Schedule

Thursday, December 12, 2024
7:30 p.m. Performance

Celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven's birthday with an innovative concert-experiment! Join internationally award-winning concert pianist Dr. Mei Rui as she presents live performances of Beethoven's iconic masterworks, including the “Archduke” Trio, alongside state-of-the-art Brain-Computer Interface and EEG brain dynamics data visualization revealing how the performances impact musicians' and audience members' brains. Dr. Rui, Neurosurgery faculty and the Founder and Director of Music-in-Medicine at MD Anderson, will be joined by the world-renowned violinist Cho-Liang Lin and cellist Nicholas Tzavaras.

About the Artists

An internationally acclaimed concert pianist, Dr. Mei Rui is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and the founder and Director Music-in-Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She has performed with top orchestras worldwide and collaborated with esteemed musicians. Her recording of “Three by Three” with Albany Records earned her a Grammy nomination. As a native of Shanghai, Mei began her piano studies at the age of three and was accepted into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music at the age of six. A Yale-trained molecular biochemist with dual degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and Music, Dr. Rui is a pioneer in Music Medicine. She also spearheads innovative clinical trials, quantitatively assessing the neurophysiological mechanisms and impact of music intervention and live concerts in clinical cohorts and professional musicians.

Nicholas Tzavaras is a distinguished cellist and educator from East Harlem, New York City. With a career spanning over 25 years, he has performed over 1,700 concerts worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and educator. A former member of the Shanghai Quartet (2000-2024), Tzavaras has recorded 27+ albums and held faculty positions at several universities, including the Tianjin Juilliard School as a Resident Faculty in Cello and Chamber music. He recently became the Senior Director of Artistic Planning and Educational Programs at the Brevard Music Center. Tzavaras has also appeared in films like Music of the Heart, Melinda Melinda, and Small Wonders, showcasing his dedication to music, education, and artistic excellence.

Cho-Liang Lin is a renowned Taiwanese violinist born in Taiwan. Inspired by a neighbor's violin studies, he began playing at age five and later moved to Sydney to study with Robert Pikler. At age 15, he joined the Juilliard School under Dorothy DeLay's guidance. Lin launched his concert career in 1980 with the New York Philharmonic and has since performed with major orchestras worldwide. Beyond his performance schedule, he has held faculty positions at Juilliard and Rice University, directed music festivals, and championed contemporary composers. Lin has recorded extensively, earning Gramophone Record of the Year, Grammy nominations and Penguin Guide Rosettes, and performs on violins by Stradivari and Zygmuntowicz.

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, The Brown Foundation, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding also provided by The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Wortham Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Clayton Fund, and the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming to Asia Society Texas.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

Piano Sponsor

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.