Program Information

Our second Daylight Concerts performance brings together Symphony Nova Scotia Principal Clarinetist Tim Yung and Canadian pianist Cindy Thong for an afternoon of chamber music featuring works by Poulenc, Schumann, Debussy, and Brahms.

Toronto-born clarinetist Tim Yung joined Symphony Nova Scotia as Principal Clarinet in 2022, following positions with the Saskatoon and Regina Symphony Orchestras. He has also performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and other leading Canadian ensembles. Pianist Cindy Thong has performed throughout Canada and Europe, appearing at festivals including Orford, Banff, and the Gijón International Piano Festival. A graduate of the Université de Montréal and the Haute École de Musique de Genève, she currently teaches at Acadia University and the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.

Together, they present a program exploring the expressive range of the clarinet, from the wit and contrasting moods of Poulenc’s Sonata and the lyrical intimacy of Schumann’s Three Romances to the impressionistic colours of Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie and the warmth and emotional depth of Brahms’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor.

Created especially with older adults in mind, but open to everyone, Daylight Concerts offer welcoming weekday afternoon performances in a relaxed and accessible setting. Each concert features one hour of live acoustic music with no intermission, followed by complimentary coffee, tea, and refreshments, with time to visit and socialize. The series brings together exceptional live music and opportunities for social connection, all during the daylight hours.

Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, FP 184
I. Allegro tristamente
II. Romanza
III. Allegro con fuoco

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Three Romances, Op. 94
I. Nicht schnell
II. Einfach, innig
III. Nicht schnell

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Première Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano, L. 116

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Sonata No. 1 in F Minor for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 1
I. Allegro appassionato
II. Andante un poco adagio
III. Allegretto grazioso
IV. Vivace

Renseignements sur le programme

Le deuxième concert de notre série Daylight Concerts réunit Tim Yung, clarinette solo de Symphony Nova Scotia, et la pianiste canadienne Cindy Thong pour un après-midi de musique de chambre consacré à des œuvres de Poulenc, Schumann, Debussy et Brahms.

Né à Toronto, le clarinettiste Tim Yung occupe le poste de clarinette solo au sein de Symphony Nova Scotia depuis 2022, après avoir été membre des orchestres symphoniques de Saskatoon et de Regina. Il s’est également produit avec l’Orchestre du Centre national des Arts, l’Orchestre symphonique de Toronto et d’autres ensembles canadiens de renom. La pianiste Cindy Thong s’est produite partout au Canada et en Europe, notamment dans le cadre du Festival de musique Orford, du Banff Arts Centre et du Festival international de piano de Gijón. Diplômée de l’Université de Montréal et de la Haute École de Musique de Genève, elle enseigne actuellement à l’Université Acadia et au Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.

Ensemble, ils proposent un programme qui explore toute la richesse expressive de la clarinette, passant de l’esprit et des contrastes de caractère de la Sonate de Poulenc à la délicatesse lyrique des Trois Romances de Schumann, puis aux couleurs impressionnistes de la Première Rhapsodie de Debussy et à la chaleur et à la profondeur émotionnelle de la Sonate no 1 en fa mineur de Brahms.

Conçue spécialement pour les personnes âgées, mais ouverte à tous, la série Daylight Concerts propose des concerts accueillants en après-midi, les jours de semaine, dans un cadre détendu et accessible. Chaque concert comprend une heure de musique acoustique en direct, sans entracte, suivie de café, de thé et de rafraîchissements offerts gratuitement, ainsi que d’un moment pour échanger et socialiser. La série allie des prestations musicales de grande qualité à des occasions de rencontres et de partage, le tout pendant les heures de clarté.

Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
Sonate pour clarinette et piano, FP 184
I. Allegro tristamente
II. Romanza
III. Allegro con fuoco

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Trois Romances, op. 94
I. Nicht schnell
II. Einfach, innig
III. Nicht schnell

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Première Rhapsodie pour clarinette et piano, L. 116

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Sonate no 1 en fa mineur pour clarinette et piano, op. 120, no 1
I. Allegro appassionato
II. Andante un poco adagio
III. Allegretto grazioso
IV. Vivace

Artist Biographies

Tim Yung, clarinet

Toronto-born clarinetist Timothy (Tim) Yung joined Symphony Nova Scotia as Principal Clarinet in 2022. He has also held positions with the Saskatoon and Regina Symphony Orchestras, in addition to appearances with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, among others. He is a proud alumnus of the National Academy Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

Tim is a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher away from the concert hall. He is a regular clarinet coach for the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra, and has given masterclasses, sectionals, and clinics for various organizations such as the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the National Academy Orchestra. Tim also served as the clarinet studio teaching assistant while at the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught a full studio of students for two semesters, and has been teaching privately since.

