Jonathan Lo, Cello
Christine Ngai, Piano
Canadian cellist Jonathan Lo has performed throughout North America and Europe as a soloist and chamber musician, and has appeared as soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. His chamber music collaborations have led to performances with Geoff Nuttall, Mark Steinberg, Lynn Harrell, Dasol Kim, and Louis Schwizgebel; additionally, he has worked closely with leading composers of our time such as Osvaldo Golijov, Oliver Knussen, and Shulamit Ran.
Jonathan was the founding cellist of the Rolston String Quartet, winners of the 12th Banff International String Quartet Competition and the first international ensemble to receive the Cleveland Quartet Award. Praised for their “maturity and cohesion rivaling the best string quartets in the world” (Musical Toronto), they performed throughout North America, Europe, and Israel, in such concert halls as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Wigmore Hall.
In January 2024, Jonathan joined the cello section of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. For the 2021/22 season, Jonathan served as acting principal cello of the Vancouver Opera. He regularly performs at Music in the Morning, and with musical intima, Standing Wave, and the Turning Point Ensemble. He has given masterclasses at the University of Toronto, University of Calgary, and La Jolla SummerFest, and teaches cello and chamber music at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
Jonathan holds degrees from Rice University, the Juilliard School, and the Eastman School of Music, as well as fellowships from Yale School of Music, and the Rebanks Family Fellowship Program at the Glenn Gould School. His major teachers include Norman Fischer, Desmond Hoebig, Andrés Díaz, Joel Krosnick, Steven Doane, and Audrey Nodwell.
A Vancouver-based pianist, Christine Ngai has performed across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Among her major awards are First Prize in the Canadian Music Competition, a Gold Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music, and scholarships to Indiana University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Music with Distinction in Piano Performance. Following this, she earned a Master of Music degree and a CSPM (Certificat de stage de perfectionnement en musique) from the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal, studying under André Laplante. Christine has played in masterclasses for renowned pianists such as André Laplante, John Perry, Wei-Yi Yang, and Yoheved Kaplinsky, among others. Although her academic focus was on solo performance, she also dedicated significant time to ensemble playing and now maintains an active schedule as a collaborative pianist, performing with strings, winds, brass, and voice.
This recital is generously sponsored by VWMS member Jennifer West and (TBD).
Concert Program TBD