My Story Official Bio
Leona Cheung is a Boston-based collaborative pianist. Her international performances, including appearances in the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Hong Kong, have been hailed as "artistically mature, well thought-out presentations" (Definitely the Opera).
An expert in the vocal repertoire from art songs to opera, she is especially known for her musical leadership and responsiveness while collaborating with singers and conductors. Leona accompanies ensembles such as the GRAMMY® nominated Seraphic Fire, Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Children’s Chorus, and Boston Choral Ensemble, she also serves as staff pianist with New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory and Northeastern University and MIT Women's Chorale. Highlights of the 2022-2023 season include rehearsal pianist with White Snake Projects on the opera premiere "Cosmic Cowboy" in Boston, rehearsal pianist with Tanglewood Festival Chorus on the Holiday Pops, and keyboard artist with Brevard Music Center on Britten's opera "Turn of the Screw" in North Carolina.
Leona’s deep devotion to vocal-piano repertoire has brought her to perform extensively in many international festivals, including Oxford Lieder Festival, Leeds Lieder Festival, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Franz Schubert Institut and Songfest, where she worked with many esteemed artists and scholars across the United States and Europe. She was selected as one of the top-11 finalists at the 2023 Federation of the Art Song Competition, New York City.
She has collaborated with Helmuth Rilling and Hong Kong SingFest in multiple choral-orchestral projects. Leona was a founding member and pianist with Cantoria Hong Kong, and can be heard on the Chinese choral music album entitled "Half Moon Rising", presented by the Edition Peters.
Leona believes music is a platform for sharing joy. As a fellow of NEC Community Performances and Partnerships program, she enjoyed many outreach performances within the community. In 2020, she was the recipient of the Opportunity Fund Award from the City of Boston, which generously supported her valuable community work in the Boston area.
Born and raised in Hong Kong. Leona earned her Master of Music and Graduate Diploma in Collaborative Piano from New England Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance from Hong Kong Baptist University.