Canadian orchestra names principal, 17
OrchestrasTaking its lead from the Spain football team, whose teenaged star gets sent to bed before full-time, the Vancouver Symphony has chosen Julin Cheung as its Assistant Principal Flute/Piccolo after an international audition.
Julin is 17. He won’t take up the position until April next year, when he finishes school.
Very impressive, but the video makes it seem he’s just some kid from a local high school. He’s about to graduate from Curtis.
He was already an amazing player 8 years ago. Bravo!
Is the flute community in Canada really so useless that the only person they could find was a 17 year old?
Since when does age dictate ability? Congratulations to Mr. Cheung!
It dictates experience and knowledge. He hasn’t had enough time to gain either. Technical facility is not the point of auditions. But blame the committee for not listening properly.
Could it be that he just happens to be an exceptionally fine player despite his youth! His biography to date compares favourably with another flautist, Emmanuel Pahud, who achieved great things at an early age!!
Oh come on….
Feeling old and redundant?
It should be obvious that they didn’t know who they were getting until the blind came down
It’s a good gig, but maybe the other likely suspects had better ones already.
Vancouver is WTF out west and one of the most expensive cities in Canada.
Why do you have to use profanities. They just don’t fit with the class of an orchestra. It would with Rock but again class level. Vancouver is not as expensive nor as big as Toronto but nonetheless a WORLD CLASS CITY which puts him on the top of the mountain. I feel jealousy from your comment.
Actually, while Vancouver (a city I quite enjoy) is smaller than Toronto, it is more expensive than Toronto due to its insanely inflated real estate (including rental) market.
The magic whereby a child is born gifted and is able to grow and flourish, his gift recognised and encouraged let alone shine, is a confuence of miracles whatever the vehicle. By dint of sheer hard work, this young man has achieved so much and will continue to share his gift with us. His age is irrelevant.
Imagine being jealous of a 17 year old…tell me you’re a pompous old white bitch without telling me
I find it quite curious that no mention has been made of the fact that Julin is a student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He studies with Jeff Khaner,
the principal flutist in the Philadelphia Orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG5VWA_hZhA
Yes, he obviously has performance skill but he cannot have the experience necessary to do the job. He will need help from the people around him. Hopefully, they will be supportive and he will survive long enough to learn the job.
I think someone said it in a different comment as well but he currently studies at the Curtis Institute. Most major music schools in the US do provide you with orchestral experience, especially one with an exclusively undergraduate program 😉
Congrats to him! I’ve read many bios by professional flute players and I’ve noticed that so many of them have played in this particular chair – the most notable players are Sarah Jackson (LA Phil piccolo) and James Romeo (Dallas Symphony piccolo).
For outsider it looks that this post have been quite windy.
“Symphony management has promised Julin’s parents that they will have milk and cookies available after concerts well before bedtime.”
Vancouver Sun Times
Congrats to him! I’m sure he’ll have many wonderful years ahead of him.
Congrats Julin!!
He excelled at a “blind” audition amongst many! Congrats!
It’s just ridiculous to hire someone so young, even at a starter-orchestra. I’m sure there were older musicians who auditioned, with much more experience, and just as good.
I participated with Julin in a masterclass week at Curtis in the summer of 2017 with Jeffery Khaner. He was 10 years old. He was, hands down, already brilliant already in every sense of the world though it was obvious he needed a some polishing and finishing, and to (said with a little chuckle) actually physically grow into the instrument as the C flute still looked like the size of an alto flute in his hands though he handled it with the ease of a top player. He was also kind, level leaded, introspective and had a very kind and caring mother (not a stage parent!) asking smart questions about how to handle his career, making sure he didn’t get a big head, and even about nurturing his other interests outside flute. He’s the real deal and I felt privileged to have witnessed him at that age. Of course he may have changed in 7 years, but based on the glimpse I had of him as a young prodigy, this is well deserved.