Opera and Orchids: From Piano Lessons in the Caribbean to the Princeton Festival

Interview by Nancy Plum

Richard Tang Yuk is General and Artistic Director of The Princeton Festival, which will be opening its 11th season in June. A native of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Tang Yuk is a Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (UK) and holds degrees in conducting from the Mannes College of Music and the Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music. From 1994- 2009, Dr. Tang Yuk was Director of Choral Music and Associate Director of the Program in Musical Performance at Princeton University, during which time he led the Princeton Glee Club on eight overseas concert tours, including appearances in Hong Kong, Brazil, Italy and Argentina. Dr. Tang Yuk was instrumental in the founding of The Princeton Festival, and is at the heart of its creative planning and vision. Since its inception he has overseen the expansion of the Festival to its current offerings of opera, musical theater, dance, chamber music, jazz, world music, a piano competition, baroque orchestra, a conducting workshop, and a lecture series. more