Dubai, UAE
On Friday 24th February, Coca-Cola Arena will welcome the renowned Italian violinist Giovanni Andrea Zanon, winner of the International Competition for Young Violinists K. Lipinski and H. Wieniawski in Lublin, the Premio Nazionale delle Arti, and the VII International Novosibirsk Violin Competition, for a spectacular chamber concert which will be held as part of the 2023 InClassica International Music Festival. Featuring the musical talents of the Middle East Orchestra, led by the celebrated conductor Howard Wong, this concert promises to be an memorable evening of beautiful music, with Zanon's virtuosic playing and the orchestra's skillful ensemble creating an unforgettable experience for all in attendance. Don't miss out on this opportunity to hear some of the world's most acclaimed musicians in one of the most iconic venues in the Middle East.
Howard Wong began vocal studies under Benjamin Luxon CBE whilst studying for his Bachelor and Master degrees at university. A scholarship then enabled him to pursue further studies at London Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he graduated with Distinction. Since then, opera, oratorio and recital appearances have taken him to The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, The Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Snape Maltings and other major venues throughout the UK, Europe and beyond.
Away from singing, Howard Wong has conducted a number of choirs and orchestras, including a spell at City of Canterbury Sinfonia and as Chorusmaster and Assistant Conductor for the prestigious Chelsea Opera Group, where his predecessors included conducting giants such as Sir Colin Davies, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Richard Hickox.
Since settling in Dubai, he has led local choirs and orchestras made up entirely of UAE residents. He has also occasionally crossed over to less traditional genres of music, serving as Chorus Director for Andrea Bocelli concerts and other projects ranging from the film music to Arabic popular music.
Howard has adjudicated international competitions for organisations such as The Association of English Singers & Speakers and given numerous masterclasses for institutions such as Cambridge University. Howard is deeply committed to music education and seeks to offer younger listeners the opportunities to explore music whenever possible.
Giovanni Andrea Zanon is an Italian violinist who has performed widely across the globe in prestigious venues including: Carnegie Hall, New York; Teatro alla Scala, Milan; Musikverein, Graz; Smetana Hall, Prague; Bayerisches Staatsoper, Munich; Festspielhaus, Baden-Baden, Royal Opera House, Muscat; Gran Teatro del Liceu, Barcelona; Teatro La Fenice, Venice; Auditorium Parco della Musica, Rome and Arena di Verona.
As a soloist, Zanon has worked with esteemed conductors including Fabio Luisi, Pinchas Zukerman, Theodor Guschlbauer, Andrea Battistoni, Donato Renzetti, Omer Meir Wellber and Jader Bignamini. A keen chamber musician, he has also collaborated with artists such as Anna Netrebko, Pinchas Zukerman, Mario Brunello and Pablo Ferrández. In February 2022, he represented Italy in the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Olympics Games in Beijing. The event was broadcast worldwide and reached more than a billion viewers.
Zanon has received various awards and recognition from Italian institutions including the “Leone d’oro” award from the Veneto Regional Government, Certificate of Honor “Alfiere della Repubblica” for outstanding achievements in music from the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and at aged six from the former President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
Having first picked up the violin at age two, Zanon became the youngest violinist in Italian history at the age of four to attend one of the country’s state conservatories. He graduated from Venice’s Benedetto Marcello Conservatory with top marks and an honorable mention, the first time this has happened in more than forty years. Upon the advice of Zubin Mehta, he moved to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music where he graduated age 18 with a master’s degree from the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program, after having studied with Pinchas Zukerman and Patinka Kopec. Furthermore, Zanon went on to study at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin with Antje Weithaas and at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia with Sonig Tchakerian. He is currently studying composition at the A. Steffani Music Conservatory in Castelfranco Veneto.
In October 2021, Giovanni Andrea Zanon became the Artistic Director of the Teatro Petrarca (Arezzo, Tuscany) and the Fondazione Guido d’Arezzo.
Giovanni plays a violin made by Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesù’, Cremona, 1739.
Founded by SAMIT Event Group, the Middle East Orchestra (MEO) is an exciting new initiative which seeks to tap into the rich musical potential that is harboured in this fast-growing region.
For as long as history can recall, the Middle East has not only been a vital artery allowing the transfer of knowledge and wisdom around the globe, but has itself been a crucial multicultural melting pot, bringing together talented artists and innovative creators from all over the world, and enriching them with its own heritage.
This was the spirit that inspired SAMIT when it launched the MEO back in 2022, bringing together an eclectic group of international musicians for the Second Edition of the Middle East Classical Music Academy, which was organised together with the Fujairah Fine Arts Academy under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi. Taking on the role of Orchestra-in-Residence for the event, the ensemble performed to great acclaim in multiple concerts throughout the UAE alongside various esteemed soloists under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductors.
Now, heading into 2023, the MEO boasts a roster of musicians from more than 10 different nations, all communicating ideas through the international language that is Music!
Guided by the invigorating vision of Artistic Director Gianluca Marciano and the direction of Chief Conductor Howard Wong, the Orchestra now looks forward to a packed 2023, where they will be presenting a new concert programme that has been specially prepared for this season.
Through it all, the Middle East Orchestra will continue to celebrate the value of individual identity and global citizenship, while working tirelessly to provide a vital contribution to the cultural fabric of this region.
