Fans of classical music won’t want to miss violin virtuoso Nikki Chooi when he plays Mozart at a spring concert at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre on Monday, April 16.
One of Vancouver Island’s up and coming violinists, Chooi will be performing with the Victoria Symphony under the baton of conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia.
Chooi, who has won many awards for his talent, plays on a 1729 Guaneri del Gesu on generous loan from the Canada Council of the Arts Instrument Bank.
Some of the world’s most famous violinists have preferred Guarneris to Stradivaris and Chooi is one of them.
He has been playing the 4.2 million dollar violin for three years now and admitted he is fortunate to have it.
“It is every violinists dream to play on an instrument like this.”
Chooi started playing the violin when he was just four years old and is about to graduate from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where he has been honing his skills over the last five years.
The concert is being hosted by patrons of the arts Eric and Shirley Charman who split their time between Victoria and Qualicum Beach.
A big Vancouver Canucks fan, Chooi said he will be following the playoffs when he is not practicing on his violin.
Chooi will be happy to be in Canucks territory when he arrives in B.C. from Philadelphia. He said when he was at a game in Boston the fans were not too friendly.
Tickets for the April 16 concert at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre are $33 and are available at Mulberry Bush Bookstores.