2024 Contestants
Nathan Cheung, DMA
United States
Age 32
Sponsored by Lora and Jim Watts
Hosted by Charles and Margaret Goodhue
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Nathan Cheung is known for his versatility as a soloist, collaborator, composer, and improviser. These roles are fueled by a life-long passion to understand the power of great music and tap into its potential to resonate with people from all walks of life. Cheung received his doctorate and two masters degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Bachelors of Arts from Stanford University. His primary teachers were Natalya Antonova, Jean Barr, Nelita True, and Thomas Schultz.
Dr. Cheung claimed 1st prize in the 2019 Los Angeles International Piano Competition and top prizes in the Wideman International Piano Competition, Seattle International Piano Competition, and Lewisville Lake Symphony International Competition. He is also a winner of the Aspen Concerto Competition, American Prize concerto division, Kaunas Piano Fest Competition (Lithuania), Music Teachers’ Association of California Solo Competition, and concerto competitions at the Eastman School of Music and Stanford University.
His robust activity as a collaborative pianist includes fellowships in Music Academy of the West, SongFest, and the Aspen Music Festival. Nathan’s adept ability to navigate through opera run-throughs, new music, jazz, Baroque, world music, spiritual, rock and tango ensembles also allows him to cross boundaries of genre, instrumentation, and culture.
As a composer, Cheung’s works have been featured by the US Open Music Competition and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Cheung is also a member of the innovative four-hand piano ensemble “Happy Dog Duo” with longtime piano partner Eric Tran. Together, they won the 2017 Ellis Duo Piano Competition, the 2018 MTNA Stecher-Horowitz Two Piano Competition, and the Ohio International Piano Duet & Duo Competition.
Cheung is also a rare recipient of Eastman’s Advanced Diploma in the Art of Improvisation and gladly welcomes all requests for Happy Birthday in the key and style of their choice for style imitation study.
https://nathancheungmusic.com
Facebook (@nathan.cheung.125/)
Instagram (@innatelycheung & @nathancheung.practicediary)
YouTube (@nathancheungmusic)
Repertoire
ROUND I
BACH Italian Concerto
DE FALLA Fantasia Baetica
CÉCILE CHAMINADE 6 Etudes de concert, Op. 35
ROUND II
MARGARET BONDS Troubled Water (1967)
DANA SUESSE Jazz Nocturne (1931)
Scherzette (Whirligig) (1956)
GERSHWIN/WILD Etudes: (1954 and 1973)
Liza
Somebody Loves Me
The Man I Love
Embraceable You
Fascinating Rhythm
VILLA-LOBOS Rudepoema (1921-26)
ROUND III
ZHANG ZHAO Pi Huang (1995)
NATHAN CHEUNG Rapid Fire (2022)
AARON PRADO El Colibrí y la Cempasúchil (2023)
ROUND IV
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
Nathan Cheung, DMA
United States
Age 32
Sponsored by Lora and Jim Watts
Hosted by Charles and Margaret Goodhue
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Nathan Cheung is known for his versatility as a soloist, collaborator, composer, and improviser. These roles are fueled by a life-long passion to understand the power of great music and tap into its potential to resonate with people from all walks of life. Cheung received his doctorate and two masters degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Bachelors of Arts from Stanford University. His primary teachers were Natalya Antonova, Jean Barr, Nelita True, and Thomas Schultz.
Dr. Cheung claimed 1st prize in the 2019 Los Angeles International Piano Competition and top prizes in the Wideman International Piano Competition, Seattle International Piano Competition, and Lewisville Lake Symphony International Competition. He is also a winner of the Aspen Concerto Competition, American Prize concerto division, Kaunas Piano Fest Competition (Lithuania), Music Teachers’ Association of California Solo Competition, and concerto competitions at the Eastman School of Music and Stanford University.
His robust activity as a collaborative pianist includes fellowships in Music Academy of the West, SongFest, and the Aspen Music Festival. Nathan’s adept ability to navigate through opera run-throughs, new music, jazz, Baroque, world music, spiritual, rock and tango ensembles also allows him to cross boundaries of genre, instrumentation, and culture.
As a composer, Cheung’s works have been featured by the US Open Music Competition and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Cheung is also a member of the innovative four-hand piano ensemble “Happy Dog Duo” with longtime piano partner Eric Tran. Together, they won the 2017 Ellis Duo Piano Competition, the 2018 MTNA Stecher-Horowitz Two Piano Competition, and the Ohio International Piano Duet & Duo Competition.
Cheung is also a rare recipient of Eastman’s Advanced Diploma in the Art of Improvisation and gladly welcomes all requests for Happy Birthday in the key and style of their choice for style imitation study.
https://nathancheungmusic.com
Facebook (@nathan.cheung.125/)
Instagram (@innatelycheung & @nathancheung.practicediary)
YouTube (@nathancheungmusic)
Repertoire
ROUND I
BACH Italian Concerto
DE FALLA Fantasia Baetica
CÉCILE CHAMINADE 6 Etudes de concert, Op. 35
ROUND II
MARGARET BONDS Troubled Water (1967)
DANA SUESSE Jazz Nocturne (1931)
Scherzette (Whirligig) (1956)
GERSHWIN/WILD Etudes: (1954 and 1973)
Liza
Somebody Loves Me
The Man I Love
Embraceable You
Fascinating Rhythm
VILLA-LOBOS Rudepoema (1921-26)
ROUND III
ZHANG ZHAO Pi Huang (1995)
NATHAN CHEUNG Rapid Fire (2022)
AARON PRADO El Colibrí y la Cempasúchil (2023)
ROUND IV
PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26
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