Artistic Director and Conductor of the Philharmonia
Cheung Chau is Director of Orchestral studies at Utah Valley University and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Utah Valley Youth Symphony in Orem, Utah. He is also Music Director of Sinfonietta Polonia in Poznań, Poland, and principal guest conductor of the Changsha Symphony in Hunan, China. He served as Music Director of the Bloomington Symphony in Minnesota, the Central Pennsylvania Symphony and the Manchester Symphony in Connecticut, as principal guest conductor of the Lublin Philharmonic Orchestra in Lublin, Poland, and held director of orchestra positions at the Haverford College and the University of Connecticut.
As guest conductor, Chau conducted the Moscow Symphony in Russia, the Nordhausen Philharmonic and the Pro Artibus Hannover in Germany, the Filarmonica Marchigiana in Italy, the Gavle Symphony in Sweden, the Vaasa City Orchestra in Finland, the Williamsport Symphony, the Charlottesville Symphony, the Ballet West Orchestra, the Utah Valley Symphony, and the Utah Chamber Orchestra in the United States, the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic in Białystok, the Swietokrzyska Philharmonic in Kielce, the Lublin Philharmonic, the Sudecka Philharmonic, and the Warmia and Mazuria Philharmonic in Olsztyn in Poland.
In China, he led the China National Symphony, the Tianjin Philharmonic, the Wuhan Philharmonic, the Xiamen Philharmonic and the Hunan Symphony in Changsha. He was named permanent guest conductor of the Inner Mongolia Orchestra in 2007. Invited by Edo de Waart, Chau served as assistant conductor to the Hong Kong Philharmonic, conducting the orchestra in projects including the 2007 live world broadcast opening ceremony of the 10th anniversary celebration of Hong Kong’s Handover, with Chinese President Hu Jintao in attendance.
As ballet conductor Chau conducted productions of Giselle and Nutcracker with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and the Ballet West at the Harrisburg Whitaker Center and the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. He is a regular guest conductor at the Grand Opera and Ballet Theater in Poznań, Poland, where he conducted the world premiere of Alice in Wonderland in 2014. Chau also led the world premiere performance of Snow Queen in March of 2016 at the Grand Theater in Poznań. Since then, Chau led Alice in Wonderland and Snow Queen regularly in Poznań and at the prestigious Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz, Poland. In 2017, the world premiere recording of Snow Queen with leading Polish label Acte Prealable was awarded a Global Music Awards Silver Medal.
With Youth Orchestras Chau conducted, among others, the Sibelius Academy Orchestra, the Utah All-State Orchestra, the Changsha Symphony Youth Orchestra, as well as the Interscholarstic Association of Southeast Asian Schools Orchestras in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Jarkata.
An American Prize finalist in Conducting in 2016 and 2017 and a conducting fellow at the American Academy of Conducing in Aspen, Chau conducted concerts in venues including at Grosser Sendesaal des Rundfunks Berlin-Brandenburg, Grosser Sendesaal des Landesfunkhauses in Hannover, Beijing Concert Hall, Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, and the Adam Mickiewicz University Auditorium in Poznań, Poland.
As cellist Chau performed as soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Macao Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonietta Polonia in Poland, amongst others. Near future solo engagements include those with the Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra and the Utah Valley Symphony. He performed live for the Hong Kong Radio and Television Corporation, the China Central Television, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Irish Radio, Polish Radio Merkury, TVP Poznan and Utah Highway 89 Radio. He is a member of Atma Piano Trio, with pianist Slawomir Dobrzanski and violinist Blanka Bednarz. The ensemble performed in Germany, Sweden, Italy, Lithuania, China, US, and toured extensively in Poland. Chau can be heard as cellist on Polish label Acte Préalable in works by Maria Szymanowska, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Palester and Kletzki. He performed as soloist and chamber musician in the USA, Hong Kong, Macao, China, Germany, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden and Finland, performing at the Merkin Hall and the Yale Club in New York City, the Jordan Hall in Boston, the Fine Arts Recital Hall in Ambassador College in Pasadena, the Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City and the Beijing Concert Hall. He performs regularly at the Beethoven Festival Park City and the Harrisburg Market Square Concert Series, and collaborates with artists including John Novacek, Stephenie Chase, Jeffrey Solow, Russ Harlow, Leslie Harlow, Peter Sirotin, Fiona Thompson, Blanka Bednarz, Monte Belknap, Simon Gallo, among others.
