Guan's Trombone Recital (Penang)

Ong Aun Guan, trombone

Aw Ping Hui, trumpet

Celestine Yoong, piano

AXEL JØRGENSEN

Romance, Op. 21

AXEL JØRGENSEN

Suite, Op. 22

I. Triomphale

II. Minuet Giocoso

III. Ballade – Polonaise (Theme and Variation)

JELLAL KOAY

Lebuh Chulia

for Trombone and Electronics

Malaysia Premiere

20-MINUTE INTERMISSION

STJEPAN ŠULEK

Sonata (Vox Gabrieli)

for Trombone and Piano

NICOLA FERRO

Sunset

ERIC EWAZEN

Pastorale

featuring Aw Ping Hui

JACQUES CASTÉRÈDE

Sonatine for Trombone & Piano

I. Allegro Vivo

II. Andante Sostenuto

III. Allegro

For many, the trombone is an instrument heard from a distance — resonating from the back of the orchestra, adding power to a brass fanfare, or punctuating a jazz ensemble with unmistakable character. Rarely does it step into the spotlight to tell its own story.

In this special homecoming recital, Penang-born trombonist Ong Aun Guan invites audiences to discover the expressive world of the trombone in all its colours — lyrical, triumphant, playful, introspective, and deeply human.

Freshly graduated from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore and on the cusp of beginning his Master's studies abroad, Aun Guan returns home to celebrate a significant chapter of his musical journey with the people who have shaped it: family, friends, mentors, and the community that first nurtured his dreams. Joining him on this musical journey is acclaimed pianist Celestine Yoong, whose artistry, sensitivity, and collaborative spirit bring these works vividly to life.

The programme journeys across continents and eras. From the warm romanticism of Axel Jørgensen's Romance and the virtuosic brilliance of his Suite, to the haunting soundscape of Jellal Koay's Lebuh Chulia — presented in its Malaysia premiere for trombone and electronics — audiences will encounter a side of the trombone rarely heard on the concert stage.

Following the interval, Stjepan Šulek's monumental Vox Gabrieli reveals the instrument's dramatic power and soaring lyricism, while Nicola Ferro's reflective Sunset offers a moment of quiet contemplation. The evening culminates in music of warmth and exuberance through Eric Ewazen's Pastorale, featuring special guest Aw Ping Hui on trumpet, and Jacques Castérède's dazzling Sonatine, a tour de force of colour, agility, and charm.

Whether you are a lifelong classical music enthusiast or experiencing a trombone recital for the very first time, this evening is an invitation to listen with fresh ears. Beyond slides and fanfares lies an instrument capable of tenderness, storytelling, humour, and extraordinary beauty.

Before he embarks on his next adventure overseas, join Aun Guan for an evening of music, friendship, and celebration — a heartfelt farewell from home, and the beginning of an exciting new chapter.