Victor Cheng (musician)
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Toronto Ontario 43° 39' 12.53" N, 79° 23' 2.16" W Arts Music Person
Victor Cheng is a Toronton-based Conductor, Co-Founder and Artistic Director.
Career[edit]
Born in 1983, Victor Cheng has already established himself as a talented and multi-faceted musician. Inspired by Ivars Taurins, he decided to pursue orchestral conducting in 2007 and along with composer Kevin Lau, founded Sneak Peek Orchestra, an endeavor to showcase young talent and premiere works by Canadian composers. Since then, SPO has performed at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts and the Chinese Cultural Centre, and has had the honour of performing with artists such as Shauna Rolston, Molly Johnson, Lucia Cesaroni, and Conrad Chow. Victor was accepted to the NAC Conductor’s Program where he had the opportunity to work with Orchestre de la Francophonie Canadienne and the National Arts Centre Orchestra under the tutelage of Kenneth Kiesler and Pinchas Zukerman.
Victor’s passion in conducting stemmed from piano lessons with conductor/composer An-Lun Huang as well as his experience as a choir boy at St. Michael’s Choir School, where he specialized in voice, piano and organ. Currently Victor is the assistant conductor of Vocal Horizons Chamber Choir and a member of the Toronto Philharmonia Chorus. He is also the Musical Director and Principal Organist of Our Lady of Annunciation Church.
Victor graduated from University of Toronto with a B.Mus in Jazz Piano Performance. He studied with Gary Williamson, Dave Restivo, performed with jazz icons Dave Young and Terry Clarke, and has had the opportunity to work with Lee Konitz and Renee Rosnes. In 2006, Victor was invited to perform in Kenny Barron’s clinic at the National Arts Centre. As a freelance conductor and pianist, Victor is in popular demand for recording sessions, recitals and concerts, having worked with Toronto Philharmonia, University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, University of Toronto Wind Symphony, Madawasaka String Quartet, Toronto Wind Quintet, Bach Children’s Chorus, and Vocal Horizons Chamber Choir.