Micahel Anthony Kwok

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PIANO RECITAL
MICHAEL ANTHONY KWOK

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 2023

07.30 p.m

The Grand Atelier & Culture Center - North Jakarta

Michael Anthony Kwok, Piano

MICHAEL ANTHONY KWOK is a 20 year old pianist with Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), a condition which inhibits retinal growth and causes blindness. He is also on the autism spectrum, which has limited his academic and communication skills. Far from hindering his musical development, these conditions have remarkably awakened a hearing ability far above average. Michael’s perfect pitch, extraordinary audio memory, and superb piano-layout imaging allows him to move his fingers around the piano accurately.

His musical talent was discovered at two years old, when he began playing melodies of children’s songs on the piano without any prior musical education. Influenced by his sister Christie Mandasari, likewise a classical piano student, he began learning from her. Michael joined the Special Music Program from Kawai Modern Music School and from the age of 7, began studying at the Jaya Suprana School of Performing Arts under the tutelage of Miss Ivana Tjandra.

In 2022, he received a scholarship to study under Mr. Randy Ryan at Bina Musik Jakarta. Michael has also strengthened his classical music education with Mr. Oerip Santoso since 2013, and learned jazz blues improvisation with Mr. Tamam Hoesein. Besides piano lessons, Michael began to play violin under the Suzuki method in 2014. He was a student of the Rawinala Multiple-Handicapped Special School in Condet, Jakarta.

Indeed, at a young age, Michael has won multiple awards, including a MURI award for being the youngest blind and autistic pianist to play a Mozart sonata. He performed a solo piano recital in Sydney Opera House in 2017 and has played at both the national and international levels, traveling to stages in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Australia. Michael has shared stages with famous pianists and Indonesian artists, namely Jaya Suprana, Iravati M. Sudiarso, Ananda Sukarlan, Addie MS, Twilite Orchestra, Joe Taslim, RAN, Vidi Aldiano, Abdee ’Slank‘, Prof. Nigel Clayton, and Prof. Boaz Sharon, among others.

In addition, Michael has participated in several TV programs, such as Kick Andy (Metro TV) in 2010, Langkah Kecilku (B-Channel) in 2012, and auditioned for Indonesia’s Got Talent in 2014, Anak Indonesia Hebat (Metro TV) in 2015, Konser Spesial Natal (RCTI) in 2020, and Terima Kasih Ibu (DAAI TV) in 2021.

PROGRAMME :

Handel, G. F.

Suite No. 5 in E major, HWV 430

Air and variations “The Harmonious Blacksmith”

Beethoven, L.V.

Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”

Allegro con brio

Introduzione: adagio cantabile

Rondo: allegro moderato - prestissimo

Intermission

Chopin, F.

Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 “Heroic”