Internationally celebrated violinist Cho-Liang Lin will demonstrate his remarkable versatility in two contrasting musical settings this summer. He will first take the stage in Qingdao, China, on June 21 to perform Tan Dun’s Hero Violin Concerto, and then transition to chamber music performances at the Montecito Music Festival in Thousand Oaks, California, on July 1–2, 2025.
In Qingdao, Lin will headline a concert that merges film and music, performing Tan Dun’s Hero Concerto, which draws from the Academy Award-winning composer’s score for Zhang Yimou’s 2002 martial arts epic Hero. Part of a festival curated by Tan Dun himself, the performance will be held at the Qingdao Poly Theater. Tan will conduct the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, while scenes from the film—featuring Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Tony Leung, and Zhang Ziyi—are projected, enhancing the immersive multimedia experience.
The concerto features an innovative design requiring two violins: one with standard strings to express lyrical and romantic themes, and another strung with silk strings to evoke traditional Chinese sounds and the heroism of the film’s characters. This dual-instrument approach is emblematic of Tan Dun’s East-meets-West musical style, part of his larger “Martial Arts Cycle,” which also includes concertos based on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Banquet.
“Performing Tan Dun’s Hero Concerto with the composer conducting is always an extraordinary experience,” Lin shared. A longtime champion of Tan’s work, Lin previously premiered “The Love” violin concerto at Carnegie Hall’s 2009 China Festival and recorded “Out of Peking Opera”.
“The blend of his music with Zhang Yimou’s visual storytelling creates a concert experience that defies boundaries. The use of two differently strung violins captures the dual essence of emotion and heroism embedded in the film’s narrative.”
After his engagement in China, Lin will shift gears to a more intimate musical setting at the Montecito Music Festival, held at California Lutheran College, nestled in the hills just northwest of Los Angeles. Over two days—July 1 and 2—Lin will perform chamber works alongside a distinguished ensemble, including Robert DeMaine (principal cellist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic), pianist Scott Cuellar, violinist Aaron Boyd, and three of Lin’s students from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
The Montecito programs will feature compositions by Beethoven, Spohr, and Telemann, allowing Lin to showcase his deep connection to and mastery of classical repertoire.
These back-to-back performances—one large-scale and cinematic, the other personal and chamber-focused—highlight Lin’s enduring dedication to both contemporary innovation and classical tradition. His collaboration with Tan Dun has played a pivotal role in expanding international awareness of Chinese-influenced compositions, while his participation in chamber music festivals around the world affirms his commitment to cultivating deep musical dialogue in more intimate settings.
These summer engagements are part of a dynamic 2025 performance season for Lin. Earlier in the year, he appeared in chamber concerts at Rice University with pianist Jon Kimura Parker and performed at the Fresno State University Violin Festival in March. Lin continues to combine performance excellence with educational outreach, inspiring the next generation of musicians while continuing to shape the international classical music scene.