Tim completed his Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance at McGill University, studying with Michael Dumouchel, and his Master of Music at the University of Texas at Austin under the tutelage of Jonathan Gunn. Other important teachers and mentors include Patricia Wait, Ross Edwards, Kimball Sykes, and John Largess.

Cindy Thong, piano

Canadian pianist Cindy Thong leads a polyvalent career as a pedagogue, researcher and performer. She has performed throughout Canada, in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Spain and Italy, and has also been a finalist and prizewinner in numerous competitions such as the Concours Hélène-Roberge and Canadian Music Competition. She has also made appearances at the Orford Music Festival, Banff Arts Centre, Gijón International Piano Festival and Euro Music Festival, amongst others.

Alongside her performance and pedagogical activities, Cindy maintains a keen interest in performance psychology and mental skills training. In particular, her dissertation pertained to the neuropsychology of learning and the optimization of practice methods, deconstructing and analyzing models related to enhanced efficiency. She has regularly been invited to lecture and offer workshops on these topics and related subjects at institutions such as the University of British Columbia and York University, and continues to expand this interdisciplinary work in collaboration with other domains, such as research for arts and health interventions.

Cindy holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Montréal (Canada), where she was also awarded the Prix d!interpretation en piano upon graduation. She also holds a Master of Arts in Music Performance from the Haute École de Musique de Genève (Switzerland), as well as a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Artist Diploma from the University of Montréal. Her primary teachers include Jimmy Brière, the late Dominique Weber, and John Hansen.

Cindy is currently on faculty at Acadia University and the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts. She is also the Artistic Director of the Acadia Piano Intensive program.

Biographies des artistes

Tim Yung, clarinette

Né à Toronto, le clarinettiste Timothy (Tim) Yung occupe le poste de clarinette solo au sein de Symphony Nova Scotia depuis 2022. Il a également occupé des postes au sein des orchestres symphoniques de Saskatoon et de Regina, en plus de se produire notamment avec l’Orchestre du Centre national des Arts, l’Orchestre symphonique de Toronto et l’Orchestre symphonique de Kitchener-Waterloo. Il est fier d’être diplômé du National Academy Orchestra et de l’Orchestre national des jeunes du Canada.

En dehors de la scène, Tim est un pédagogue passionné et dévoué. Il agit régulièrement comme répétiteur de clarinette auprès du Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra et a donné des classes de maître, des répétitions par section et des ateliers pour divers organismes, notamment le Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, l’Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra et le National Academy Orchestra. Lors de ses études à l’Université du Texas à Austin, il a également été assistant à l’enseignement en clarinette, assurant la formation d’une classe complète d’étudiants pendant deux semestres. Depuis, il poursuit également l’enseignement privé.

Tim est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en interprétation musicale, spécialisation clarinette, de l’Université McGill, où il a étudié auprès de Michael Dumouchel, ainsi que d’une maîtrise en musique de l’Université du Texas à Austin, où il a étudié sous la direction de Jonathan Gunn. Parmi les autres professeurs et mentors qui ont marqué son parcours figurent Patricia Wait, Ross Edwards, Kimball Sykes et John Largess.

Cindy Thong, piano

La pianiste canadienne Cindy Thong mène une carrière polyvalente de pédagogue, de chercheuse et d’interprète. Elle s’est produite partout au Canada ainsi qu’en Suisse, en Autriche, en Allemagne, en Espagne et en Italie. Elle a également été finaliste et lauréate de nombreux concours, notamment le Concours Hélène-Roberge et le Concours de musique du Canada. Elle a participé à plusieurs festivals, dont le Festival de musique Orford, le Banff Arts Centre, le Festival international de piano de Gijón et l’Euro Music Festival.

Parallèlement à ses activités d’interprète et de pédagogue, Cindy s’intéresse particulièrement à la psychologie de la performance et à l’entraînement des habiletés mentales. Sa thèse de doctorat portait notamment sur la neuropsychologie de l’apprentissage et l’optimisation des méthodes de travail instrumental, à travers l’analyse de modèles visant à améliorer l’efficacité de la pratique musicale. Elle est régulièrement invitée à donner des conférences et des ateliers sur ces sujets et sur des thèmes connexes dans des établissements tels que l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique et l’Université York. Elle poursuit également ses travaux interdisciplinaires, notamment dans le domaine de la recherche sur les interventions artistiques en santé.

