The University of Virginia Department of Music presents percussionist I-Jen Fang, with Ayn Balija, Viola on Sunday, March 15th at 3:30pm in Old Cabell Hall.
Described as an “intrepid percussionist” by Fanfare Magazine, I-Jen Fang has a career as a solo performer, chamber musician, orchestral player, and teacher. She joined the faculty of the Music Department at the University of Virginia in 2005 and serves as the Principal Timpanist and Percussionist of the Charlottesville Symphony.
As a soloist, I-Jen has performed in Taiwan, U.S., Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and South Africa. She was also the featured marimba soloist with the Charlottesville Symphony in 2006 and 2010. As a chamber musician, I-Jen has performed or recorded with artists such as Keiko Abe, Gregory Beyer, William Cahn, Christopher Deane, Mark Ford, Dave Hall, Edward Janning, Heini Kärkkäinen, Sivan Magen, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Jan Müller-Szeraws, Diane Pascal, Minna Pensola, Carsten Schmidt, Ed Smith, Nanik Wenton, Nyoman Wenton, EcoSono Ensemble, Cantata Profana, Attacca Percussion Group, DaCapo Chamber Players, Victory Hall Opera, and Charlottesville Opera. She has appeared in Staunton Music Festival, Wintergreen Festival, Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival, Heritage Theater Festival, Greencastle Summer Music Festival (IN), DRUMFEST XXVIII (Poland), International Viola Congress, National Flute Association Convention, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) Conference, Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), and Regional PAS Day of Percussion. She is also a founding member, with Ayn Balija, of the Piedmont Duo, which explores the sonic possibilities of the viola and percussion. In 2024, the duo was invited to perform in Hungary and Brazil.
Associate Professor of Viola at the University of Virginia, Ayn Balija leads a musically rich life through performance and instruction. Maintaining a studio and coaching chamber music, she serves as the Principal Violist of the Charlottesville Symphony at the University of the Virginia and violist of the Rivanna String Quartet.
As a professional violist, Dr. Balija performs solo, chamber, and orchestral works around the country. She soloed with the Charlottesville Symphony and Faculty Orchestra of the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. While a member of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, she performed Classical and commissioned works, recording two CDs under the Summit label. She regularly performs with the Richmond Symphony, Williamsburg Symphony, and Roanoke Symphony and add collaborates for chamber music with the Tennessee Governors School for the Arts and Yachats Music Festival. Dr. Balija was invited to tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony on their East Coast Tour including a performance at Carnegie Hall. As a supporter and performer of new music, she was part of a consortium for Fernghetti, by Libby Larsen, commissioned and premiered Jorge Variego’s Enviaolo for viola and piano as well as performed and recorded numerous orchestral premieres.
The UVA Chamber Music Series presents innovative performances by the University of Virginia's world-class performance faculty and celebrated guest artists, is comprised of six professional performances for the University and the central Virginia community. These intimate concerts are programmed to offer both new and traditional works that will delight the novice as well as the well-tempered critic. The UVA Chamber Music Series is directed by Jiyeon Choi.
This page will be updated 4 weeks before the concert.
To see all the concerts in the series, please visit https://music.virginia.edu/uvacms.
Individual Tickets: $15 General / $13 UVA Faculty & Staff / $5 Students / Free for UVA Students who reserve in advance / Free for students under 18. Tickets are available at the UVA Arts Box Office by calling 434.924.3376, or by visiting artsboxoffice.virginia.edu. Individual tickets will also be available at the door one hour prior to the concert. UVA students need to reserve their tickets 24 hours in advance at the UVA Arts Box Office student ticket portal.
Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda. Parking is available in the central grounds parking garage on Emmet Street, in the C1 parking lot off McCormick Rd, and in the parking lots at the UVA Corner. Handicap parking is available in the small parking lot adjacent to Bryan Hall.
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All events are subject to change.