在上个月过去的 9/11 事件25年纪念日当天，夏洛特当地著名青年钢琴家韩逸煊和青年小提琴家潘维多利亚（Victoria Pan）组成的VIFA二重奏在迈尔斯公园长老会教堂给观众们带来了一场高水准，高质量的室内乐演出，为2026-27《乐向未来》（Music for Tomorrow） 系列音乐会拉开序幕。
本次音乐会的曲目包含了莫扎特（【奥地利】Wolfgang A. Mozart）降 B 大调第 26 号小提琴奏鸣曲，格里格(【挪威】Edward Grieg）c 小调第三小提琴协奏曲，格什温（【美国】George Gershwin）《〈波吉与贝丝〉主题音乐会幻想曲》，以及为纪念 9/11 事件逝者的加演曲目《飞越彩虹》（Somewhere over the Rainbow）。前三首曲目分别来自西方音乐史上的古典，浪漫，以及近现代三个不同时期，给观众们带来了一次古典音乐由简到繁，和弦从有调到爵士融合，跨越了200 年的演变史赏味。莫扎特俏皮灵动，格里格悠扬浪漫，格什温热烈自由。每一个音符从音乐家指尖飞出，直达在场所有观众内心最柔软的地方。
加演曲目《飞越彩虹》出自于1939年经典电影《绿野仙踪》 (Wizard of Oz)，最初由女主角多萝西扮演者朱迪·嘉兰（Judy Garland）在电影中演唱。电影上映时美国刚从1929年的大萧条中逐渐步入正轨，百废待兴。《飞越彩虹》的旋律柔国舒缓，带有一种对远方、梦想和美好明天的向往，给当时刚经历过大萧条的美国社会带来了无尽的希望。今天，这首曲子被赋予一种跨时代的意义，给在观众席上经历过 9/11 这一历史事件的当地人们带来相隔25年的心灵上的慰藉。
VIFA Duo Opens Charlotte’s “Music for Tomorrow” Season, Honoring the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
By Sally YuPhotography: Chao Gao and Sally Yu
Giuseppe Tartini’s Trio Sonata in D Major for Two Violins and Piano.
September 11, 2026, marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On that day, VIFA Duo—the Charlotte-based ensemble consisting of pianist Yixuan Han and violinist Victoria Pan—presented a chamber music concert at Myers Park Presbyterian Church, opening the 2026–27 Music for Tomorrow concert series.
The program featured Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 26 in B-flat Major, Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Minor, and Concert Fantasy on Themes from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. As a tribute to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, the duo also performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as an encore.
The first three works represented distinct periods in Western music history: the Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras. Together, they offered a journey through two centuries of musical evolution, from classical forms and tonal harmony to jazz-influenced sounds. Mozart was playful and sparkling, Grieg lyrical and romantic, and Gershwin exuberant and free-spirited. Every note seemed to spring from the musicians’ fingertips and reach the tenderest part of each listener’s heart.
A Musical Tribute Across Time
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” comes from the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, in which Judy Garland first sang it as Dorothy. When the film was released, the United States was gradually recovering from the Great Depression, with much to revive and rebuild.
The song’s gentle, lyrical melody expresses a yearning for distant places, dreams, and a better tomorrow. At this concert, it carried meaning across time, offering comfort to audience members who remembered the events of September 11 a quarter-century earlier.
Young violin students perform alongside their three teachers.
VIFA Duo during rehearsal.
Passing Music to the Next Generation
A special highlight of the concert featured young violin students from Violet Pan String Academy, founded by Victoria Pan and her mother, Violet Pan. The students joined Pan, Shen, and Han onstage to perform Italian composer Giuseppe Tartini’s Trio Sonata in D Major for Two Violins and Piano.
The collaboration brought together musicians across three generations. It was a reminder that musicians’ work extends beyond performance: it also involves passing their love of music to the next generation and welcoming new listeners into the world of classical music.
VIFA Duo in performance.
Voices from the Audience
Audience members shared their enthusiasm after the concert.
Local classical music lover Nina Chen said:
“This isn’t the first time I’ve heard these two young artists perform. Violinist Victoria Pan is immersed in the music from beginning to end. You can almost feel the emotion behind each note in every breath she takes. Dr. Yixuan Han’s piano playing is deeply moving. His sound brings to mind the gentle warmth of the first rays of morning sunlight. The subtle changes in his expression seem to tell a moving story, then suddenly sweep you into the midst of a grand symphony.”
Nina’s friend Yi Qi, also a classical music enthusiast, added:
“The violin flows like a stream, while the piano is both powerful and graceful. Together, they turn classical masterpieces into paintings and poetry, with every piece finding its way into your heart.”
Sammy, who brought her child to the concert, said:
“What a world-class feast for the ears! My daughter was so inspired that, when she got home, she picked up the piano again after a long time away from practicing!”
Tao Tao, a dance teacher at Wee Dance in Charlotte, also shared her thoughts:
“These two young musicians brought us closer to the great musical masters of centuries past through their playing. The violin and piano seemed to be in conversation, now passionate, now restrained. Bow and keys wove together melodies that were mysterious and dreamlike, light and bright, wistful and expansive, languid and swaying. The delightful collaboration with the dedicated and talented young students at the end made the concert even richer and warmer.”
Longtime music enthusiast Ankang Dong, an amateur cellist and traditional Chinese music ensemble organizer, reflected on the concert’s connection to his own musical journey:
“I’ve lived in Charlotte for more than thirty years. Recently, at my wife’s suggestion, I began learning piano. My teacher is Dr. Yixuan Han, the pianist in this concert. After just a few lessons, I’ve already gained so much.
“Dr. Han focuses on the fundamentals of piano playing, and what interests me even more is how he often places music in a broader historical and cultural context. I’ve loved music since I was young, influenced by my family. I studied cello, violin, and erhu, and this is my first time learning piano. Practicing every day has become a new experience in my life.
“Charlotte is a vibrant city, and a city’s growth depends not only on tall buildings, roads, and businesses, but also on arts and culture. Musicians like Dr. Yixuan Han, who perform onstage and are also willing to teach in the classroom, undoubtedly bring a distinctive cultural richness to the city.”
