Ernest So (Chinese: 蘇顯亮; pinyin: Su Xianliang; Born 1st June 1978; Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong, Ernest tours internationally [1] and frequently enriches his concert performances
[2] 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.
Biography
Ernest So was born and raised in his parents’ native Hong Kong, where he lived until the family moved to Singapore in 1989, when Ernest 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.
In Hong Kong, his current home, Ernest So founded and runs the Piano Library, 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 [3] [4] and a teacher of Music History and a piano instructor at the Music and Drama Institute[5] in Hong Kong. Mr So is also on the staff of Asia Piano Japan Co Ltd,[6]. 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[7] 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
- ^ Piano Concert in El Casal l’Aliança a Mataró, Barcelona, Spain on 22 May 2012 Cite error: The
<ref>tag has too many names (see the help page). - ^ "Argentinian Music". HKEJ. Hong Kong. 2012-03-23. p. C5.
- ^ Guangxi Normal University, Ernest So Concert on 9-11-2008
- ^ Guangxi University News
- ^ Music & Drama Institute
- ^ Asia Piano technical consultant and spokesman
- ^ Charity Event