Win a Signed Copy of VC Artist Zlatomir Fung’s Debut Album Fantasies!

Released on Signum Records, the album includes Fung’s own fantasy on Janáček’s "Jenůfa" and the world premiere recording of Marshall Estrin’s "Fantasia Carmèn"

The Violin Channel is this week giving away 5 signed copies of VC Artist cellist Zlatomir Fung's debut album, "Fantasies." Recorded with pianist Richard Fu on Signum Records, the CD features a collection of opera fantasies and transcriptions for cello and piano.

The album includes Leoš Janáček's Fantasy on Jenůfa, arranged by Fung, Adrien-François Servais's Fantaisie et Variations sur des motifs de l‘Opéra La Fille du Régiment de Donizetti, Op.16, François George-Hainl's Fantaisie sur des motifs de Guillaume Tell de G. Rossini, Op.8, Richard Wagner's ‘Walther’s Prize Song’ from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, arranged by August Wilhelmj, and Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ‘Lensky’s Aria’ from Eugene Onegin, arranged by Mikhail Bukinik — plus the world premiere of Marshall Estrin's Fantasia Carmèn.

Fung’s fascination with the opera fantasy, which takes well-known melodies from famous operas, blossomed during the pandemic lockdown. “These fantasies are a grand expression of musical freedom: the freedom to play, to wander, to risk, and to evolve,” Fung said.

For Fung's own opera fantasy, he was drawn to Leoš Janáček’s Jenůfa because of its dark storyline and idiosyncratic musical language.

“My goal was to highlight the music I love most from Jenůfa and arrange it in a way that felt logical and true to the spirit of the opera. During the composition process, I avoided referencing the opera’s plot or libretto, instead searching for moments that I believed would be interesting in purely musical terms.”

Fung has premiered several of composer Marshall Estrin’s works, including Kitaroidía for solo cello in 2019 and Cinematheque in 2024. With the Fantasia Carmèn, which receives its world premiere recording on this album, Estrin has written a fantasy “in the tradition of the most outstanding examples of the genre,” Fung said.

“It's more unconventional elements reimagine the notion of the fantasy itself, proving that the genre’s possibilities are far from exhausted—and, indeed, may only be in their infancy.”

Entries will close on Monday, May 26, 2025.

1. The promoter is: Feed Media Pty Ltd Trading as The Violin Channel LLC.

2. Employees of The Violin Channel or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter the competition.

3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.

4. The closing date for entry will be 11:59 PM Monday, May 26, 2025 (New York Time). After this date, no further entries to the competition will be permitted.

5. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.

6. All incomplete entries will be disregarded and not eligible for entry.

7. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.

8. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.

9. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.

10. Winners will be chosen at random using randomization software.

11. The winner will be notified by email within days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.

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