Virtuosi Solo Recitals

Festival Passes and Combo Promotions

Pre-Concert Talk

Thursday, July 24 | 6:00 P.M.
Join us for a pre-concert talk featuring Prof. Dr. Michael Maul on Bach’s Violin Partitas and Prof. Dr. Alex Tseng on the Goldberg Variations. Discover the historical and musical significance of these masterpieces—Bach’s Partitas for solo violin, blending dance forms with intricate counterpoint, and the Goldberg Variations, a landmark in keyboard music known for its structural brilliance and emotional depth. Gain a deeper appreciation of these works before experiencing them performed live in Virtuosi.

VIRTUOSI Solo Recitals

Thursday, July 24 | 7:30 P.M.

Part 1: Unaccompanied Violin

Bernice Ooi, Violin Solo
Violin Partita no. 3 in E major, BWV 1006
Violin Partita no. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004

Bach’s Partitas for solo violin stand as pinnacles of the Baroque violin repertoire, blending profound musical expression with technical brilliance. He wrote these works in Köthen between 1717 and 1723 while serving as Kapellmeister at the court of Prince Leopold. This period allowed him to focus on instrumental music, leading to some of his most significant contributions to the solo violin repertoire. Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004, is renowned for its profound Chaconne, while Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006, opens with the joyful, virtuosic Prelude. These works exemplify Bach’s mastery in blending dance forms with intricate counterpoint.

Part 2: Iconic Monument

Ng Chong Lim, Piano Solo
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, stand as one of the greatest achievements in keyboard music. Composed in 1741 during his time in Leipzig, this masterful set begins with a serene Aria, followed by 30 variations that explore a dazzling range of styles and techniques. Originally written for harpsichord, the work’s brilliance, lyricism, and structural ingenuity continue to inspire musicians and audiences alike. As Chinese pianist Zhu Xiao Mei says, “in this work, Bach gave musical expression to life in all of its infinite facets”.

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MEET THE ARTIST

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BERNICE OOI
Violinist Bernice Ooi is a member of the Royal Swedish Orchestra, the first Southeast Asian in its nearly 500-year history. She has performed as co-principal of the second violins and appeared with the Norrköping and Gothenburg symphony orchestras. Bernice is the concertmaster of the Malaysia Bach Festival Orchestra and has played regularly with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2024, she toured Germany for Bachfest Leipzig, performed in Taiwan with Ensemble Virama, and appeared as soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia. She is a recipient of prestigious Royal Swedish Academy of Music scholarships.

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NG CHONG LIM
Pianist and Composer Ng 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 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. He holds degrees from the Royal College of Music (RCM), London and the Universitat fur Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz, Austria. 

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