Cindy est titulaire d’un doctorat en interprétation musicale de l’Université de Montréal, où elle a reçu le Prix d’interprétation en piano à la fin de ses études. Elle détient également une maîtrise en interprétation musicale de la Haute École de Musique de Genève, en Suisse, ainsi qu’un baccalauréat en musique, une maîtrise en musique et un diplôme d’artiste de l’Université de Montréal. Parmi ses principaux professeurs figurent Jimmy Brière, feu Dominique Weber et John Hansen.

Cindy enseigne actuellement à l’Université Acadia et au Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts. Elle est également directrice artistique du programme Acadia Piano Intensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I receive my tickets?
Electronic tickets are emailed immediately after purchase to the email address used at checkout. Please keep your tickets handy on your smart phone or bring a printed copy with you to the concert so we can scan them at the door. If you do not receive your tickets, please check your spam or junk folder, as ticket emails are sometimes blocked or filtered by email providers. You may also wish to search your inbox for “Cecilia Concerts” or your order confirmation. If you still cannot find your tickets, please contact the Cecilia Concerts office before the concert and we’ll be happy to help. Rest assured, if you purchased tickets, your name will also be on our guest list at the door.

What time should I arrive?
Doors open at 1:30pm, and the concert begins at 2:00pm. We recommend arriving a little early so you have time to have your ticket scanned, find a seat, and get settled before the performance begins.

How long is the concert?
Daylight Concerts are approximately one hour long with no intermission. Following the performance, you’re invited to stay for complimentary coffee, tea, and refreshments, with time to visit and socialize.

Do I have to stay for the reception?
Not at all. The post-concert reception is an optional part of the Daylight Concerts experience. You’re welcome to stay for refreshments and conversation or head home following the performance.

Can I arrive late?
Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break in the performance, when possible. Since Daylight Concerts have no intermission, we recommend arriving before the 2:00pm start time.

What is the seating like?
Tickets are general admission. The Lilian Piercey Concert Hall has unassigned seating. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Wheelchair-accessible seating and companion seating are available. If you have an accessibility-related seating need, please let us know when you arrive and we’ll be happy to assist.

Are children welcome?
Yes. While Daylight Concerts have been developed especially with older adults in mind, everyone is welcome. Performances are approximately one hour long with no intermission.

What should I know about concert etiquette?
If you are new to classical concerts, you are very welcome. We simply ask that audience members help create a quiet and respectful environment for the artists and those around them. Please silence your phone before the concert begins, avoid talking during the performance, and wait for pauses between pieces to move around when possible.

When should I clap?
It is always fine to clap when a full piece has ended. Some longer works have several movements, with short pauses in between, and audiences usually wait until the entire work is finished before applauding. If you are unsure, it is perfectly okay to wait and follow the rest of the audience.

Can I use my phone during the concert?
Please silence your phone before the concert begins. We ask that phones and bright screens not be used during the performance, as they can be distracting to artists and audience members.

Can I take photos or videos?
Photos are welcome before or after the concert. Unless otherwise announced, photography, audio recording, and video recording are not permitted during the performance.

What accessibility features are available?
The Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts is wheelchair accessible and includes accessible washrooms and has elevator access to the Lilian Piercey Concert Hall.  If you have a specific accessibility question before attending, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Is the venue scent-sensitive?
To help make the concert comfortable for everyone, we ask guests to avoid wearing strong scents or fragrances.

Is there parking or public transit nearby?
The Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts is located on Chebucto Road between Oxford and Windsor Streets. There is a large parking lot at the venue, with free parking, and street parking is available in the surrounding area. The venue is also located near major Halifax Transit routes.

What happens if there is a storm?
If a storm may affect a performance, ticket holders are encouraged to call the Cecilia Concerts office at 902-423-0143 for a recorded concert update. Updates will also be posted on the Cecilia Concerts website and social media channels.

What happens if a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled?
Concert schedule changes are very rare, but storms or other unexpected circumstances may occasionally require us to make adjustments. If a concert is changed, postponed, or cancelled, ticket holders will be contacted as soon as possible with available options. Depending on the circumstances, you may choose to attend the rescheduled concert, receive a credit toward a future Cecilia Concerts performance, request a refund, or convert the value of your ticket into a charitable donation tax receipt.