{"id":126146,"date":"2026-07-24T13:55:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=126146"},"modified":"2026-07-24T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T18:00:01","slug":"interview-violinist-kerson-leong-pianist-philip-chiu-talk-collaboration-biglake-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/07\/24\/interview-violinist-kerson-leong-pianist-philip-chiu-talk-collaboration-biglake-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Violinist Kerson Leong and Pianist Philip Chiu Talk About Their Collaboration at BIGLAKE Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_126153\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126153\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126153\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-24T135041.049.jpg\" alt=\"L: Pianist Philip Chiu; R: violinist Kerson Leong (Photo courtesy of BIGLAKE)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-24T135041.049.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-24T135041.049-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-24T135041.049-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-2026-07-24T135041.049-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126153\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L: Pianist Philip Chiu; R: violinist Kerson Leong (Photo courtesy of BIGLAKE)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>BIGLAKE Festival, the highly anticipated musical event in Prince Edward County, returns on August 21.<\/p>\n<p>Its 6th season opens with acclaimed Canadian violinist Kerson Leong, who will be making his BIGLAKE debut. The prodigy started playing the violin at age four, winning First Prize at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists when he was only 13 years old, which was followed by a long list other awards.<\/p>\n<p>JUNO award-winning Canadian pianist Philip Chiu, on the other hand, is a seasoned BIGLAKE veteran. He has been a regular presence in Prince Edward County since the inception of Wellington Water Week, before it was rebranded as BIGLAKE Festival.<\/p>\n<p>Kerson and Philip are long-time musical collaborators. The two artists frequently perform and tour together, and Kerson\u2019s debut album \u201cBis\u201d was recorded with Philip as a joint artist project.<\/p>\n<p>Kerson Leong and Philip Chiu perform at the Festival de Musique de Lachine back in 2014:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TiiQZyoxqMw?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<p>LV caught up with Kerson and Philip about their upcoming BIGLAKE concerts.<\/p>\n<h3>Opening Night with Kerson<\/h3>\n<p>The concert is an exploration of darkness and light, and angels and devils. Kerson will be accompanied by Philip on the piano.<\/p>\n<p>Estonian composer Arvo P\u00e4rt is the most performed living composer in the world, known for his signature tintinnabuli style, a minimalist musical language inspired by the sound of ringing bells and Gregorian chant. The concert starts off in an ethereal place with P\u00e4rt\u2019s iconic work \u201cFratres\u201d\u2014 meaning brotherhood\u2014which Kerson describes as very spiritual and solemn.<\/p>\n<p>Next is Francis Poulenc\u2019s Violin Sonata. Kerson describes this piece as spirited and full of contrast. \u201cIt is filled with lightheartedness, yet also full of tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Lark Ascending\u201d by Ralph Vaughan Williams is an iconic piece that many will recognize. \u201cIt makes the violin embody a lark or a bird that&#8217;s fluttering and doing all of its things in a very literal way. And it brings us back into the ethereal,\u201d says Kerson.<\/p>\n<p>Kerson has a special connection to Belgian composer and violin virtuoso Eug\u00e8ne Ysa\u00ffe, having studied at the institute that Ysa\u00ffe co-founded. Kerson also recorded all six Ysa\u00ffe solo violin sonatas in 2021. For BIGLAKE, he will perform No. 2, notable for its homage to J.S. Bach and the medieval chant \u201cDies irae,\u201d which Kerson describes as \u201calmost demonic or sardonic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The demonic theme continues with Giuseppe Tartini\u2019s \u201cDevil\u2019s Trill Sonata.\u201d The story goes that Tartini had a dream in which the devil played him a sonata, which the composer wrote down what he could remember of it. \u201cI find it&#8217;s an incredibly powerful piece. You can sense the urgency, passion, perhaps desperation, in Tartini&#8217;s writing, just to be able to capture that moment in a dream,\u201d Kerson says.<\/p>\n<p>The last piece on his program will be Maurice Ravel\u2019s \u201cTzigane\u201d, described by Kerson as a character piece for both the violin and piano. The piece is inspired by the style of Hungarian and Romani (&#8220;Gypsy&#8221;) violin playing, with lots of fiery tricks and dazzling virtuoso effects.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126154\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126154\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126154\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Philip-Chiu-Photo-Credit_-Brent-Calis.jpg\" alt=\"Pianist Philip Chiu (Photo: Brent Calis)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Philip-Chiu-Photo-Credit_-Brent-Calis.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Philip-Chiu-Photo-Credit_-Brent-Calis-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Philip-Chiu-Photo-Credit_-Brent-Calis-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Philip-Chiu-Photo-Credit_-Brent-Calis-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126154\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pianist Philip Chiu (Photo: Brent Calis)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Philip Chiu in Solo Recital<\/h3>\n<p>Since the theme of this year\u2019s BIGLAKE is Classics, Philip\u2019s solo recital will feature many well-known piano classics, from Chopin Nocturnes and Rachmaninoff Preludes to Debussy\u2019s Clair de Lune and Beethoven\u2019s Moonlight Sonata.