Vocalis II: A Celebration of Chinese Art Song, coached and Curated by Jialiang Zhu
80 Queens Park
80 Queens Park
The Vocalis Series is made possible in part by a generous gift from Dianne W. Henderson.
Voice Studies at the University of Toronto presents:
Vocalis II: A Celebration of Chinese Art Song, coached and curated by Jialiang Zhu
Featuring graduate singers from the Faculty of Music, cellist Sua Kwoun 권수아,
and pianists Jialiang Zhu 朱嘉亮 and Timothy Cheung 张廷谦.
Program
玫瑰三愿 [Three Wishes of the Rose]
Poetry by Long Qi 龙七词
Music by Huang Zi 黄自曲
Helena Webster, soprano
听雨 [Listening to the Rain]
Poetry by Liu Bannong 刘半农词
Music by Zhao Yuanren 赵元任曲
Bryce Zimmerman, countertenor
那就是我 [That is Me]
Poetry by Xiao Guang 晓光词
Music by Gu Jianfen 谷建芬曲, arr. Sheng Yin 盛茵编
Xijia Zhang 张熙佳, soprano
小河淌水 [The Rippling Stream]
Yunnan Folk Song 云南民歌
arr. Li Yinghai 黎英海编
Chloé Dionne, soprano
元曲小唱 [Yuanqu Lyrics]
Poetry by Xu Zaisi, Guan Yunshi, Ma Zhiyuan 徐再思/贯云石/马致远词
Music by Gao Weijie 高为杰曲
- 折桂令 • 春情 [Lovesickness]
- 红绣鞋 • 欢情 [Amour]
- 落梅风 蔷薇露 [Dew on the Roses]
Wen-Shan Wang 汪汶姗, soprano
青玉案 • 元夕 [The Lantern Festival]
Poetry by Xin Qiji 辛弃疾词
Music by Li Yan 李砚曲, arr. Deng Yao 邓垚编
钗头凤 [Phoenix Hairpin]
Poetry by Lu You 陆游词
Music by Zhou Yi 周易曲
Xijia Zhang 张熙佳, soprano
越人歌 [Song of the Yue Man]
Ancient Qin Poetry 先秦诗词
Music by Deng Qing 邓青曲, arr. Deng Yao 邓垚编
Wen-Shan Wang 汪汶姗, soprano
我住长江头 [I Live at the Head of the Yangtze River]
Poetry by Li Zhiyi 李之仪词
Music by Qing Zhu 青主曲
Helena Webster, soprano
Four Seasons Ballade
Poetry by Li Bai 李白词
Music by Alice Ping Yee Ho 何冰颐曲
- Spring
- Summer
Chloé Dionne, soprano
Parting at a Wine Shop
Poetry by Li Bai 李白词, trans. Witter Bynner
Music by John Beckwith
Bryce Zimmerman, countertenor
歌 [Song]
Poetry by Christina Rossetti, trans. Xu Zhimo 徐志摩译
Music by Zhang Rui 张瑞曲
Frank Enquan Yu 于恩权, tenor
Clouds are the Language of the Sky
Poetry by Edith Yang Qing 杨青词
Music by Roydon Tse 谢垲泽曲
Helena Webster, soprano
Sisters’ Duet (Chinatown)
Libretto by Madeleine Thien 邓敏灵
Music by Alice Ping Yee Ho 何冰颐曲
Anna – Wen-Shan Wang 汪汶姗, soprano
Wenli – Xijia Zhang 张熙佳, soprano
Chinese pianist Jialiang Zhu 朱嘉亮 passionately embraces the roles of performer, educator, concert producer, and researcher. She is the co-founder of classical ensemble Bedford Trio and a Chamber Music Faculty at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
With the support from Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council in 2023-2025, Jialiang produced and performed in two concert series, “The Power of Words” and “Empowered by Friendship,” to showcase her fellow Canadian and international artists' works of music and poetry.
A specialist in Chinese art song, she has performed this repertoire with vocalists from various cultural backgrounds at organizations such as Canadian Opera Company, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, University of Manitoba, and Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. Her article “Singing Classical Chinese Poetry” was published in the Art Song Canada Winter 2022 Issue.
Jialiang recently completed her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) Degree at U of T, where she previously received a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy and Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance with Honours. Her doctoral thesis is a performance guide for non-Mandarin speakers on how to interpret Chinese art song inspired by classical Chinese poetry. She is especially grateful for the mentorship of Prof. Lydia Wong, Prof. Jeff Packman, Prof. Steven Philcox, Prof. Midori Koga, and the Late Prof. Marietta Orlov.