Chau received the first double doctorate from the New England Conservatory in wind ensemble conducting and cello performance. He studied orchestral conducting with Jorma Panula at the Royal Conservatory of Sweden. Chau is a National Arts Associate in conducting with Sigma Alpha Iota in the USA.
“Cheung Chau led an impressive symphony concert in Sondershausen…and showed a powerful rendition of his skill…A musical firework unfolded before the audience, between the sinking softness and the euphoric feeling of youth. This interpretation made the greatness of the work (Schubert “Great” Symphony) understood instantly.”
—Ronald Urlig, Thueringer Allgemeine, Erfurt, Germany
“The tableaux (in Lithuanian Rhapsody by Karlowicz) are doubtlessly difficult to interpret, as they are emotionally dense, complex. However, the orchestra under Chau’s baton painted them in dark hues so very desirable in the first tableau, brightening the color spectrum accordingly in the subsequent episodes—in the subtle Andante tranquillo, dance-like Allegretto giocoso, all until the return of the initial nostalgia. One found great satisfaction and pleasure in listening to the “Lithuanian Rhapsody” precisely thanks to Chau’s consistent construction and progression of moods, apt graduation of emotions and logical narration.”
—Dorota Gonet, Gazeta.Wyborcza, Lublin, Poland
“Cheung Chau reminded us that he is not only a superb conductor but also an excellent cellist—he did so performing David Popper’s Hungarian Rhapsody.”
—Marek Zaradniak, Glos Wielkopolski, Poznań, Poland
Conductor
Violinist Blanka Bednarz is an alumna of the Jadwiga Kaliszewska Talent School in Poznan (Poland), University of Kansas and the New England Conservatory. She studied with Eric Rosenblith, Michelle Auclair, Ben Sayevich and (viola with) James Dunham, and chamber music with Patricia Zander and members of the Ying, Cavani, and Borromeo Quartets.
As soloist, she has performed with the Changsha Symphony, Connecticut Virtuosi, Symphony and Chamber orchestras of the New England Conservatory, Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonietta Polonia and the Delaware County Symphony. She has performed in the USA, United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Finland, China, the Netherlands and Lithuania, at the venues such as Jordan Hall in Boston, Miller Hall, An Die Musik, Philadelphia Ethical Society, Kosciuszko Foundation, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Grosser Sendesaal des Rundfunks Berlin-Brandenburg, the Beijing Concert Hall and Adam Mickiewicz University Auditorium in Poznan. She can be heard on Capstone Records, Acte Prealable and Musica Omnia.
Bednarz is an avid chamber musician. She participated in series and festivals, such as the Highlands-Cashier Chamber Music Festival, Candlelight Series in Baltimore, the Beethoven Festival Park City, Chopin Festival in Miami, FL in the USA, and “Chopinesque Confrontations”, “International Festival of Organ and Chamber Music” in Słupsk, Mozart Festival in Poznan and Chanterelle Festival in Gołuchów in Poland, on invitations from organizations such as the Chopin Foundation of the United States, Kościuszko Foundation, Karol Szymanowski Society, Polish Embassies in Beijing and Berlin. With Atma Trio she performed throughout Europe and the United States, and in China. Atma Trio’s CD, on the leading Polish label Acte Préalable, was highly praised in Muzyka 21: “Excellent piano trios by Mendelssohn and Ravel in masterful rendition.”
