“I was new to Cheung’s work, and I sincerely enjoyed it. But the portrait not only incited me to want to hear more: it succeeded at doing what great portraits – at the Louvre, at the Prado – have done throughout time. I left with a strongly lingering sense of who this person is and how he affects the world. Cheung has a unique ability to revitalize traditional compositional formats and ensemble structures, and his love of piano repertoire and its influence is refreshingly present. Moreover, his courage to write for instruments in a way that allows musicians to take their time to communicate with one another, to pair sounds and textures with clarity and to love their parts is truly reaching a zenith in this craft. I also left with a sense that Cheung was telling stories, relaying messages – ones I needn’t understand but could still feel. The next Anthony Cheung portrait is sure to reveal even more.”
Daniele Sahr, Seen and Heard International, August 2021