<\/p>\n<p>From a musician\u2019s standpoint, performing these familiar pieces presents a special challenge. \u201cI had to first kind of wrestle with my own demons, you know, as a musician,\u201d says Philip. \u201cWe&#8217;re sometimes hesitant to lean into some of these works exactly for the reason that they&#8217;re so well known to us. We start to attach these labels about them being very clich\u00e9, because we hear them all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Philip feels it\u2019s important to approach these works without this label. He cites the example of Beethoven\u2019s \u201cMoonlight Sonata\u201d, which he only learned recently. \u201cIt&#8217;s really remarkable to come to these works that we think of as super familiar and overplayed, to actually see the genius and the imagination behind. The very reason that they became so well known is that they are such amazing pieces of music that, in a way, happen to worm their way into the cultural consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even for non-classical fans, most of the music will sound familiar. \u201cI would like to show them just a little bit more about where a piece comes from, what the context is about, who the composer was, what he was about, and what this piece meant for him,\u201d explains Philip.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, what I&#8217;m hoping to do through this evening is to create entryways for people who are curious, to give them a little bit more understanding; to reward their curiosity by sharing and finding ways for them to come in towards the music or to bring the music towards them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to his solo concert, Philip will also perform with the quartet Ensemble Made In Canada, a staple of BIGLAKE.<\/p>\n<h3>Kerson &amp; Philip Play Dorman &amp; Chausson<\/h3>\n<p>The two artists get to collaborate again in this concert that also features the Berlin Philharmonic String Quartet.<\/p>\n<p>According to Philip, Ernest Chausson\u2019s Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet is filled with, \u201cextremely beautiful melodies, tons of virtuosity and brilliance, and lots of elegance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kerson adds, \u201cIt&#8217;s one of those pieces where you get the impression that the composer is just overflowing with emotions and ideas, and just wants to cram it all; a heart-on-sleeve piece where nothing is hidden. It&#8217;s a real rollercoaster ride for everyone involved, and for the listener as well, just because it&#8217;s conceived on such a massive scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, Avner Dorman\u2019s \u201cNigunim,\u201d has a totally different aesthetic. Originally written for violin and piano, this version has been adapted for violin, piano and string quartet. Dorman\u2019s works are renowned for blending classical forms with influences from Jewish, Middle Eastern, African, and Balkan musical traditions. \u201cNigunimis\u201d a highly energetic, multicultural exploration of global Jewish musical traditions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_126152\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-126152\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-126152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Kerson-Leong-3-Photo-Courtesy-of-BIGLAKE-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Violinist Kerson Leong (Photo courtesy of BIGLAKE)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Kerson-Leong-3-Photo-Courtesy-of-BIGLAKE-1.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Kerson-Leong-3-Photo-Courtesy-of-BIGLAKE-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Kerson-Leong-3-Photo-Courtesy-of-BIGLAKE-1-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/Kerson-Leong-3-Photo-Courtesy-of-BIGLAKE-1-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-126152\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Violinist Kerson Leong (Photo courtesy of BIGLAKE)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>About Working Together Again at BIGLAKE<\/h3>\n<p>When asked what the musicians are most looking forward to, Philip immediately gushes, \u201cKerson is just such an incredibly natural musician, and at the same time, such a learned and thoughtful artist. Playing with him has never felt anything but easy. It&#8217;s always stimulating. When we went on tour, every performance felt new. I&#8217;m just personally so excited to be playing with him again, all week long.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The admiration is certainly mutual. Kerson also enthuses about his collaborator. \u201cPlaying together with Philip never felt stale, predetermined, or preconceived. I have great memories of us playing together because it was always a living process. Philip responds in a way that is so natural, our communication doesn\u2019t need words.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Because this is Kerson\u2019s first BIGLAKE gig, he looks forward most to the wonderful energy and people in a beautiful natural space. \u201cIt is the close connection between the artists that are playing and the listeners who are right in front of them. There is a real intimacy in that kind of concert setting. The emotions and physical sensations of hearing sounds come out are very palpable, like there&#8217;s a real exchange going on, and I so look forward to that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Philip also echoes this sentiment about playing in medium-sized venues that is distinctly BIGLAKE.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I love so much is hearing people breathe and hold their breath when something is really beautiful. To me everyone becomes a part of music-making and of the living arts. BIGLAKE is high quality, but made for humans on a very intimate scale. I think that&#8217;s what I really love about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n<p>Philip adds that \u201cI&#8217;m not just coming to perform incredible music \u2014 I mean really amazing, exciting, thrilling music. I&#8217;m coming to share this music with them, offering it as a gift. Consider it an invitation \u2014 come without trepidation or concern about having to know something or having grown up in classical music, but just experience what it can be for you. It&#8217;s more than just music. It&#8217;s the people as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As if they finish each other\u2019s sentences, Kerson sums it up nicely.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we\u2019re offering is something that is ultimately a very human experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find concert details and tickets for all BIGLAKE events [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biglakearts.com\/upcoming-events-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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