Ethan Heath 洪依凡

Ethan Ford Heath, a native of Rochester, Minnesota, US, began playing the viola at the age of nine. He graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy and continued his studies at the Eastman School of Music, The Juilliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His teachers included John Graham, Samuel Rhodes, Robert Vernon, Heidi Castleman, Masao Kawasaki and Yizhak Schotten.

Heath’s performing career began at the age of 13 when he performed as concerto soloist with orchestra. After coaching with such artists as the Juilliard, Cleveland, Muir and Colorado Quartets and pianists Samuel Sanders and Anton Nel, he has appeared as chamber musician in venues such as Alice Tully Hall and NYU’s Miller Theater in New York City; at many festivals including the Aspen, Sarasota and Park City Music Festivals; at the Breckenridge Music Festival, where he also performed as concerto soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra; and in venues around Hong Kong. He continues to play chamber music with various colleagues at every opportunity.

Heath has worked to increase the repertoire of contemporary viola music, and successfully commissioned the “Concertpiece for Viola and Piano” from the well-known American composer David Diamond.

Heath is an active orchestra musician, having held the position of Assistant Principal Viola in the Akron and Canton Symphonies, and performing with numerous other groups such as the North Carolina Symphony, the New World Symphony, the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, the Asian Friendly Festival Orchestra in Fukuoka, Japan and the Guangzhou Symphony in China. Since joining the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998, he has also been invited to play as Guest Assistant Principal of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta on their 2004 European Tour.

Heath has been teaching regularly since coming to Hong Kong, at various international schools, ESF schools, independent music academies and privately, as well as having been an Adjunct Faculty member at Hong Kong Baptist University. His students have received awards of Distinction in many grades of the ABRSM tests; have achieved the levels of ABRSM Diploma, Licentiate, and Fellowship; and have twice won categories of the Hong Kong Schools Music competition, including the Violin Concerto 18-and-Under Category.

洪依凡生於美國明尼蘇達州羅徹斯特，自九歲起學習中提琴。在恩特拉肯藝術學校畢業後，赴伊士曼音樂學院、茱莉亞音樂學院和克里夫蘭音樂學院進修。其恩師包括葛蘭姆、羅德斯、弗農、格斯文、川崎雅夫及紹滕。

洪依凡在13歲在樂團演出擔任協奏曲獨奏家，從此開展其演奏事業。與茱莉亞、克利夫蘭、繆爾、科羅拉多等弦樂四重奏，以及桑德斯、內爾等鋼琴家接受指導後，他亦以室樂音樂家身份在美國及香港表演，包括林肯中心的愛麗絲•桃麗音樂廳、紐約大學的米勒劇院；又參與亞斯本、薩拉蘇達、帕克城等多個音樂節。他曾在布雷肯烈治音樂節與國家戲劇管弦樂團合作，負責協奏曲獨奏。現時仍與不同單位合作室樂演出。

洪依凡致力推廣當代中提琴曲目，且委約美國知名作曲家戴蒙德為中提琴與鋼琴創作曲目。

他活躍於管弦樂演出，曾擔任美國亞克朗及加頓交響樂團的助理首席中提琴，又與北卡羅萊納州交響樂團、新世界交響樂團、愛荷華室樂團、日本福岡舉行的亞洲友好音樂節及中國廣州交響樂團合作。自1998年加入香港管弦樂團後，他亦被香港小交響樂團邀請在2004年的歐洲巡演擔任助理首席中提琴。

他在香港熱衷教學，在多間國際學校、英基學校、獨立音樂學院均有教課，並開設私人課程；亦曾在香港浸會大學擔任兼職教員。其指導的多位學生在ABRSM音樂考試的不同級別考獲優異成績及文憑；當中有兩個贏得香港學界音樂大賽，包括18歲及以下的小提琴協奏曲組別。