Wee Kiat Chia, countertenor

Justin Blackwell, organ

A.Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) - Stabat Mater RV 621

R. Schumann (1810 – 1856) -  Frauenliebe und Leben Op.42

X. Montsalvatge  (1812 – 2002) - Cinco Canciones Negras 

Praised for his "rich and deep countertenor voice" with a "dramatic edge", countertenor Dr. Wee Kiat Chia has participated in events in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, Austria, Australia and the United States. Dr. Chia is a frequent guest soloist in the events organized by Viva Bach Peterborough (USA), BachfestMalaysia and International Christian Choral Conductor Society (Singapore). He was the soloist for the US West coast premiere of Matthew Aucoin's The Orphic Momentat the Music Academy of the West, as well as the Florida premiere with en SRQ, both under the baton of the composer. He participated in the professional première of the Beth Morrison Projects’Ouroboros Trilogy in Boston, covering the roles of Xiao Qing in all three operas. He was a 2017  finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions NewEngland Region. In summer 2024, he made his solo debut at the prestigious Bachfest Leipzig in Germany and was praised a magnificent alto (Leipziger Volkszeitung).An enthusiast in ensemble singing, Dr. Chia sings regularly with the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus, Schola Cantorum of Boston, Henry Purcell Society of Boston and Marsh Chapel at Boston University. A Music Associate at Colby College Music Department, Dr. Chia achieved his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) at Boston University College of Fine Arts under the tutelage of Dr. Lynn Eustis.
www.weekiatchia.com

Justin Thomas Blackwell is the associate director of music at Marsh Chapel, Boston University, and is the principal organist for the University’s Sunday morning service. His concert repertoire draws heavily on the works of Bach, Mendelssohn, and Schumann, while his repertoire as a continuo organist includes the principal works of Bach and Handel. He is a Teaching Fellow for the Harvard Choruses, a member of the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra, and the rehearsal accompanist for the Jameson Singers. In addition, he performs regularly with Miami-based Seraphic Fire. At Marsh Chapel, he is also the operations manager and continuo keyboardist for “Music at Marsh Chapel,” a large concert series that includes annual performances of four Bach cantatas and one large work of Bach or Handel. As a pianist, he can be heard on Seraphic Fire’s recording of Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem (4-hand piano version), which was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance. He holds a BM in organ performance from Furman University (SC) and a MM in conducting from Boston University.