Jiaxin Cheng ( zh, c=程嘉欣, links=no, born 2 October 1974) is a Chinese-born cellist.

Career

Cheng graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, China, in 1997. She was already giving performances with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra but left China for further studies in New Zealand where she received her Master's degree at the

University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn ...

in 2001. While in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

, Cheng was principal cello of the Auckland Chamber Orchestra and played regularly with both the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and the

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Wellington, New Zealand. The national orchestra of New Zealand, the NZSO is an autonomous Crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, per the New Zealand Sympho ...

. With the

Auckland Symphony Orchestra The Auckland Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is a New Zealand community-based symphony orchestra formed in 1975 by founding musical director Gary Daverne . The ASO has developed a following and reputation for high quality performances of popular c ...

she performed cello concertos by Dvořák,

Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

and Lalo. Cheng was also a founding member of the Aroha String Quartet. Since 2007, Cheng has lived in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

where she has given several recitals. Her performance in April 2008 at

Her Majesty's Theatre Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, ...

with both

Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

and

Julian Lloyd Webber Julian Lloyd Webber (born 14 April 1951) is a British solo cellist, conductor and broadcaster, a former principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the founder of the In Harmony music education programme. Early years and education Julian ...

was described as "the emotional highlight of the evening". She appeared as a soloist at the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...

in April 2011 and with Julian Lloyd Webber for

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also featuring. The st ...

, Classic FM, CNN Global TV and

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced t ...

. They have recorded for

Universal Classics Decca Gold is a United States-based record label focusing on classical repertoire. It falls under the umbrella of Verve Label Group, owned by Universal Music Group. The label has a new roster of classical artists and partnerships, and was inspire ...

and Naxos and they made further recordings in 2013 as well as touring together with the

European Union Chamber Orchestra The European Union Chamber Orchestra (EUCO) is a chamber orchestra with funding from the European Commission, founded in 1981 and initially known as the European Community Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra has toured worldwide and broadcast on BBC ...

and

English Chamber Orchestra The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internation ...

. Cheng married

in July 2009 (the couple's daughter was born on 14 June 2011). Their first recording together, released in March 2011, was

Menotti Menotti may refer to the following people: ;Given name *Menotti Aristone (c.1942–2013), American jockey *Menotti de Tomazzo Sobrinho (born 1943), Brazilian football player *Menotti Del Picchia (1892–1988), Brazilian poet, journalist and painte ...

's Arioso for two cellos and strings, featured on the album ''

The Art of Julian Lloyd Webber ''The Art of Julian Lloyd Webber'' is a 2011 album by Julian Lloyd Webber. Track listing Disc 1 # "Cello Concerto 1st Movement" by Edward Elgar # "The Swan" by Saint-Saëns # "Salut d'amour" by Edward Elgar # "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy # ...

''. Cheng also features on Lloyd Webber's 2011 album '' Evening Songs''. In September 2013, Naxos released their first full-length recording '' A Tale of Two Cellos''. This was followed by the

Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespre ...

concertos for two cellos with the European Union Chamber Orchestra in 2014. Featured on the album ''

Virology Virology is the scientific study of biological viruses. It is a subfield of microbiology that focuses on their detection, structure, classification and evolution, their methods of infection and exploitation of host cells for reproduction, th ...

'' by british rock band Symphony Of Pain released in 2019

References

External links

* , Bach Suite No. 1 ( J. S. Bach) * , Tissue No. 2 from '' Naqoyqatsi'' (

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimalism, being built up from repetitive ...

) with Pam Chowhan, piano * , Cello Sonata (

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...

) with Pam Chowhan, piano * , Milonga Del Angel (

Astor Piazzolla Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla (, ; March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed '' nuevo tango'', incorporating elements f ...

), arranged for two cellos and strings {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheng, Jiaxin 1974 births Living people Chinese classical cellists Women classical cellists Chinese expatriates in New Zealand Chinese expatriates in the United Kingdom University of Auckland alumni Lloyd Webber family 20th-century classical musicians 21st-century classical musicians 20th-century Chinese musicians 21st-century Chinese musicians 20th-century Chinese women musicians 21st-century Chinese women musicians 20th-century cellists 21st-century cellists