Bryan Cheng, cello and Silvie Cheng, piano
In a programme of Leoš Janáček: Pohádka (Fairy Tale); Nadia Boulanger: 3 Pièces; Francis Poulenc: Cello Sonata and Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Cheng² Duo)
Rooted in a sibling bond that transcends the familial, the JUNO-nominated Cheng² Duo (pronounced Cheng Squared Duo) enchants music lovers worldwide with its impassioned expressivity, contagious joy, and instant rapport with listeners. Their performances have been described as “brilliant” (The Sunday Times, UK), “truly exhilarating” (The WholeNote, Canada), and “absolutely captivating…through a tremendous mastery of their instruments” (Pizzicato Magazine, Luxembourg).
Photo Courtesy : Andrej Grilc
Cellist Bryan Cheng, the only prizewinner of both the Queen Elisabeth and Geneva International Music Competitions in 40 years, and pianist Silvie Cheng, former Cecilia Concerts Musician-in-Residence and National Arts Club Artist Fellow, have cultivated a lifelong musical dialogue, forged in childhood and refined through years of shared artistry. Since officially founding the Cheng² Duo with their 2011 Carnegie Weill Recital Hall debut, they have toured extensively across the Americas, Europe, Asia and South Africa.
Recent and upcoming highlights include debuts at the Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango (Bogotá), Frauenkirche Dresden, Flagey (Brussels), Munich Künstlerhaus, Dame Myra Hess Series (Chicago), Chamber Music at the Clark (Los Angeles), Harvard University, Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Banff International String Quartet Festival; returns to Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (Kingston), Ottawa Chamberfest, Salle Bourgie (Montréal), Chamberfest Cheboygan; and recital tours throughout Canada, Colombia, Ireland, India, South Africa, and USA.
In the vanguard of creative programming, Bryan and Silvie are equally committed to presenting traditional masterworks, rediscovering neglected repertoire, and championing the music of their time. Since 2013, they have commissioned and arranged 17 new works, and curated cross-disciplinary concert experiences that weave classical and contemporary music with jazz, poetry, and visual/media arts. World-class collaborative partners have included photographer and cinematographer Edward Burtynsky, Mercury Films, and multimedia studio Normal.
Cheng² Duo’s four critically-acclaimed albums include Portrait (Centrediscs, 2023), nominated for a 2024 JUNO Award in the category “Classical Album of the Year, Small Ensemble”, Russian Legends (2019), Violonchelo del fuego (2018), and Violoncelle français (2016). Born in Ottawa and Tokyo to Chinese parents, Bryan and Silvie’s multicultural roots and Canadian upbringing inform their global musical outlook. They currently have musicals bases in Berlin and New York City. For more information, follow @Cheng2Duo on social media.
