The Cheng² Duo (pronounced Cheng Squared Duo) is celebrated by audiences and critics alike for its artistic excellence, generous spirit, and compelling vibrancy. The brother/sister duo is formed by 20-year-old cellist Bryan Cheng, recipient of the 2017 Canada Council for the Arts Michael Measures Prize, and pianist Silvie Cheng, recipient of the Roy M. Rubinstein Award for exceptional promise in piano performance.

​Quickly becoming an audience favorite wherever they perform, the dynamic Cheng² Duo has been making music together for the past 15 years. The duo’s refreshing approach to making classical music accessible to new audiences of all backgrounds is steeped in a rare balance of infectious joy and enthusiasm in their playing on one hand, and mature, historically informed, and profound interpretations on the other.

With wide-ranging repertoire from Baroque to Contemporary, from original arrangements inspired by folk music to new commissioned works, the duo has presented engaging recitals in notable venues throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.

The appearance of the Cheng² Duo is sponsored, in part, by Sharon & Lance Beshore, Leggett & Platt, Inc., the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

Date & Time

Friday – March 15, 2019

7:00 PM

Location

Carthage R-9 School Auditorium

714 S Main

Carthage, Missouri

Links

Artists’ Website
Program
Biographies
Program notes
Agent’s Website
The Aaron Diehl TrioTrio Virado

Emlyn Johnson

Emlyn currently serves as Creative Director of Pro Musica. Emlyn’s background as a classically trained flutist, educator, and presenter eventually led her to Missouri, where she taught in the music department at Missouri State University and was the Executive Director for Pro Musica from 2021 – 2023. She is the co-director of the American Wild Ensemble and performs regularly around the state and beyond, and is an adjunct instructor of Flute at UMKC Conservatory in Kansas City, MO. Emlyn holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music and holds additional degrees from Eastman and the University of Michigan. She is responsible for creative and artistic aspects of Pro Musica and guides the selection process of concerts, reporting to the Board of Directors

Joani Zibert

Joani serves as the incoming Executive Director of Pro Musica, bringing more than 17 years of executive leadership experience across nonprofit governance, arts education innovation, K-12 and postsecondary education development, public and private funding strategy, legal compliance, and organizational growth. A nationally recognized school founder and non-profit executive, she has secured millions in public and private funding, built high-performing organizations from the ground up, and guided boards through periods of transformation, scale, and long-term sustainability at the local, state, and national levels.

Joani is the founder and former Board President of Doral Academy of Nevada, where she led the creation and expansion of an arts-integrated school system now serving over 5,000 students, transforming community frustration over the loss of arts education into an award-winning model of creative excellence.

Originally from the 4-States area, with Slovenian grandparents, she has worked nationally gaining a professional background that includes serving in varying roles including President of nonprofits, Director of Operations, Director of Law & Policy, Director of Grants, Director of Marketing, and senior executive advisor roles. Joani is known for aligning missions with measurable impact while bridging vision, governance, and execution. Her work is rooted in the belief that the arts are not an accessory to education or community life, but a catalyst for connection, economic vitality, and generational change.

As Executive Director of Pro Musica, Joani brings a bold, forward-focused approach centered on organizational excellence, financial sustainability, expanded community engagement, and the elevation of Pro Musica’s role as a cultural cornerstone. She leads with clarity, courage, and collaboration while committed to honoring Pro Musica’s legacy as we build the next chapter with strength and momentum.