"Phenomenal" violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou performs Beethoven with Symphony Nova Scotia

’ÄúPhenomenal’Äù violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou performs Beethoven with Symphony Nova Scotia

Halifax, NS - Young Canadian violinist Yi-Jia Susanne Hou will perform Beethoven’Äôs brilliant Violin Concerto with Symphony Nova Scotia on Thursday, February 12 in Halifax and on Friday, February 13 in Lunenburg. Both concerts begin at 7:30 pm.

Susanne will be replacing tenor Terence Mierau, who was originally scheduled to perform Benjamin Britten’Äôs Les Illuminations. Mierau is unable to perform due to health reasons.

’ÄúI am simply thrilled to be performing the Beethoven Violin Concerto with Maestro Bernhard Gueller and Symphony Nova Scotia!’Äù says Susanne.

’ÄúI have a deep personal connection with this concerto... because the moment I was born, my father (who has been my violin teacher since I was four years old) was performing this concerto with the Shanghai Symphony! He told me he felt something miraculous happening while playing the second movement, and it turns out... that is exactly when I was born! So it is very special for me to share this magical and transcendent music with my favourite musicians in Halifax.’Äù

Susanne’Äôs playing has been praised as ’Äústrangely strong yet delicate; her technique near flawless’Äù (The Strad), and ’Äúabsolutely phenomenal’Äù (Lord Yehudi Menuhin). She performs on a $3 million 1729 Guarneri violin, on a three-year loan from the instrument bank of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Susanne performed with Symphony Nova Scotia in both 2006 and 2007, and on both occasions was praised with standing ovations and enthusiastic reviews. This will be her first Nova Scotia performance of Beethoven’Äôs huge Violin Concerto, the ’ÄúEverest’Äù of the violin repertoire.

The orchestra will also perform Dvo‰ôˆ°k’Äôs melodic Wind Serenade and Beethoven’Äôs elegant Symphony no. 4.

For tickets or more information, call 494.3820 or visit www.SymphonyNovaScotia.ca.

About Yi-Jia Susanne Hou

Acknowledged as one of Canada’Äôs most captivating and gifted young performers, Susanne Hou is in demand across Canada and around the world. Along with regular solo orchestral appearances, she is a lead violinist with Bowfire, the highly acclaimed production led by Lenny Solomon. Susanne has been seen on PBS and the Today Show amongst the top virtuoso violinists and fiddlers in each genre of modern string playing.

Suzanne recently performed the violin solos in the Atom Egoyan film Adoration, and was the subject of a CBC documentary entitled Shanghai Violinist.

About Symphony Nova Scotia
Expect the Unexpected with Symphony Nova Scotia ’Äì from Baroque to Berlioz to bluegrass! Each year the 37-member ensemble performs for more than 40,000 audience members (including 14,000 young music lovers) in communities across Nova Scotia. Under the inspirational leadership of Bernhard Gueller, Symphony Nova Scotia is recognized as one of the finest orchestras in the country. Join the orchestra in celebrating its 25th anniversary this season!

Symphony Nova Scotia is grateful to the Canada Council for the Arts, Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture, and Heritage, and the Halifax Regional Municipality for their continued support.