Duo Diorama, Violin

Biography

DUO DIORAMA comprises Chinese violinist MingHuan Xu and Canadian pianist Winston Choi.  They are compelling and versatile artists who perform in an eclectic mix of musical styles, ranging from the great standard works to the avant-garde. It is a partnership with a fresh and powerful approach to music for violin and piano.  Comprised of two renowned soloists who can effectively blend their distinctive personalities together to create a unified whole, the duo maintains an active performing and touring schedule.

Having performed extensively throughout North America, South America and Europe, the duo’s recent appearances at the Colours of Music Festival, the Mammoth Lakes Music Festival and the Triada Music Festival were met with critical and audience acclaim. As the inaugural recipients of the Banff Centre’s Rolston Fellowship in Music, they have recently toured throughout Canada. In 2006 they gave their successful New York debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, as winners of Artists International Presentations’ “Special Chamber Music Award.” A broadcast on the debut was covered by Voice of America, a weekly television program viewed by millions of people in Asia. 

Having already commissioned and premiered over 20 works in the last few years, their insightful and dynamic interpretations of music of living composers have established the duo as a true champion of contemporary music. Their many projects include performing multi-disciplinary works involving electronic media.  By juxtaposing their performances with colorful commentary, Duo Diorama’s unique performances emphasize the relevance and vivacity of classical music. 

MingHuan Xu performs extensively in recital and with orchestra in China and North America. She is also a highly sought-after chamber musician, having collaborated with the St. Petersburg Quartet, Colin Carr, Eugene Drucker, Ilya Kaler, and Ani Kavafian. Ms. Xu was a winner of the Beijing Young Artists Competition and gave her New York debut at age 18 as soloist with the New York Youth Symphony Orchestra. Currently on faculty at Loyola University Chicago, she plays on a 1758 Nicolas Gagliano violin. 

Winston Choi was Laureate of the 2003 Honens International Piano Competition and winner of France’s 2002 Concours International de Piano 20e siècle d’Orléans.  He regularly performs in recital and with orchestra throughout North America and Europe, and can be heard on the Arktos, Crystal, l’Empreinte Digitale, Intrada and QuadroFrame labels.  Formerly on the faculties of the Oberlin Conservatory and Bowling Green University, he is Assistant Professor and Head of Piano at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.