Lin Cho-liang
A native of Taiwan, world-renowned violinist Lin Cho-liang began studying the instrument at the age of five. Moving to New York to study under the late violinist Dorothy DeLay, he went on to become a soloist for major orchestras worldwide. Lin talks to Shezam Wong about the characteristics of a good musician and what he’s looking forward to in his capacity as artistic director for the upcoming Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival (HKICMF).
HK Magazine: Can you tell us about your musical beginnings?
Lin Cho-liang: I’ve always been passionate about music. I remember being seven years old and listening to Beethoven recordings. My dream was to play his compositions in an orchestra one day. When I heard [prominent Israeli violinist] Itzhak Perlman play in person, it changed my life. I realized how powerful great violin-playing is, and decided that was what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I got better that pursuing a career as a professional musician became a distinct possibility. That’s when I decided to audition for the Juilliard School [in New York], to study under Perlman’s teacher [Dorothy DeLay].
HK: How do you spend your time?
LC: My biggest passion is being a concert violinist. The second is being a teacher; my current focus is teaching at Rice University in Houston. The third thing I enjoy greatly is running two music festivals—one in Hong Kong and one in San Diego, California.
HK: What about your career in conducting?
LC: Conducting is a natural extension of my music-making. I only conduct in repertoires that I feel good about. It gives me great satisfaction to share ideas and work in detail with an orchestra on pieces that I love deeply, but I’m not interested in standing up there and being a maestro. My main focus is still on being a concert violinist.
HK: Can you tell us more about the HKICMF?
LC: Chamber music contains some of the greatest music ever written. Beethoven is one of my favorite composers, and through chamber music, you can really see how he changed and progressed throughout his life. Another thing that makes the festival so unique is that it brings together musicians from all over the world. It’s great to see new friendships being formed. We also contribute to the Hong Kong community by teaching at the Academy for Performing Arts, and giving free performances at cultural landmarks. It’s a very meaningful use of my time.
HK: Are there any programs you are especially looking forward to?
LC: There are two programs I find particularly interesting. The “Mozart—A Family Portrait” concert on January 21 will showcase two generations in the Mozart family. His son, Franz Xaver, was a very talented composer. We’re going to perform a violin sonata that he wrote, in addition to work by Wolfgang Amadeus. The closing concert on January 23 features different Russian master composers, including Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich. Their pieces are powerful and richly melodic, and I can’t wait to share them with the Hong Kong audience.
HK: What do you think about classical music in Hong Kong?
LC: Hong Kong is a great reflection of music-making in Asia, and there’s a great talent pool growing up right now that will hopefully entice audiences to love classical music. I’d like to see more parents encourage their kids to pick up an instrument that’s not the piano or the violin—like wind instruments. I’d also love to see more local composers emerge. Ultimately, a musical tradition depends on the level of composers.