Ka-Wai
Yu
Submitted:
April 24, 2010
Awarded
: $
700
Contact Information:
Ka-Wai
Yu
609 W Springfield Ave, Apt 9
Champaign
Illinois
61820
USA
(812) 340 2184
Reference 1:
Prof. Wendy Gillespie
Reference 2:
Prof. Charlotte Mattax
Summary of Submitted Materials:
1. Letter of acceptance to the American Bach Soloists Academy
2. Resume
3. Personal statement
4. Invoices from the Academy
Submitted Documents:
Submitted Recordings:
Committee Notes:
He sounds deserving, and the references are sterling. He gets my vote.
BTW- how caught-up are we here in GIA-land? Have we taken care of all outstanding old biz? I mean, he sounds great, but I want to make sure we don't forget about anyone or anything that may have been left hanging...
-DM
He sounds great, and a perfect candidate for the workshop.
That said, I am a little troubled by the nature of this particular workshop. I'm given to understand that all viol applicants are *required* to also be cellists. Any gifted young musician who *only* plays viol would be turned away from the workshop outright. The main projects of the workshop are a Handel opera and Bach's B minor Mass, which will keep these students pretty busy on the cello side of things. I'm left to wonder how much viol will actually go on in this workshop and how much respect the viol will get in that environment. Nothing wrong with however they want to do it, but if it turns out to be a workshop in which the viol is marginalized, to what extent should the VdGSA be supporting it? Do we care?
Discuss....
JJ
Apparently Elisabeth Reed is the viol teacher - if you are concerned (which I can understand) perhaps she could enlighten you...
WG
Yes, Elisabeth is teaching viol and cello in this workshop, and she is the one from whom I heard about the doubling requirement for admission. She requested scholarships from the Pacifica chapter for four of her conservatory students. She stands to benefit from getting bodies into the workshop, and she got a bit prickly when she was questioned about the role of the viol in the workshop, so I'm a bit hesitant to poke at that sore spot again.
Project Description:
I am writing to request financial help for my participation in the American Bach Soloists Academy this summer from July 5 to July 18, 2010 in San Francisco. I am devoted to be a cellist as well as viola da gambist with rich knowledge and great skills in the early music realm. It will be a wonderful opportunity for my musical growth to study with viola da gambist Elisabeth Reed and cellist Tanya Tomkins in the workshop.
While I am planning to attend the workshop, my current financial situation can hardly afford it. Limited income as a full-time student, family financial problems, and burden from student loans repayment have made it difficult for me to pay for expenses of the workshop. As I do not want to miss the invaluable experience that I can get from the workshop, outside help has become necessary for me.
The American Bach Soloists Academy has nicely offered me a scholarship of $700 which reduces my total tuition fees from $1000 to $300. However, I still need to pay for a flight ticket of around $300 (from Chicago to San Francisco), two weeks of housing (shared room) for $350, as well as meals and other expenses for approximately $200. With all these predicted expenses, I need to pay for a total of at least $1150.
I am glad that the Viola da Gamba Society of America generously offers grants for young artists' career development. I would be grateful if the Society can offer me $700 which will drastically lessen my burden for attending the American Bach Soloists Academy this summer.
Request Amount:
$
700
Total Project Cost:
$
Budget and Additional Funding:
Qualifications:
I would rate myself as an advanced-level player in modern cello trained with knowledge in early performance practice, having growing experiences in period instruments. My current Doctoral study with cellist Brandon Vamos from the Pacifica Quartet and the teachings of my previous teachers: Helga Winold, Csaba Onczay, David Starkweather, and Ming-Yuen Cheung have provided me with a solid foundation in modern cello performance. My interests in early music were strongly developed while as a cello student at Indiana University (Master of Music). Inspired by the keen early music environment there, I took viola da gamba lessons with Wendy Gillespie, having Early Music as my cognate area of study.
During my secondary education in Hong Kong, I sang in my school St. Paul’s College’s madrigal group as a tenor and was Winner of the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival Cello Solo, playing music by J. S. Bach. I started playing viola da gamba as a member of a viol consort group while in college at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. I continued to enjoy Baroque and Classical choral repertoire as a member of the Chung Chi Chamber Choir and Hong Kong Youth Choir.
I have played basso continuo in performances in Hong Kong and USA. As a viola da gambist and Baroque cellist, I am currently a member of the Concerto Urbano at University of Illinois, and play in a local viol consort group. I have also played with such musicians as harpsichordist Sonia Lee, and viola da gambist/cellist Benjamin Hayek in the Illinois area. I studied Baroque and Classical Performance Practices with Charlotte Mattax, and History of 17th Century Music with John Hill at University of Illinois. Last summer, I received the Early Music America Scholarship to attend the Vancouver Early Music Festival, where I was coached by cellist/ viola da gambist Jaap ter Linden, violinists Marc Destrubé and Julie Andrijeski, flutist Wilbert Hazelzet, and keyboardist Jacques Ogg.
With keen interests on research in Baroque and Classical performance practice, I have written a research paper: “When Couperin meets Marais: A Comparison between François Couperin's Suite No. 2 in A Major from Pièces de Violes and Marin Marais' Suite No. 1 in A Minor from Book No. 3, Pièces de Violesâ€. My research papers can be found in the website at www.yukawai.webs.com.
Letter of Reference 1:
Ka-Wai is a most deserving student. He is a very advanced modern cellist who has gained quite a lot of experience over the past 5 or so years on baroque cello and viol. He is a quick learner, incredibly polite, deferential and easy to get along with. He deserves support, and he will definitely contribute to the musical future as both a teacher and a performer with special interests in baroque and classical performance practice.
I'm also sure that he is in terrible financial straits as a doctoral student who has taken out lots of loans, and whose family in Hong Kong is in somewhat dire financial straits, as are so many people. I'm quite sure he'll come to Conclave next time it is in the Midwest (though no doubt as a work-study student) and you will get to see what a lovely chap he is.
Cheers-
Wendy
Letter of Reference 2: