The Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra Society proudly opened its 21st Anniversary Season in September at the Orpheum Theatre with a majestic programme entitled “Our National Identity.” VMO Founder and Maestro Ken Hsieh led the orchestra through a regal programme featuring music by Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius. The orchestra opened its programme accompanied by the international-acclaimed Australian pianist David Fung, who will perform Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A-minor.
Recognized for interpretations that are elegant and refined, yet intensely poetic and uncommonly expressive, David has appeared with Cleveland Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and LA Philharmonic. An in-demand pedagogue and Steinway artist, David recently joined the UBC Faculty of Music as a distinguished Associate Professor of Piano.
The Second half of the programme will feature Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2 in D-Major, written shortly after the highly successful premiere of his Finlandia, a piece describing the struggle for Finland’s National Independence and which has become one of the masterworks of the 20th century.
Maestro Hsieh shared, “With the new season launched, guests of the VMO can expect a revolutionary wealth of music that will attest to each and everyone’s musical appetite!”
Meet ‘Conductor Ken’
Hailed for his charming, passionate, and compelling podium presence, award-winning conductor Kenneth Hsieh (IG: @conductorken) has garnered widespread praise for his vibrant performances, making him one of the most exciting and versatile conductors on the international stage. The 2023-2024 Season marks his 21st year as Music Director of the VMO, in addition to many international guest conducting engagements which recently include debuts with Boston Ballet, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.
Born in Edmonton, AB, Ken is the winner of prestigious conducting prizes including the Heinz Unger Award in Conducting and the Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Orchestral Conducting. His conducting teachers and coaches include Kurt Masur, Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Morihiro Okabe, Yuji Yuasa, Ronald Zollman, and Jorma Panula. An alumnus of both the Royal Conservatory of Music and UBC, Ken completed his postgraduate studies in orchestral conducting in Japan at the prestigious Toho Gakuen School of Music and Senzoku College of Music on full scholarship. Ken also took further studies in Austria with Yuji Yuasa, and masterclasses with Seiji Ozawa and Pinchas Zukermann.
Among other honours and recognitions, Maestro Ken Hsieh has been awarded the Order of Merit for Outstanding Young Leaders from the Lions Club, named one of the Top 100 Most Influential Asian-Canadians by the Vancouver Sun, Top 10 Most Beautiful People by TV Week Magazine (with Michael Buble), and most recently Top 33 most influential leaders by Sing Tao News and Top 10 Elite Chinese-Canadians.
More about the VMO
Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra is a non-profit society founded by Maestro Kenneth Hsieh. Since its inception in 2003, the VMO has been dedicated to providing superior orchestral mentorship for talented music graduates, helping them move from student to professional.
The VMO is dedicated to the artistic, personal and professional development of outstanding young musicians. Maestro Hsieh strongly believes that by providing such development opportunities, they are preparing our young musicians for leadership opportunities in orchestras and ensembles around the world, and empowering them to enrich the cultural life of their communities.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
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