Violinist Chloe Chua on her Latest Release: "Butterfly Lovers & Paganini"

The Singaporean violinist today released an album recorded with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and conductors Rodolfo Barráez and Mario Venzago

Released on Pentatone, VC Artist Chloe Chua's newest album showcases Chen Gang and He Zhanhao’s Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto and Paganini’s First Violin Concerto, alongside Chen Gang’s Sunshine over Tashkurgan. The album is Chloe's second release and was recorded with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), after her debut album with the same ensemble.

The Violin Channel recently had a chat with 17-year-old violinist Chloe Chua about her new album.

What was your thought process for the repertoire on the new disc? How did you decide to pair it with Paganini’s first concerto? Such contrasting works — yet both very virtuosic in different ways. 

After meeting with SSO’s Director of Artistic Planning, Hans Sørenson, we decided to perform and record all three pieces in Singapore back in 2023. Both the Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1 and Butterfly Lovers Concerto have virtuosic yet lyrical characteristics; the latter was adapted from the traditional Chinese opera, and the former also sounds almost like an Italian opera aria at times. I would like to add the Paganini concerto in the album is presented in its original orchestration, which is rarely performed or recorded.

What drew you to the Butterfly Lovers Concerto? 

I first heard the Butterfly Lovers Concerto when I was at my late granduncle’s house years ago. One of his children played an excerpt of the piece during a family gathering as it was my granduncle’s favorite concerto. It left a deep impression on me. While learning the piece, I was deeply touched by the steadfast love and strong devotion of the main characters, Zhu YingTai and Liang ShanBo, and the couple’s brave opposition against the customs of feudal society back then.

Growing up in Singapore, do you have experience with traditional Chinese instrumentation? If so, how has this Eastern experience been carried over into your interpretation of this unique work? 

I grew up in a multiracial and multicultural society in Singapore, and the Chinese culture played a part in my upbringing. When I was still in primary school, I had classmates who could play various types of Chinese instruments and I have also been exposed to Chinese orchestra concerts often. Although I do not have any experience playing those instruments, I find that the erhu, a traditional two-stringed Chinese fiddle, is very similar to the violin in character. I think the main challenge in playing the Butterfly Lovers Concerto is to find a Chinese voice that is suitable for the violin, along with identifying a suitable interpretation for the piece. 

I would also like to thank my violin teacher, Mr. Yin Ke, for helping me learn a special way of playing the grace notes, trills, and other ornaments, which enhanced the depth of my musical expression. I have also been greatly inspired by the SSO’s Principal Flutist, Jin Ta, who has played a transcendental opening that transported me back to Zhu YingTai’s era as if I were her. 

Also, one fun fact is that it was my mother who designed a qipao-inspired gown (a qipao is a traditional Chinese gown) for my Butterfly Lovers performance, which I also wore on the album cover!

You were the youngest ever Artist-In-Residence with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. What did you learn from this incredible experience and opportunity? 

Firstly, I would like to thank the SSO for the amazing opportunity and experience in my two-season residency with them. It was such a joy to perform alongside a full orchestra regularly with like-minded musicians, to be able to record albums and to share the music with the audience members. The experience was valuable in honing my skills as a professional violinist and performer.

I would also say the experience was quite holistic as it gave me a chance to be part of the behind-the-scenes action that is unseen to many. There is a lot that goes into every concert performance and by gaining insights into the magic backstage, I feel more prepared, musically and mentally, in my musical journey. I also had the chance to work with many inspirational musical influencers such as the musicians of SSO, Music Director Hans Graf and Hans Sørenson who have all been so willing to guide and mentor me to achieve my best in each concert. It was also during that period that I produced my debut album, which is an opportunity I cherished dearly. 

What do you hope listeners will take away with them from the disc? 

I’m honored to introduce the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto to more listeners around the world even though it is already famous in Asia, and the underrated piece Sunshine Over Tashkurgan, which is also another work that is orchestrated by Chen Gang, one of the two composers of Butterfly Lovers. Both pieces are worth discovering. 

What’s next in life for Chloe Chua? What are your plans for the future? 

I will be starting my Bachelor’s degree in Hanns Eisler this October and will be learning violin from Mr. Kolja Blacher. More importantly, I hope to grow my musicianship and play chamber music with other music students in the school. I’m also looking forward to joining the SSO on its Australian tour in Feb-Mar 2025, where I will perform Brahms Double Concerto in A minor with SSO’s Principal Cellist Ng Pei-Sian in multiple cities such as Sydney and Brisbane. Hope to see you all there! 

Chloe Chua (b. 2007) shot to international stardom after winning the joint 1st Prize at the 2018 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists.

The young star from Singapore has also garnered the 1st prize at the 24th Andrea Postacchini Violin Competition, 3rd prize at the 2017 Zhuhai International Mozart Competition, as well as accolades at the Thailand International Strings Competition (Junior Category Grand Prize) and the Singapore National Piano & Violin Competition (1st Prize, Junior 2017; 3rd Prize, Junior 2015).
Photo: Joel Low

Her stunning musicality despite her young age has captured the hearts of audiences around the world, and her performances have taken her to concert halls and orchestras across the U.S.A., U.K., Italy, Germany, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, China, Thailand and Singapore, in festivals such as the Copenhagen Summer Festival, New Virtuosi Queenswood Mastercourse, Atlanta Festival Academy and the Singapore Violin Festival.

Chloe was Artist-In-Residence of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) during their 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons - the youngest ever to be appointed to this role. She performed to an estimated 18,000 attendees across 18 performances and starred in multiple recording projects during this period. Her debut album of The Four Seasons and Locatelli’s Harmonic Labyrinth on the award-winning Pentatone label garnered 1.6 million streams and over 400,000 plays during its first year of release on Spotify and Apple Music respectively. Chloe’s upcoming albums with the SSO include the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1 and a set of complete Mozart Violin Concertos with SSO Music Director Hans Graf.

At age 4, Chloe began her violin studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) School of Young Talents, honing her skills under the tutelage of Yin Ke.

Chloe performs on a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Milan, 1753, on generous loan from the Rin Collection.