Sun Valley Artist Series info@svartistseries.org PO Box 1379 Sun Valley, ID 83353
Sun Valley Artist Series is funded in part by a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts
Rachel Cheung Wai-Ching, piano
Rachel was awarded numerous scholarships including ‘The Robert H.N.Ho Family Foundation Scholarship’, ‘The Coutts Bank Scholarship’, ‘Lee Shuk Chee Memorial Scholarship’ , ‘Hong Kong Music Scholarship’ and was sponsored by the ‘Simon K.Y. Lee Foundation’ . In 2011, she was awarded the ‘ Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund Scholarship’, ‘Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation Scholarship’, ‘Bernard van Zuidan Music Fund Scholarship’ and ‘School of Music Staff Prize Scholarship’.
As a recognition for making outstanding achievements in the promotion of arts and culture in Hong Kong, Rachel was awarded the ‘Certificate of Commendation’ by the Hong Kong Government in 2004. In May 2010, she received the ‘Award for Young Artist 2009’ presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.
Rachel has performed frequently in Hong Kong and overseas. She made her debut at the City Hall Hong Kong and Uruguay through the sponsorship of the Hong Kong Chopin Society .In 2005 Rachel performed a solo recital at the 33rd Hong Kong Arts Festival as the youngest soloist ever of the festival. She was invited to perform in the ‘Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Vladimir Horowitz Concert’ in Kiev, concert tours of United States for two consecutive years. Rachel was also invited to take part in many prestigious international music festivals including the 9th Musical Olympus International Festival in Russia ,The International Chopin Festival in Duszniki, Poland, Virtuosos of Planet 2006 in Kiev, Ukraine, The Festival Transeuropéennes in Rouen, France, Miami International Piano Festival and the Golandsky Institute International Piano Festival.
She made her debuts at the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris and the Steinway Hall in London in October 2009. In November 2012, she also made her first appearance at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto.
As an active chamber musician, Rachel was invited to perform in chamber music festivals including the Musicus Fest organized by the Musicus Society in 2013 and 2014. She has worked with world-renowned musicians including Vladimir Mendelssohn, Dong-Suk Kang, Jan-Erik Gustafsson, Ning Feng, Trey Lee, Latica-Honda Rosenberg, Jens Peter Maintz, Virpi Räisänsen and Jian Wang.
She has collaborated with many orchestras including The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn , Orchestra at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Junior Chamber Orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra with Edo de Waart, the Hallé Orchestra with Sir Mark Elder and the Sydney Symphony under the baton of Vladimir Ashkenazy.
Rachel’s first DVD –‘ RACHEL CHEUNG – KEYBOARD PRODIGY LIVE IN RECITAL MIAMI INTERNATIONAL PIANO FESTIVAL 2005’ was released by VAIMUSIC in June 2007; and her first CD, under the Alpha Omega Sound label of the Chopin Society of Hong Kong, was released in 2009.
Born in Hong Kong, Rachel Cheung received her first piano lessons when she was four years old, and studied with Prof. Eleanor Wong at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts at the age of ten. After receiving her Bachelor of Music Degree with First Class Honors at the HKAPA, she continued her studies with Prof. Peter Frankl and graduated with a Master of Music Degree from the Yale School of Music, where she was awarded the Elizabeth Parisot Prize for outstanding pianists in the 2011/2012 school year.
Rachel became a young Steinway Artist in January 2011.