On his quest to explore parts unknown, celebrated pianist David Fung will make his way to Prince George to perform with the local symphony orchestra.
The Grieg Piano Concerto is a Prince George Symphony Orchestra (PGSO) mainstage performance taking place at Vanier Hall on Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m.
Grieg's thunderous opening of the piano concerto is just the beginning of one of the greatest Romantic piano concertos and that is the masterpiece Fung will perform while in Prince George.
Also being performed during the show are pieces from Jean Sibelius and British Columbian composer Leslie Opatril. The concert ends with Dvorak's infectious Czech Suite.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome a world-class talent like David Fung to our stage and to our community," said Ken Hall, executive director of the PGSO.
“Not only is he an incredibly accomplished international soloist, but he is choosing to come here in the prime of his career. We are proud to present this amazing artist to Prince George.”
Known around the world for his refined, elegant yet uncommonly expressive performances, Fung is a frequent guest of the world's premiere orchestras.
Based in Vancouver and New York, Fung said during his travels he has come to know people from Prince George.
“A part of my new chapter in life is to explore more,” Fung said during a telephone interview with The Citizen.
“Having heard about Prince George I am very keen to visit and I’m very much looking forward to working with the musicians there. I really, truly don’t know what to expect and that’s part of the excitement because it will be my first time going there. It’s really an honour to play with the musicians and to play for your audience. That’s really exciting for me.”
Fung said it’s always important for a musician to convey the message of the composer and communicate that with any audience big or small.
“I think that in my many music performances it has become very clear that it doesn’t matter if it’s for one person or 100 people the music is so incredibly powerful and if you can touch one heart I think that’s something I relish - the communication of music and enjoying the power of music that enters the ears of one person and could change that person’s life. That’s what I am hoping to do in Prince George.”
Fung said he’s really enjoyed exploring BC and recently performed with the Okanagan symphony in Kelowna for the first time.
“In the Okanagan valley I saw a lot of venues which joyfully made music and for me that makes it even more special,” Fung said. “You know in Beethoven’s time they would make music in the town halls and the beer halls and they would do all kinds of things. You would get together with all kinds of musicians to make music and I think that sometimes that’s more powerful than the experience of going to a major concert hall in the world and making music in a very polished venue and perhaps a place where traditionally people feel they can’t just be joyful or there are certain expectations in place.”
Fung said playing in intimate venues like Vanier Hall could take away those barriers of music making, he added.
“I feel very humbled to be able to play as I am fully aware that there are lots and lots of pianists and so for me to have the opportunity to play I have to remember what a gift that is for me and continue performing and refining and growing,” Fung said.
“That’s what I feel like our job is as musicians. I think sometimes one can take it for granted how often they get invitations and then I think that makes the performance somewhat transactional. I think as musicians we have to give every time and we do that because of the music. I think a lot of young musicians when they ask me should I do music – or what’s life as a musician like - I always come back to the same answer, which is don’t do music unless you cannot live without it.”
Fung said it’s not an easy life as he’s travelling all the time. Over the next 45 days Fung will see his spouse and family for two days so the life of a musician does come with its challenges. But he loves playing the piano.
“Inspiration – that energy and that drive – it always comes down to I’m born to do it and I can’t live without it,” Fung said.
Fung grew up in a remote part of Australia that he still calls home.
“There’s more in Australia than one can see in a lifetime but to travel anywhere else takes a lot," Fung said.
"I feel many Australians have the travel bug because of that distance that separates them from many other places in the world. I continually try to remind myself that in living my life of discovery I am fulfilling my childhood dream – it’s in my DNA to be curious and discover - and now when I travel I remember that feeling of always seeking and wanting to learn about different people and cultures and foods. I love local cuisine from everywhere around the world and I love learning about its people as well so I think that’s something that’s really exciting.”
Traveling is hard on the body Fung said. He hates always saying goodbye but it comes with the job.
“But I remind myself we’re always saying hello, too, so that’s very beautiful to me,” Fung said.
As far as his performance of the Grieg Concerto goes, Fung knows it is one of the most beautiful concertos ever written.
“I think it’s probably one of the most popular and from those thunderous chords of the opening one cannot forget the concerto and people recognize the concerto whether they attend concerts or not,” Fung said.
“This is probably some of the most uplifting music and the second movement recalls some of the most glorious landscapes of Norway. It is heroic and noble and the last movement is a crazy and exciting Norwegian folk dance and I think there is just something incredible in terms of how in this work all three movements flow together and create this tapestry of Nordic culture and landscape. I would like to imagine that in Prince George if you keep driving west all the way through the mountains to Prince Rupert an audience member would be able to imagine that kind of landscape and I think there is something – without having been there – in my imagination - something very dramatic and beautiful about where you are situated in the province.”
The Grieg concerto is a beautiful piece, Fung said.
“This is a really wonderful work to see live,” Fung added.
“It’s one of the most glorious and exciting cadenzas in the piano repertoire. I think it’s one of these pieces that all audiences absolutely adore. It’s virtuosic, it’s exciting and it’s beautiful.”
For more information and tickets visit www.pgso.com/concerts/Grieg-Piano-Concerto.
