ERIEL                                                                                                                                                      
ELECTRIC VIOLIN

ERIEL (YEE CHEN) HUANG (25) was born in Taiwan and lived there until the age of 6, when she immigrated to South Africa with her family.  She started piano and ballet at the age of three, and took up the violin 6 months after arriving in SA, as it was her father’s favourite instrument.  Later, when she had to choose between music, ballet, drama and art, the violin prevailed!

Studies & degrees:  Eriel received her Performers’ licentiate in 2005, and a BMus degree (University of Pretoria) in 2006, after which she moved to Cape Town in 2007 to study with the renowned Professor Jack de Wet.  She is currently completing her MMus in Social Development and Conflict Resolution at the University of Cape Town

Awards & Distinctions:   Selected in 2008 as a South African representative by the USA Department of State, to participate in the International Fusion Arts Exchange Programme in Boston; represented South Africa twice on an international youth leaders training course in Japan in 2005 and 2008

Other activities & skills:  volunteer at the Centre for Conflict Resolution and the Centre for Human Rights Education; guest teacher at the Taiwan Young Artist Training Institution (Taipei Conductor Academy)

Other ensembles / performances:  As a soloist, Eriel has performed at many high profile events, including Fundraising Concerts for Taiwan, various other Gala and private concerts and ambassadorial functions for the USA and Taiwanese offices.  She has a wealth of orchestral and ensemble experience, including Concert Master positions of the Musicanti Chamber Orchestra and the MIAGI Youth Orchestra, Orchestra in Celebration of New Coin Unveiling at the SA Mint in Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria Symphony Orchestra, National School of the Arts Orchestra; Co- and/or Vice-Concert Master for the Con Spirito Philharmonic Orchestra, Norway Toppenkurst Music School Orchestra, and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra; First Violin for the 2007 World Aids Day Concert, two Andrew Young World Music Tours, The Magic Flute Opera under William Kentridge in Johannesburg, and Jazz Meets Symphony Concerts in Durban and Johannesburg by the Jazz Foundation; as well as various ad hoc first and second violin positions with, amongst others, the Cape Philharmonic, the Johannesburg Philharmonic, and the Johannesburg Festival Orchestras.

Hobbies:  walking, discovering new eateries, book shops and boutiques, training to be a radio DJ, going to the occasional dance class, and Eriel is a dedicated SGI Buddhist

Family: Eriel’s mom owns the best Chinese restaurant in Joburg! She gets her linguistic talents from her dad, and her younger brother wants to fly airplanes one day.

Birthday:  6 January (Capricorn)

What you may not know:  Eriel says she cried at almost every violin lesson when she was very young, but it paid off after a few years.  She also hopes to be a potato if she had to come back as a vegetable in a future life – “nothing beats a good bowl of mash potato!”