She collaborated with renowned artists such as John Novacek, Barry Snyder, Rita Sloan, Brian Ganz, Doris Stevenson, Jeffrey Solow, Simon Gollo, Manuel Ramos, Adrian Levine, Monte Belknap, Richard Stoltzman, Leslie and Russell Harlow, members of Boston, St. Louis and Baltimore Symphonies, Corigliano and Amernet Quartets, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Alarm Will Sound, Harrisburg, Utah and the Baltimore Symphonies. In 2007-08 Bednarz joined as the first violinist the Vega String Quartet-in-residence at Emory University in Atlanta, GA (“marvelous foursome,”).
Bednarz is currently faculty of the University of Utah and Utah Valley University, and the International Musicians Academy http://internationalmusiciansacademy.com/
She taught at Dickinson College, the Young Artist Institute under Beethoven Festival Park City (UT), NEC Preparatory School and Emory University. She coached chamber music at International Musical Arts Institute, ME; the International Music Institute and Festival, MD (www.imif.us), at Franklin Pond in Atlanta, at the Gifted Music School in Salt Lake City. She has given master classes at universities and colleges in the USA, Poland and China. Bednarz is concertmaster of Sinfonietta Polonia (https://www.sinfoniettapolonia.pl). She served as concertmaster of Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra. She is also Executive Director and a conductor of Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra (www.uvyso.org) as well as Associate Conductor of Utah Valley Symphony (https://www.utahvalleysymphony.org/
CD of Matthew Bengtson and Blanka Bednarz, Karol Szymanowski: Music for Violin/Piano; Piano Solo (2017 on Musica Omnia) was awarded a Global Music Awards Silver Medal – Outstanding Achievement in classical and instrumental/instrumentalist category. Bednarz was also a finalist in chamber music category and received an honorable mention as soloist in the American Prize Competition. Of Szymanowski CD: “Blanka Bednarz is clearly a remarkable violinist…” –D. Morrison, Fanfare, Jan./Feb., 2018
“Blanka Bednarz is clearly a remarkable violinist…” –Daniel Morrison, Fanfare.
“Outstanding Polish violinist.” –Marek Zaradniak, Glos Wielkopolski, Poland
Director and Conductor of the Utah Valley Youth Symphony Emeritus
Matthew Wendell was the first of his family to graduate from a university. He began his classroom teaching career in 2010, after earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Utah. His philosophy of music education focuses on cultivating young musicians through the development of personal character and musicianship. Mr. Wendell motivates students by sharing his passion for music as one of life’s most powerful unifying forces. An active performer with a background in classical and jazz idioms, Matthew currently performs on trumpet with the Utah Millennial Choir and Orchestra and the Utah Valley Symphony. Mr. Wendell serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Utah Valley Youth Symphony where he is also a conductor and coach. He is a certified Utah Change Leader with the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. He held coaching positions for Salem Hills High School Marching Band, Spanish Fork High School Marching Band, and the Spanish Fork Junior High Wrestling team. His most influential teachers: Peter Margulies, James Nova, Scott Haggen, Robert Baldwin, Larry Livingston, Peter Boonshaft, Robert Ponto, Anthony Maiello, Paula Crider, Col. Mike Bankhead, and Thomas Leslie. He is an alumnus member of Mu Phi Epsilon and Phi Theta Kappa. Current memberships include the National Bandmasters Association, National Association for Music Education, Utah Bandmasters Association, Utah Music Educators Association, American Society for Public Administrators, and the Aikido Association of America. Mr. Wendell’s contagious passion for music and music education has also inspired some of his former students to pursue undergraduate and graduate music degrees. To further his own education, Matthew has earned a Master of Arts in Band Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, TX. Mr. Wendell has been nominated for the Worldstrides Onstage Teacher of the Year in 2018. Mr. Wendell has been the Band Director at American Leadership Academy, since August 2018.