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<!-- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE -->'''Ernest Hin-Leung So''' (Chinese: 蘇顯亮; born 1st June 1978) is a Hong Kong-born, international concert pianist who specialises in the works of lesser-known classical composers such as Sergei Bortkiewicz, Leopold Godowsky and Nikolai Medtner <ref>[[Musica Espanola in HK - SCMP 23-06-2009]]</ref> <ref>"Music of Argentina". HKEJ (Hong Kong):p. C5. 23-03-2012</ref> <ref>[[Guangxi Normal University, Ernest So Concert on9-11-2008]]</ref> <ref>[[Piano Recital by Ernest So in HK - SCMP 16-09-2010]]</ref> <ref>[[Goethe Institut in Bangkok, Thailand, 08-05-2012]]</ref> <ref>[[The Alexander and Buono Festival]]</ref> <ref>[[LO OTRO]]</ref> <ref>[[Ernest So with Romatic Piano Music in Brunei,14-09-2012]]</ref>, among many others. So's performances usually include with impromptu deliveries on the provenance and contextual background of the pieces he is playing.
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'''Ernest So''' (Chinese: 蘇顯亮; pinyin: '''''Su Xianliang'''''; Born 1st June 1978; Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong-born concert pianist who specialises in the works of lesser-known classical composers such as Sergei Bortkiewicz, Leopold Godowsky and Nikolai Medtner, among many others. He attended The [[Juilliard School]]. Currently living in London, Ernest tours internationally <ref name=A&B>[http://www.alexanderandbuonofestival.com/faculty.asp The Alexander and Buono Festival]</ref> <ref name=Musica>[http://www.scmp.com/article/684586/planner Musica Espanola in HK - SCMP 23-06-2009]</ref> <ref name=Piano>[http://www.scmp.com/article/724884/arts Panio Recital by Ernest So in HK - SCMP 16-09-2010]</ref><ref name=Music of Latin Am> [http://www.bakertillyhk.com/pdf/music_of_latin_america.pdf Music of Latin America - A series of recitals in Hong Kong 2012]</ref> <ref name=BKK>[http://bkkexpat.blogspot.co.uk/2012_05_01_archive.html Goethe Institut in Bangkok, Thailand, 08-05-2012]</ref> <ref name=Brunei>[http://bruneishines.com/event_details.php?event_id=542&title=MUSIC:%20Ernest%20So%20with%20Romantic%20Piano%20Music%20from%20France,%20Brazil%20and%20Argentina&date=2012-09-14&rp_id=1533 Ernest So with Romatic Piano Music in Brunei, 14-09-2012]</ref> <ref name=Piano Music fm Argentina>[http://www.meetup.com/piano-68/events/82973672/ Piano Music from Argentina & Mexico in London, 22-09-2012]</ref> and frequently enriches his concert performances with impromptu deliveries on the provenance and contextual background of the pieces he is playing, many of which come from his large collection of rare manuscripts and scores.<ref>{{cite news| title =Argentinian Music| page=C5|work=HKEJ |___location=Hong Kong |date=23-03-2012}}</ref>
Currently living in London,So was a young winner of both the Best Performer Award in Singapore (1995)<ref>[[Music & Drama Institute]]</ref> and later the Beethoven Trophy (1995), before attending The Juilliard School in New York, where he studied under the late Jacob Lateiner, among other teachers including Solomon Mikowsky, the late Constance Keene, and Jonathan Feldman <ref>[[PianoMusic from Argentina & Mexico in London, 22-09-2012]]</ref> <ref>[[Asia Piano technical consultant and spokesman]]</ref>. So is an Honorary Professor of Music at Guangxi University and has also been a teacher of Music History and a piano instructor at the Music and Drama Institute in Hong Kong. He is currently the Chief Technical Consultant of Asia Piano Japan Co. Ltd., where he is responsible for overseeing the quality control and technical aspects of reconditioning Yamaha pianos <ref>[[Asia Piano Japan Co Ltd]]</ref> <ref>[[Touch with Pianist Ernest So]]</ref>.
Ernest So was born and raised in his parents’ native Hong Kong, where he lived until the family moved to Singapore in 1989, when he was 11. He moved again to New York in 1994 to study briefly at Manhattan School of Music, before completing his studies at The Juilliard School.
When he is not performing, So devotes much of his time working with the Au Kim Hung Love & Care Association to provide charitable support for school-building and scholarship projects in impoverished areas of mainland China <ref>[[Charity Piano Concert Dinner in HK, 22-11-2010 - SCMP 18-11-2010]]</ref> <ref>[[Ernest So Charity Recital Raises Funds for AKH Love & Care Association 2011]]</ref> <ref>[[Ernest Charity Piano Concert in HK, South ChinaMorning Post, 23-11-2012]]</ref> <ref>[[Ernest So Charity Recital Raises Funds for AKH Love & Care Association 2012]]</ref> <ref>[[Ernest So Visited Qingyuan China – Children's Village]]</ref>
Ernest So founded and runs the Piano Library in Hong Kong, which houses rare scores and manuscripts ranging from first editions of Beethoven sonatas to the piano works of [[Nicolai Myaskovsky]]. Many of these scores are now completely out-of-print. The Piano Library is open free to the public, providing a rich research resource for students and music lovers. The Piano Library also helps pianists acquire rare scores from publishers around the world, from sources such as the archives of Alphonse Leduc in Paris to Ricordi Americana in Argentina. It is a free service.
==Teaching and vocational activities==
Ernest So is an Honorary Professor of Music at Guangxi University <ref name=GuangxiU>[http://news.gxnu.edu.cn/newscontent.php?news_id=3069 Guangxi Normal University, Ernest So Concert on 9-11-2008]</ref> and a teacher of Music History and a piano instructor at the Music and Drama Institute<ref name= piano>[http://www.mditalent.com/ernest_so.html/ Music & Drama Institute]</ref> in Hong Kong. Mr So is also on the staff of Asia Piano Japan Co Ltd,<ref name=Music&D>[http://fujiasia.silver.yp.com.hk/index_main.php?charset=eng/ Asia Piano technical consultant and spokesman]</ref>. where he is responsible for overseeing the quality control and technical aspects of reconditioning Yamaha pianos.
==Charitable work==
In support the development of education in impoverished areas of mainland China, Ernest So is involved with the Au Kim Hung Love & Care Association
<ref name = SCMP10>[http://www.scmp.com/article/730767/around-town Charity Piano Concert Dinner in HK, 22-11-2010 - SCMP 18-11-2010]</ref>
<ref name = Charity>[http://auditoryscenes.com/journal/?p=784 Ernest So Charity Recital Raises Funds for AKH Love & Care Association 2011]</ref>
<ref name = SCMP12>[http://www.scmp.com/business/article/1088539/tamar-project-where-did-it-all-go-wrong-government-hq Ernest Charity Piano Concert in HK, South China Morning Post, 23-11-2012]</ref> to provide charitable backing for school-building and scholarship projects. The scholarship projects centre on the huge population of orphans in China, aiming to provide funding for those who would otherwise have difficulty securing an education. When he is not touring or performing, Ernest spends time in remote rural villages and among Chinese students, building a rapport with them and developing a deeper understanding of their needs.
==References==
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