Yung-Chiao Wei 魏詠蕎, Bassist
“Bass Players with great technique and supreme artistry are non-existent. Well, there are a few exceptions: the legendary Gary Karr, of course, Eugene Levinson of the New York Philharmonic, and now Yung-Chiao Wei, a young, multi-talented female bassist from Taiwan” reads a recent New York Concert Review of Yung-Chiao Wei’s Carnegie Hall solo recital debut. Yung-Chiao Wei was also praised by The Miami Herald as “a two sided-talent – a competition winning pianist turned double bass virtuoso”. Through her musical insight, breathtaking virtuosity and personality, Wei combines compelling, artistic performances on the double bass with a magical presence in stage.
Currently Professor of Bass at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Wei is the first female bassist performed a solo recital in the Carnegie Hall. Her Carnegie Hall debut garnered tremendous praise from New York Concert Review Inc. Critic Anthony Aibel, who cited “Wei is a phenomenon”. Her performance of Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata in A minor elicited another mention of praise; Aible affirmed that “nuance on the double bass is hard to accomplish, but Wei plays with subtlety of dynamics, color and expression one seldom, if ever, hears on the bass”.
Wei has performed at major concert halls and prestigious summer festivals around the world. She has also given master classes/recitals at major music schools throughout North America, Asia, and made her Europe debut in Berlin 2010 European Bass Convention and 2012 European Bass Convention in Copenhagen Opera House. Her first CD was recorded with pianist Chao-I Chou and was released on Centaur Records in June, 2008. Wei is a recipient of numerous honors and awards, honors including Awards to Louisiana Artists and Scholars from the Louisiana Board of Regents, the LSU Tiger Athlete Foundation Teaching Award, Taiwan Young Concert Artist Competition, both the 2nd Prize and Audience prize in the Izuminomori International Double Bass/Cello Competition in Japan, the New World Symphony Concerto Competition, the Texas International Festival Concerto Competition, two consecutive years the Interlochen Arts Academy Concerto Competition on piano, the Academy’s Young Artist and Fine Arts Award, and first prize in the Taiwan National Music Competition.
Wei has appeared at major concert halls including Carnegie Hall, Davis Hall, Jordan Hall, Isabella Stewart Garden Museum, Ozawa Hall, Lincoln Center Alice Tully Hall, National Concert Hall (Taiwan), Izuminomori Hall (Japan). Recent and upcoming performances include the 2013 International Society of Bassist Convention’s featured artist at the Eastman School of Music, her New York recital debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, concerto appearances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan, the New World Symphony (FL), Penang Symphony Orchestra in Malaysia and solo recitals throughout US and Asia. She has been invited to give performances and/or master classes at the Eastman School of Music, Boston University, Interlochen Arts Academy, University of Michigan, Ithaca College School of Music, Belize , Panama, Japan Double Bass seminar, Montreal Chamber Music Festival, International Society of Bassist Convention, Taipei University of the Arts, Tunghai University in Taiwan, Central Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory and Shenyang Conservatory in China, among many. She served as a faculty member of the Bowdoin Music Festival in Maine, and was a juror for the International Bassist Society Competition in 2003. Wei also served as the string chair of the Louisiana Music Teacher Association, String Tournament Chair of the Baton Rouge Music Teacher Association and organized LSU’s annual Louisiana Bass Fest.
As a chamber musician, Wei has collaborated with artists such as Leon Fleisher, James Buswell, John Gibbson , Joseph Robinson, Denis Brott, James Campbell, Joseph Rouleau, Gabriel Gascon, Rosemarie Landry, Andy Simionescu, James Ehnes, Neal Gripp, Stephane Levesque, and James Sommerville. Her orchestra experience includes serving as principal bassist in the New World Symphony Orchestra (FL) under Michael Tilson Thomas; the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra in Boston. She has participated in several festivals including the Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival, Spoleto (Italy) and the Pacific Music Festival (Japan). Wei has been featured on the radio and television throughout USA (CBS, WGBH, PBS), Japan’s NHK, Canada’s CBC, Belize and Taiwan.
A native of Taiwan, Wei began playing the piano at age six and the bass at age twelve. She received her Master of Music degree with honors from the New England Conservatory in Boston and her Bachelor of Music degree with a Performance Certificate from the Eastman School of Music- the first bassist to be awarded such a certificate in twenty years. Her teachers include James VanDemark, Lawrence Wolfe, Stuart Sankey, Jeff Turner, Derek Weller, Peter Dominguez and Claudia Chen.
