ARTIST TEACHERS
NG CHONG LIM
Hailing from Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, pianist–composer Ng Chong Lim grew up in Seremban in his early years and later studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM), London under the tutelage of Professor Frank Wibaut. He also studied piano with Professor Elza Kolodin and composition with Professor Beat Furrer at the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, Austria.
Chong Lim has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician in many international festivals including The 3rd Asian Grand Piano Concert in Seoul, “Evmelia” International Music Festival in Greece, 2014 “21st New Music Festival” in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2018 International Taipei Piano Maestro Festival, 2019 Perugia Music Festival in Italy and 2022 concerto performance with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
He has served as a juror of international competitions, such as The 5th 6th and 7th ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition in Malaysia, The Jakarta International Piano Competition, and 2019 & 2020 Singapore International Piano Competition.
A keen composer, Chong Lim’s works have been 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).
Chong Lim was an adjunct lecturer at Universiti Malaya and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore. Chong Lim devotes his free time to charity work, helping many homeless and underprivileged children both locally and in Nepal and Cambodia. For his great contribution to the Malaysian music scene, Chong Lim was awarded STM (Pingat Setiawan Tuanku Muhriz – Associate-Order of Loyalty to Tuanku Muhriz ) by the Yamtuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia in 2011.
Natalia Troull began studying piano in her native St. Peterburg. She later moved to Moscow where she graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. Among her teachers were professors Y. Zak, M. Voskresensky and T. Kravchenko.
Her performance career was launched when she won first prize at the Belgrade International Piano Competition in 1983. However, the biggest success came in 1986 when she won the silver medal at the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. Her interpretation of composers such as Schubert and Stravinsky swept the public off its feet. Her “Petroushka” suite left an everlasting impression on the public and critics alike.
In 1993, Natalia was awarded the Grand Prix at the Piano Masters Competition in Monte-Carlo (where only winners of international competitions are accepted as participants).
Natalia’s complete control and fantastic virtuosity place her in a class of her own, and she is in great demand as a performer all over the world. Among the distinguished orchestras with whom she has performed are the London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Monte-Carlo, Tonhalle Symphony Orchestra and all of the major Russian Symphony Orchestras.
Natalia has also played with such conductors as Raphael Frubeck de Burgos, Raymond Leppard, Jean-Bernard Pommier, Eri Klas, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Vassily Sinaisky, Yuri Temirkanov and many others.
Her repertoire includes over 50 concertos, of which the Tchaikovsky concerto has proved to be the most popular, the pianist has performed the work on over one hundred occasions in the world’s leading concert halls. Her most brilliant performances of the Tchaikovsky concerto were in Hollywood Bowl under Eri Klas and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and in Suntory Hall with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Koizumi Kazuhiro (1998-99 season).
Natalia’s performances today are remarkable for her total absorption in the music her unique stage presence and technical mastery in presenting a wide repertoire of works.
Natalia is frequently invited to teach in the U.S.A., Japan, Italy, Germany and South America. She is Professor at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. She is permanently a jury member of many international piano competitions.
Recordings:
•Prokofiev – The Complete Piano Sonatas under the “DML Classic” label (Japan);
•Chopin recital including two Sonatas, the Fantasy and Mazurkas;
•Schubert recital including the Wanderer-Fantasy, Impromptus op.90 and Schubert-Liszt Song transcriptions.
•Tchaikovski – The Seasons op.37bis, Children`s Album op.39
NATALIA TROULL
