble coach, and guest teacher.

His extensive training includes mentorship with notable Canadian teachers Dr. E. Gregory Butler and Joel Hastings at The University of Windsor. While in Windsor, Chiu pursued additional studies in piano pedagogy with Dr. Thomas Green, Chief Examiner Emeritus of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Under the guidance of Solomon Mikowsky (featured in Benjamin Saver’s book “The Most Wanted Piano Teachers in the USA”) and Donn-Alexandre Feder at The Manhattan School of Music in New York, Chiu graduated with a Master of Music degree in 2003. During his studies at the Manhattan School of Music, Chiu was mentored in chamber music by pianist Daniel Epstein of the Raphael Trio and engaged in rigorous studies in Baroque and Classical performance practices with the late Kenneth Cooper, one of the world’s foremost music specialists in the music from those eras. Chiu has participated in master classes in Canada, Europe, and the United States, with instructors such as Janina Fialkowska, Robin Harrison, James Howsmon, Lorrin Hollander, Ramzi Yassa, Cecilio Tieles, and Jesus Angel Rodriguez.

He is an Ambassador for the Royal Conservatory and a member of their College of Examiners. Chiu is featured on CBC Music’s website, discussing the topic of teens and piano lessons.

Derek is also passionate about wine, with a particular fondness for French Bordeaux and Italian Barolo. He draws inspiration from the art of Giovanni Antonio Canal, commonly known as Canaletto, Henri Matisse, and his own grandfather, Ng Po Wan. Additionally, Derek is a fan of basketball, enjoying the sport for its blend of strategy, athleticism, and teamwork.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Laszlo Mezo gained national recognition as one of the top musicians of his generation when he won First Prize in the Kertész Ottó Memorial Competition at the young age of 18. Since then, he has won numerous other Competitions which have brought him international recognition including the Fourth Prize in the Antonio Janigro Junior International Competition in 1998, Second Prize in the International Dávid Popper Competition for Young Cellists in 2000, the Special Prize in the International Dávid Popper Cello Competition in 2004, and First Prize in the Ima Hogg International Competition in 2008.

Mr. Mezo has forged a career as a soloist, recitalist, master teacher, and chamber musician. He has performed extensively in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. Always eager to pass on his knowledge, Laszlo has conducted master classes in Japan, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, and the United States. Mr. Mezo was adjunct professor in cello at Chapman University
from 2012 to 2022 and he was Assistant Teacher at the University of Southern California between 2007 and 2008.

As a soloist, Mr. Mezo has performed with maestros Ádám Fischer, Thomas Wilkins, Grant Llewellyn, Zsolt Hamar. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated in recitals with pianists Kevin Fitz-Gerald, Steven Vanhauwaert, Gábor Farkas, Márta Gulyás, Piotr Folkert, and Balázs Szokolay, violinist Kristóf Baráti, cellist Philipp Muller, and the Bartók Quartet. He has also played under the direction of Zubin Mehta and Kent Nagano as a member of the Bayerische Staatsorchester in Munich, Germany.

Mr. Mezo holds master’s degrees from the Liszt Ferenc University of Music in Budapest and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. He graduated from the class of Ralph Kirshbaum at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Mr. Mezo is a member of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra and is also a sought after soloist and an active studio musician in Hollywood. He has played in many film scores, blockbusters including Star Wars, Super Mario, Ice Age, Life of Pi, Pirates of Caribbean, Wolverine, and The Lone Ranger.