Jassen Todorov, Faculty Recital

Jassen Todorov will be performing two Brahms Sonatas for piano and violin – Nos. 2 in A Major and 3 in D minor.

He will be joined by an acclaimed Malaysian pianist Chonglim Ng. Mr. Ng and Todorov have already performed a few times in Kuala Lumpur and they have several upcoming performances later this year – in Macedonia, Bulgaria and Malaysia.

Mr. Ng Chong Lim's Bio

Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, pianist–composer Ng Chong Lim studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London under the tutelage of Professor Frank Wibaut. He continued his piano studies with Professor Elza Kolodin and subsequently with Professor Beat Furrer at the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, Austria for music composition. Chong Lim was the Winner of Malaysian National Piano Competition 1993, Prize winner of the Royal Overseas League Competition and The Anthony Saltmarsh Junior Fellowship (RCM).

Chong Lim has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician in many international venues, with recent appearances at ‘Beethoven Complete Piano Sonatas Project’ in Singapore and The 3rd Asian Grand Piano Concert in Seoul, Korea. In 2013, he was invited to “Evmelia” International Music Festival, Greece, “Opusfest” Antipolo 2013- International Piano and Chamber Music Festival, Philippines. In 2014, he performed at “21st New Music Festival”held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Chong Lim has served as juror of international competitions, including The 5th & 6th ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition in Malaysia, The jakarta International Piano Competition held in Indonesia and National Music Competitions for Young Artists in Manila, Philippines. A keen composer, Chong Lim has had his works commissioned by and premiered in various countries. Notable works include “Three Sketches for two pianos” (premiered in Taiwan 2004), "Rimba", “Window” and “Xiang”(premiered by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in 2006-7), “Amorphous” for String Orchestra (premiered at “Streams” New Music Festival in Brauweiler, Germany, 2010), “Footprints” for Piano Solo (premiered at “John Donald Robb Composers’ Symposium, New Mexico, USA, 2011), “Shadows” for Piano and Malay Traditional Instruments (premiered at “International Festival Of Classical Music” Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2011), “Three Sketches” for Oboe, Cello and Piano (commissioned by the Ernst von Siemens Foundation for Chambre d'écoute, Germany, 2012), “Dragonfly(s)” (specially commissioned for the 5th ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2012)

A committed pedagogue, Chong Lim was a faculty member of Universiti Malaya (Malaysia) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore). Many of his students have won major prizes at both local and international competitions.

For his great contribution to the Malaysian music scene, Chong Lim was awarded STM (Pingat Setiawan Tuanku Mukhriz - Associate-Order of Loyalty to Tuanku Mukhriz) by the Yamtuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia in 2011.

Mr. Jassen Todorov's Bio

Jassen Todorov has distinguished himself as one of the most prominent violinists of his generation. Dubbed “an outstanding violinist…a player to watch” by the British music journal The Strad, Mr. Todorov has given numerous performances throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is also an active performer in his native Bulgaria, where he is considered one of the country’s most prized musicians.

With a repertoire including works from all styles and epochs, Mr. Todorov has recorded the complete sonatas of Bach, Brahms and Ysaye, as well as Beethoven’s Sonatas Nos. 6 and 10. The Strad described him as “a violinist of rare technical ability…he brings musicality to his performances…his left hand is able to deliver Ysaye's demands in the many mercurial passages with commendable accuracy” and the American Record Guide portrayed it as “high praise…an important release for admirers of Ysaye’s music.”

Mr. Todorov began his musical education in Bulgaria and furthered his studies at the Idyllwild Arts Academy, California. A top prize winner of several national and international competitions, he earned his bachelor’s degree in violin performance from Harid Conservatory, Florida, and his master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, New York. From 2000 to 2003, he served as the teaching assistant to Professor Oleh Krysa at the Eastman School and held a violin position at the University of Rochester. Mr. Todorov is the recipient of numerous full scholarships and prestigious awards including the Eastman award for excellence in teaching and the Crystal Lyre for achievements in music. Mr. Todorov is a Professor of Violin at San Francisco State University and Visiting Professor at Xinjiang Arts University, Xinjiang Normal University and the Qimingxing School of Music, China. An award-winning photographer and an active pilot, he holds a Commercial Pilot’s License and Flight Instructor Certificate. Visit Mr. Todorov on the web at www.jassentodorov.com.

Mr. Todorov plays a 1778 Tomaso Eberle violin.