Kennth Kuo郭虔哲, cellist
Hailed by the Sydney Morning Harold as a “cellist with great facility and confidence”, and Strings magazine as a cellist “with effortless technique, a beautiful, warm tone, and an unabashedly romantic soul”, Kenneth Kuo is rapidly establishing an international reputation as one of the top cellists of his generation.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Kuo began his cello studies at the age of four, and by eight won the first of three consecutive Taipei Youth Cello Competition awards. In 1986 he enrolled in the Preparatory Division at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Marion Feldman. He continued his studies with Harvey Shapiro at The Juilliard School, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree. In 1997, Kuo enrolled at Yale University where he studied with Aldo Parisot. Upon graduating with a Master’s of Music degree, he received the Aldo Parisot Prize in recognition of his achievements while at Yale.
Kuo has performed throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas in such venues as Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Tschaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Taiwan National Concert Hall, and Sydney Town Hall with such artists as Pierre Boulez, Itzhak Perlman, Aldo Parisot, and Erick Friedman. In January, 2000, he was invited to play for President Lee of Taiwan, and has been invited every year to represent musicians for the 9/11 Memorials in Connecticut by Governor Jodi Rell. Aside from his classical performances, Kuo has also recorded two albums for Jingo Records of Taiwan, The Memories of Boom Mi Pon and Splended Adventure . Both albums were nominated for “Best Crossover Instrumental Album” by the Golden Music Awards in Taiwan. His latest album, The Sky You Decide, recorded on Virgin Records, was featured on Taiwan’s San Li television studio for its Discovery, Food, and History Channels. Kuo’s crossover work also includes collaborations with numerous Asian pop superstars and independent pop and folk artists from around the world.
Along with being the Founder and President of The Connecticut School of Music in Westport and Greenwich, Kuo is also the creator of the Connecticut Musical Artists Foundation, a non-profit organization which assists students with musical and financial needs. He has held positions at Yale University, Taiwan National Teachers College, Thames Valley Music School in Connecticut College, Ithaca Violoncello Institute, University Antonio Nanino in Colombia and the New England Music Camp. Kuo is also the Director of Classical Music Services, a chamber music management agency.
郭虔哲,1974年出生于台灣台北,年僅四歲即開始學琴,天資聰穎的他獲得美國音樂教授的青睞,于1986年負笈前往美國曼哈頓音樂學院先修部留學,跟隨費得曼(Marion Feldman)學習。
在曼哈頓音樂學院期間,曾贏得青少年組協奏曲比賽首獎,並與學院樂團同台表演。 隔年他在卡內基廳的威爾演奏廳(Weill Recital Hall)演出。 之後在大學部師從‘美國絃樂四重奏’(American String Quartet)的成員大衛.傑伯(David Geber),同年並被挑選在大提琴傳奇人物史塔克(Janos Starker)的大師講習會上演奏。 作為一位演奏演出者,郭虔哲活躍于國際舞臺上,足跡遍佈美國、加拿大、歐洲、澳洲、以及日本等地。 除了在各國演出之外,也受到當地各大傳播媒體的愛戴,經常出現在電視、廣播、報紙及雜誌等媒體上。
‘雪梨前鋒早報’譽之為「極具自信及才華之青年大提琴家」;在三藩市的一篇專訪中,評論者認為郭虔哲在演奏家的生涯已遠超過同儕的成就。 他贏得的比賽包括了臺北市青少年音樂賽、倫多室內管弦樂團、紐澤西普田交響樂團、李溫斯頓交響樂團協奏曲比賽、以及美國國家教師協會的比賽等。 1996年在一項慶祝中國新年的活動中,被邀請與雪梨愛樂管弦樂團合作演出。
1993年郭虔哲進入紐約著名的茱莉亞學院,追隨名師夏畢洛(Harvey Shapiro)學習大提琴。 在學期間他曾與多位室內樂名師合作演出,如山繆.桑德斯(Samuel Sanders)、尤金·貝克(Eugene Becker)、厄爾.卡裡斯(Earl Carlys)、以及‘茱莉亞絃樂四重奏’(Juilliard String Quartet)等。 1997年在茱莉亞學院修得學士學位之後,旋即獲得耶魯大學音樂學院研究所之全額獎學金,並追隨重量級大師派瑞索(Aldo Parisot)繼續深造。 就讀研究所時,他也同時是紐英格蘭州的紐海芬交響樂及管弦樂團之團員。 1999年5月,郭虔哲取得碩士學位,並獲頒其師之「派瑞索獎」(Aldo Parisot Prize),同時被譽為「一位具優質演奏天賦之大提琴家」。
郭虔哲演奏用的大提琴,是名匠哥夫瑞勒(Francesco Goffriller)于十八世紀在威尼斯所打造的名琴,這把琴由‘綺色佳大提琴學會’(Ithaca cello institute)的創辦人何姆(Einar J. Holm)所提供。
年紀輕輕便在古典樂壇佔有一席之地的郭虔哲,優異的音樂造詣、加上親和力十足的個性,是許多青少年朋友學習的物件,而郭虔哲本身對於推動青少年的音樂教育更是一直不遺餘力。 本著這樣的信念,郭虔哲在成立了一所弦樂學校,除了親自教授大提琴課程之外,也聘請其他優秀的弦樂演奏者開班授課,讓更多熱愛音樂的非音樂系學生有一片專屬的學習天地,而郭虔哲也成為美國史上最年輕的音樂學院校長。
Source from http://www.ctschoolofmusic.com/kennethK_Cello.html
