Dr. Stanford Cheung is a Yamaha Artist who has gained a distinct presence as a Canadian concert pianist working in the fields of classical piano, contemporary, electronic, and experimental improvised music. From performing piano concertos with world-renowned orchestras, curating electroacoustic sound-architecture for art installations, to facilitating impact-focused initiatives across creative organizations and collectives, Stanford maintains a versatile career across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and Asia.
An avid collaborator, Stanford collaborates with a wide assemblage of Grammy Award-winning musicians, composers, collectives, and researchers to broaden the ontology of contemporary piano music. He is recognised for his core collaborators with Richard Reed Parry (core band-member of Arcade Fire), Shahzad Ismaily (bassist for Love in Exile), Morgan Fisher (keyboardist for Queen), William Brittelle (co-founder of New Amsterdam Records), Nobuo Kubota (Governer General 2009), Eric Lewis, Steven. J. Fowler, Ichiro Fujinaga, Tianyi Zheng, Guildo de Favis, Henry McPherson, CIRRMIT (Canada), Medea Electronique (Greece), Figure 8 Recordings (USA), Skybarn Studios (Canada), Buddies in Bad Times (Canada).
Known for the breadth and creativity of his programming choices, Stanford often combines his piano expertise with cross-disciplinary approaches to curate imaginative projects that fuse electronics, improvisation, visual art, and foley across a variety of artistic contexts. These works consist of compositions and concert exhibitions, which have been presented internationally at institutions such as the Banff Centre for the Arts (Canada), The University of Edinburgh (Scotland), Osaka University (Japan), Christchurch University WinterSound Festival (United Kingdom), Orpheus Institute (Belgium), the 48th Rhubarb Festival (Toronto), IKLECTIK (UK), The Operating System (New York), and Experimental Music Studios (Chicago), Koumaria (Athens).
Stanford holds a doctorate degree in music from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music under the Boris Roubakine Memorial Fund. He also served as lecturer and instructor at McGill University where he developed an integrated methodology to piano performance, technology, and improvisation practices. Stanford’s doctoral research was dedicated to studying the concept of “imperfection” in electroacoustic music under the supervision of Ichiro Fujinaga, and Kyoko Hashimoto. Stanford received his master’s degree in piano performance from McGill University and his bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the University of Toronto where he studied with the legendary late Marietta Orlov, a disciple of Florica Musicescu. Additionally, Stanford is a recipient of the FTCL Fellowship from the Trinity College of Music, London. Stanford’s past mentors have included celebrated pedagogues such as Dang Thai Son, Christopher Hinterhuber, Kum Sing Lee, and John O’Conor, who have left a meaningful impact on him.
Stanford’s recent engagements include performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, and the Yellow River Piano Concerto with the Ontario Cross Cultural Philharmonic Orchestra. With Yamaha Music Inc, Stanford performed and recorded the works of notable 21st century composers such as Philip Glass, Dai Fujikura, and Takashi Yoshimatsu. This May, Stanford releasing an album entitled ENDROLL, a collection of instrumental improvisations produced in collaboration with the Italian drummer, Andrea Scala, and the two-time Grammy-nominated artist Shahzad Ismaily.
Presently, Dr. Stanford serves as an adjudicator the CCC Toronto International Music Festival, and North York Music Festival. He is also the artistic director for In Concert for Cambodia, a concert initiative that helps to support The Peaceful Children’s Homes in Cambodia. Additionally, Stanford practices sound-design & recording Figure 8 Recording, New York. In his spare time, Stanford writes poetry and has built a name as an internationally published author with poetry collections housed in libraries around the world.