Alton Chung Ming Chan 陳 忠 明 (Born: Hong Kong) Chinese-American-Canadian pianist, pedagogue, choral and orchestral conductor, author, editor, video director and producer.
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Dr. Alton Chung Ming Chan [1], a Grammy Award nominee, has been termed “full of poetic imagination, fiery and uninhibited” by the Hong Kong New Evening Post （新晚報）, and he has been called “a pianist of brilliancy, temperament, and poetic sensitivity” by the Hong Kong Standard. After early piano studies with Mrs. Kek-tiang Lim （石聖芳）and graduation from Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Secondary School （長沙灣天主教英文中學）in Hong Kong, Chan received much of his higher musical training in the United States where he earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas Lutheran University. Later, he earned his master’s degree in piano performance under Joseph Banowetz[2] and a Ph.D. in music education, both from the University of North Texas College of Music.
In 1983, Chan made his orchestral debut in Beijing over Chinese National Television and Radio with the People’s Republic of China’s Central Opera Orchestra （中央歌劇交響樂團） [3]. Since then, he has appeared as soloist and recitalist in concert halls in Asia, Russia, Europe and North America. He is also a Mason and Hamlin Artist [4]. In 1991, Chan received The Young Outstanding Graduate Award [5] from Texas Lutheran University for his achievements in the performing arts.
A much in demand scholar and expert on American piano pedagogy, Chan has appeared as a guest lecturer and performer at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music （四川音樂學院）in Chengdu （成都）, Xinghai Conservatory of Music （星海音樂學院） in Guangzhou （廣州）, Central Conservatory of Music （中央音樂學院）in Beijing （北京）, and Shenyang Conservatory of Music （瀋陽音樂學院）, Hong Kong Baptist University （香港浸會大學）, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts （香港演藝學院）, Chetham International Summer School and Festival for Pianists [6] at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, England, and at numerous piano music teacher associations, festivals and conferences in the United States and Europe.
Recently, he was invited to be the featured speaker for the 2002 annual conference of the Czech Republic’s Chapter of the European Piano Teachers Association. In addition to giving lectures and master classes, as well as premiering the piano transcription of the Adagio of Mahler’s Tenth Symphony by the Scottish composer Ronald Stevenson at Mahler’s birthplace in Jihlava [7], he also performed and lectured in various cities in the Czech Republic [8] and Portugal during the summer of 2002.
Currently, Chan serves as the Director of Music Learning Unlimited, a private community music school in the Dallas Metroplex. He is also the Artistic Director of the Dallas Chinese Children’s Choir, and has served three years as the Musical Director for the Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra [9].
Chan’s music reviews, articles, and research on piano pedagogy have been published in numerous American, Canadian and Hong Kong educational journals and newspapers. His recent publications for Warner Brothers Publications include a three-volume set of four-hand piano music with accompanying tutorial compact discs by Leopold Godowsky entitled Miniatures, and two volumes of Chinese piano music by the Chinese-Canadian composer An-lun Huang （黃安倫）[10]. In addition, he directed and produced a 2-DVD set on piano pedaling as lectured and demonstrated by Joseph Banowetz [11].
As a recording artist, Chan has made commercial compact discs for Marco Polo, a subsidiary label of Naxos Records, one of the largest recording companies in the world, and Warner Brothers. In the 50th Grammy Awards Ceremony, his and Joseph Banowetz’s four-hand piano recording of Balakirev’s 30 Songs of the Russian People was nominated for the Best Chamber Music Award.
1. Chinese-American International Piano Institute:
2. Review of A Chinese Festival, Volume 1:
3. Award:
4. Grammy Nomination:
5. Editions:
6. Reviews of Recording: