Joel Fan
[7] A child prodigy, Fan made his debut playing with the New York Philharmonic after winning the orchestra's Young People's Concert Auditions[8] at the age of 11.
[17] As a recitalist, critics have reported that Joel Fan "has a huge dynamic range and tremendous facility",[18] and his performances sound “freshly conceived and full of character”.
[19] With his “willingness to juxtapose traditional and unexpected repertory”,[20] Fan’s solo concerts are designed to be “exciting and fun, capturing the ears of classical music lovers as well as more-casual listeners.”[21] Fan has been presented as a solo recitalist on the stages of the Kennedy Center, the Ravinia Festival, Jordan Hall, Calgary Celebrity Series, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.
[23] As a member, Joel Fan’s performances appear on their first album, Silk Road Journeys, which was released in 2001 and with the ensemble in their initial tour of China[24] and their concerts at the Kennedy Center later that year.
[25] His history of performances with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble include concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Concertgebouw, and television programs such as Good Morning America.
Two little-known works by Amy Beach and the African-American composer Margaret Bonds surround the Barber Sonata and a world premiere recording from William Bolcom from North America.
The album offers fresh discoveries and classics told through Latin rhythms, European and American compositional techniques, the Negro spiritual and voices of women and further solidifies his reputation for innovative programming.
[49] An "admirable interpreter of his music", Fan's "sympathetic readings bring its emotional content to the fore"[50] in works that piques the interest and heightens appreciation of Kirchner, the man.
[57] These virtuoso novelties, which are probably known to few musicians,[58] offer "vitally engrossing pianism"[59] in rarely heard compositions by Chopin, Saint-Saëns, Pierné, Weber-Liszt, Castro, Gottschalk, culminating in a world premiere recording of Charles Cadman’s Dark Dancers of the Mardi Gras.
