Faculty Bio: Chun To Jun Liang Du

Violinist Jun Liang Du's fine talent is the answer to the prayers of his devoted Christian parents who tutored him intensively on both violin and piano at the age of four.

Born in China, Du gave his first public performance on the violin at the age of six. After immigrating to Hong Kong in 1979, he played a critically acclaimed concert at the City Hall of Hong Kong. The following year, Benjamin Hudson, a prominent American violinist, arranged for him to enter the Juilliard School of Music to study with the renowned violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay.

Since coming to America, Du has performed recitals and concerts in New York City, the Northwest, as well as at Peter Britt, Montana, Aspen and Grand Teton Music Festivals. The distinguished conductors and artists with whom he has collaborated include Peter Bay, James DePriest, Peter Jaffe, Christopher Kendall, Jaime Laredo, Alexander Schneider, Illka Talvi and Paul Vermel.

Du was the recipient of several scholarships including Sir Robert Mayor Scholar Award, Cho Chang Tsung & Dorothy DeLay Foundation Award and Fellowships with the Aspen Music Festival, where he served as the concertmaster of the Aspen Philharmonia.

Du was established as one of the emerging young artists following his successful solo appearances with the Seattle Symphony in 1989 and 1996 under the baton of the eminent American conductor Gerard Schwarz. He has also been featured in a number of other series including the American Music, Basically Baroque, Chamber Music, Discovery Music!, New Music, Mozart and Beethoven Festivals.

A strong chamber music advocate, Du has been presented with the Belle Arte, Island Classic, and Second City Chamber Players. He has also appeared as guest artist with Camarata Musica, Classical Music Supporter and with other ensembles in the greater Puget Sound area including the Northwest Symphony Orchestra and the Seattle Philharmonic.

A collaboration with China's esteemed cellist Zhenlun Li, led to a successful debut with Beijing Philharmonic in 1993. In his subsequent tours to China, Du had collaborated with Shen Zhen Symphony and Chang Sha Symphony, where he was presented the title of Honorable Official Soloist in 1995.

Du's other highlights include the featured Starling Soloist in Aspen Music Festival in 1998, a debut in Manila of The Philippines in 2000, and was inducted with his parents into Who's Who of Classical Music in his hometown of Xiamen in 2001.

A dedicated Christian, Du has found new direction and calling in devoting time and effort to evangelical cause through the performing art. He has performed in Taiwan and Indonisia in benefit concerts for the local Christian charities, and in gospel outreach meetings through classical music in Bay Area of California since 2000.

Du can be heard through CDs produced by Audio Recordings of Seattle and has been on the violin faculty at the Masterworks Festival since 2007.

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