Bio

Ms. Addie Tong began her piano studies in Hong Kong at the age of 7. Under the teaching of Madam Tu Yuen Sien, Addie has won a number of awards and honours in various competitions and performances.

After graduating with an honour degree in the Fine Arts Music Programme from York University of Toronto, Addie continued her musical training with Adrienne Shannon of the “Palenai Piano Duo” at the Royal Conservatory of Music, and won the Ontario Art Council Scholarship. She then further studied classical piano with Canadian music legend Reginald Godden, piano pedagogy with renowned piano instructor Madam Marina Geringas, contemporary improvisation and musicianship with Professor Casey Sokol and contemporary piano music with the famous Canadian composer, James Tenney.

Addie performed for the Master Class with Austrian-born Canadian Composer/Conductor Anton Kuerti. She also has played in the Premier Work concerts for the prominent Canadian Composer, Samuel Dolin.

Ms. Tong is also the pianist in Dr. Richard Lin’s published Century Cerebration series and other choral CD recordings.

Besides being a full time piano teacher, Addie also has served as the conductor of the Markham Chinese Baptist Church Youth Choir and Children Choir in the past years. Presently, she is serving in the Lord’s ministry at MCBC as the worship pianist and Cantonese choir conductor.

Addie is one of the founding and active members of the Association of Toronto Chinese Evangelical Church Musicians. She finds great joy in serving and glorifying the Lord with her gift of music.

Arthur Yu has always been involved in church music ministry. He initially served by singing tenor in the church choir and received his first conducting training from Dr. Whitlow and Dr. L.G. McKinney Jr., both missionaries from Southern Baptist, at the Hong Kong Baptist Seminary. He later became the conductor of the youth chorale 'Choir of Bethlehem' at Tsim Sha Tsui Baptist Church, ministering to high school students and churches through music. After moving to Canada, he continued to serve as both singer and choir conductor at Calgary Chinese Pentacostal Church, Toronto Chinese Baptist Church, and currently at Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church.

Arthur received vocal lessons from Giulietta Tam to further develop his vocal technique and musical understanding. He joined the University of Toronto Choir at the Royal Conservatory of Music and North York Philharmonic Choir under various well known conductors to broaden his choral experience, repertoire, and conducting techniques. In 1989 he was selected to sing in a chamber choir under the baton of Sir David Willcocks at the Presbyterian Association of Musicians conference in Pennsyvania. Arthur is indebted to the mentorship of Dr. Richard Lin for his perspective in church music ministry and conducting development.

He conducted the world premiere of Huang An-lun's Easter Cantata in 1986 and was the rehearsal conductor to Professor Huang Fei-lih for the world premiere of An-lun's Psalm 22 in 1987. He is one of the founding members of ATCECM and has served in various capacities, such as President, Mass Choir Coordinator and mass choir Rehearsal Conductor for many years.

Frances Chan graduated from the University of Minnesota with a major in medical technology. After immigrating to Toronto, she joined the North York Chinese Baptist Church. Choral singing has always been one of her passions. Frances started to learn piano at the age of 10. She was inspired by the late Dr. Richard Lin in music ministry and received vocal training under the late Madam Giulietta Tam. Frances has been with the Association of Toronto Chinese Evangelical Church Musicians since its inception. Her years of involvement with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir allowed her to gain invaluable choral experience, rehearsal and conducting techniques. Frances is very thankful and enjoys serving as the choir conductor at her local church.

Liping Xia is a native of Weihai, China. She started to play the piano at the age of five. Liping received her bachelor in Shandong University, studied with Professor Yuanji Fan. Since 2014, she moved to America, studied with Dr. Reena Berg Natenberg. Liping finished her master’s degree with Outstanding contribution as a Graduate Student and received the Excellence in Graduate Teaching Assistant Award at Pittsburg State University. She received her DMA with the highest scholarship in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Barnes (the premiere pianist of Philip Glass’s piano compositions) in piano performance. Recently, she gave the world premiere of Anlun Huang’s Chinese Rhapsody No.13 LingDingYang Op.96 in Toronto.

Liping enjoys herself as a concert pianist and a chamber musician. Spreading and sharing music with others brings her great happiness. Her performance experience includes recitals in America (Saint Louis, Pittsburg, Kansas City, San Marcos, Lincoln, New York City); in China (Weihai, Chengdu, Qingdao, Linyi, Yantai); in Austria (Vienna). Recent years, besides many solo recitals, Liping has been performed with Pittsburg State University Wind Ensemble in the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in New York City; Prokofiev Piano Concerto No.3 with Southeast Kansas Symphony Orchestra in Bicknell Center; Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 with UNL Symphony Orchestra at Kimble Recital Hall.

Liping believes that there is no boundary in music, and music has the power to express the unspeakable feeling. As a Christian pianist, she became the youngest church pianist and worked with the choir in Weihai Christian Church since she was thirteen years old. Influenced by classical music, traditional Chinese music, and Christian music, Liping devotes herself to promote Chinese Christian composers’ compositions around the world. She has connections with some Chinese Christian composers and musicians. Liping believes that the integration of Chinese music will enrich western music in the future.