著名的紐約音樂會樂評家雜誌讚賞魏詠蕎“擁有精湛技巧與至高藝術性的低音提琴家是不存在的。當然有一些例外：如傳奇人物Gary Karr，紐約愛樂的Eugene Levinson，現在則是魏詠蕎，一位來自台灣，年輕、多才多藝的女性低音提琴家”。自2003年12月獲台灣室內樂社之邀請，於紐約卡內基音樂廳舉行獨奏會首演，魏詠蕎成為第一位在卡內基音樂廳舉行獨奏會的女性低音提琴家。
“魏詠蕎透過對音樂的洞察力、卓越的技巧及個性，能給予最令人讚嘆的藝術演出。她在舞台上擁有屬於真正藝術家魔術般的風範。” 被邁阿密先鋒報(Miami Herald)譽為 “有雙方面才華，由鋼琴比賽得主轉為低音提琴名家” 的魏詠蕎，獲獎無數，包括2001年日本泉之森第一屆國際低音提琴大賽第二獎 (首獎從缺) 及觀眾票選特別獎，以及獲兩廳院甄選為2003年樂壇新秀。除了活耀於世界各地著名音樂節及演奏廳，更於2000年獲聘為美國路易斯安納州立大學音樂系低音提琴教授，2006年獲終身職與教學獎，2010年獲提名卓越教授，2014年獲路易斯安納州學者/藝術家獎。曾獲邀擔任2003年國際低音提琴協會舉辦的國際低音提琴大賽評審。
魏詠蕎在卡內基音樂廳的首演獲得紐約音樂會樂評家 Anthony Aibel 極度的讚賞。他褒揚“Wei is a phenomenon” (魏詠蕎是非凡的人)。在評論舒伯特的琶音奏鳴曲時，他說“nuance on the double bass is hard to accomplish, but Wei plays with subtlety of dynamics, color and expression one seldom, if ever, hears on the bass” (在低音提琴上做細微的感情及色彩變化是非常難的，但是魏詠蕎以細緻的力度變化、音色與感情表達演奏，在低音提琴上是鮮少聽見的。)
出生於高雄，六歲學習鋼琴，就讀新興國中音樂班後開始學習低音提琴，之後進入高雄中學，期間曾獲台灣區音樂比賽低音提琴組第一名。隨後一年赴美就讀於英特拉根藝術學院( Interlochen Arts Academy )，在該校連續兩年贏得鋼琴協奏曲比賽，更於畢業時獲得該校最高榮譽－青年藝術家獎。大學畢業於伊士曼音樂院，成為該校20年來第一位贏得演奏家文憑的低音提琴家，隨後獲得新英格蘭音樂院全額獎學金，並取得演奏碩士。曾師事於陳倩碧、朱斐黎、Derek Weller、Staurt Sankey、James VanDemark，以及Lawrence Wolfe。
在美期間，魏詠蕎的獨奏、室內樂、及擔任各樂團首席，演出足跡遍佈各地，包含美國紐約林肯藝術中心、卡內基音樂廳、波士頓喬登音樂廳 (Jorden Hall)、日本太平洋音樂節、義大利Spoleto音樂節、阿斯本音樂節、舊金山音樂節、以及Tanglewood音樂節（由小澤征爾指揮）。先後擔任卡內基音樂廳紐約弦樂團、佛羅里達州新世界交響樂團首席，並同時贏得該團協奏曲比賽以及德州國際音樂節協奏曲比賽。在波士頓時擔任梅得摩佛森室內樂團（Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra)首席，於全美巡迴演出。曾與音樂大師 Leon Fleisher，James Buswell，John Gibbson，Joseph Robinson (紐約愛樂雙簧管首席) 合作室內樂，主要的樂團演出包括紐約弦樂團、新世界交響樂團，及波士頓交響樂團等，這些演出經常在日本NHK電視台、美國WGBH電台、PBS and CBS電視台，及美國60分鐘節目播出。
近期的演出包括2013年6月受邀於美國國際低音提琴協會，代表伊士曼音樂院傑出校友於伊士曼戲劇院演出，2012年8月受邀於歐洲國際低音提琴協會至丹麥歌劇院演出，2010年於柏林藝術大學舉辦獨奏會及大師班，2009年於美國國際低音提琴協會舉辦獨奏會，2011年受Thierry Barbe (法國低音提琴協會會長)之邀於美國國際低音提琴協會合作二重奏演出，國家音樂廳交響樂團所舉辦的樂壇新秀協奏演出，長榮交響樂團客席首席，台灣古典管絃樂團Gala盛會系列，多次於全台巡迴獨奏，演出足跡遍佈日本仙台、馬來西亞、中美洲貝里斯、巴拿馬國際音樂節，加拿大蒙特婁室內樂音樂節，阿拉斯加，美國伊斯曼音樂院，密西根大學，加州大學與Clap and Tap Chamber Orchestra，北佛羅里達大學協奏及獨奏演出。曾於美國伊斯曼音樂院、波士頓大學，英特拉根藝術學院、Ithaca College、緬因州Bowdoin夏季音樂節、阿拉斯加的安格拉治暑期音樂節、日本低音提琴研習營 (RCN)、台北藝術大學、東海大學、高雄師範大學、中山大學、台南女子技術學院以及中央音樂院、上海與瀋陽音樂院舉行大師班及音樂會。魏詠蕎長期與作曲家溫隆信及指揮家鍾安妮合作，持續推動青少年音樂教育，於台灣，日本仙台，琉球，美國加州，馬來西暑期教學及演出。並於美國路易斯安那州貝城中文學校創辦室內樂團，以及路易斯安那低音提琴研習節，並擔任路易斯安那音樂教師協會弦樂主席。
2006年舊金山知名探戈音樂製作人Ted Viviani 力邀魏詠蕎，加入全球第一個全女性探戈音樂團體。由20位來自9個國家的名音樂家及舞者，包括著名阿根廷探戈歌手Silvana Deluigi 及烏拉圭首席鋼琴家Polly Ferman，在舊金山 Herbst Theartre舉行世界首演。魏詠蕎跨越古典，融合西洋爵士及阿根廷探戈的演出，深受觀眾及製作人讚賞，接連續訂了演出及錄音計畫。
魏詠蕎首張獨奏專輯，與鋼琴家周兆儀合作，由美國著名唱片公司Centaur Records 於 2008年全球發行。有限於低音提琴的曲目，魏詠蕎勇於嘗試創新，不斷挑戰超越低音提琴固有的演奏技巧。此張專輯，她大膽挑戰並改編著名的梁祝小提琴協奏曲，以深邃的低音提琴模仿二胡的韻味，來詮釋細膩纏綿拉懸的東方原味。而另一首重量級的布拉姆斯大提琴奏鳴曲，魏詠蕎以敘詩的溫暖，進入音樂刻骨銘心的境界。
Source from TCC Taiwan Night Concert 2015
