Program

Felix Mendelssohn - Variations concertantes, Op.17

Alice Ping Yee Ho - Four Impressions of China

I. Hunan

Francis Poulenc - Sonate pour violoncelle et piano, FP 143 

II. Cavatine
III. Ballabile

Zoltán Kodály - Adagio 

Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Sonata Op. 40 

I. Allegro non troppo 
II. Allegro 

David Dietz, cello

Tong Wang, piano

Group Bio 

David Dietz (cello), and Tong Wang (piano) are a versatile duo, performing in settings ranging from concert halls to kindergarten classrooms. Since their first collaborations together at the Windwood Music Festival in 2023, they have been heard in many concerts across North America including in Ottawa, Montreal, Houston, and Banff, Alberta. This season, the duo will embark on a tour of China and Hong Kong featuring the Asian premier of Alice Ho’s “Four Impressions of China”, a piece commissioned by Wang through the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Individual Bios

Cellist David Dietz has performed across North America and Europe and is experienced in a variety of settings as a performer, educator, and administrator. His belief in classical music’s ability to strengthen communities and bring people together has driven his involvement in many creative projects, including the Houston Music Festival, as co-founder; the Windwood Music Festival, as community liaison; and Monarch Chamber Players, as a core member. David is a founding member of Trio Menil, a piano trio that performs extensively throughout the United States and was the Grand Prizewinner at the 2023 Plowman Chamber Music Competition. In the 2024-25 season, Trio Menil will perform a series of community outreach concerts across Houston in venues such as Talento Bilingue De Houston and Houston Public Libraries through funding from Houston Arts Alliance. Other upcoming performance highlights include appearances with Aperio, Monarch Chamber Players, the Windwood Trio, and recitals with pianist Tong Wang in Houston and Montreal. David serves on the faculty of Lone Star College as an Adjunct Instructor of Cello and maintains a robust private studio in Houston, Texas. 

Tong Wang (tong-wang.com) is a Canadian pianist recognized for her innovative contributions to performance, research, and community engagement. Her work investigates the intersection of art with identity, culture, and contemporary issues. Tong’s performance highlights include collaborations with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, and ensembles throughout North America and Europe. A versatile artist, she has spearheaded the creation of a new horror anime opera “Labyrinth of Tears” alongside research into the aesthetics of "cuteness" in music, supported by the Canada Council, FRQSC, and SSHRC doctoral grants. Tong’s recent projects have explored multiculturalism, diaspora identity, and climate issues, including her solo tour “我们Us” in Lunenburg, Montreal, Basel, Verbier, and her tour with Duo Perdendosi, “Homecoming”, “Wanting to Start Again”, and “Dark Tales” across Canada, US, and eastern Europe. In 2022, she co-founded the Windwood Music Festival in Airdrie, Alberta to bring classical chamber music to rural communities. In 2024, she performed with Barbara Hannigan, Lyrica Baroque, and Xenia Concerts. In the upcoming seasons, Tong will be touring her solo recital “Towards the Flame” with Debut Atlantic, as well as the new Canada Council commissioned work by Alice Ho, “Four Impressions of China” with the Dietz-Wang duo in China. Tong is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and the Schulich School of Music. She continues to embark on solo and chamber tours across North America, Europe, and Asia, showcasing her dedication to fostering global connections through art.