Live improv with Aquino Brothers at the 8th International Marimba Festival in Chiapa
Pius & Eriko Daimo were invited as guest artists to perform a marimba duo at the 8th International Marimba Festival, Chiapa Mexico in June 4-9, 2008.  Pius also conducted masterclasses during the festival.  In one of the performance by Aquino Brothers, a well-known local marimba group, Pius was called on stage for a live improvisation with the group and the audience cheered with amaze by the unrehearsed live improv.  (see photos)

Pius Cheung's American Radio Debut
The McGraw-Hill Young Artists Showcase announced the American Radio debut of Pius Cheung, winner of 2008 Young Concert Artists International Audtions, on March 5, 2008 and encores on March 12, 2008. The programs will be aired on 96.3 WQXR-FM Classical Music & New York Times News.  (related link)
March 5, 2008 Program:
Bach - Goldberg Variations: Aria and Variations 1-7
Keiko Abe - Variations on Japanese Children's Songs
March 12, 2008 Program:
Two of his own Etudes for Marimba

First Prize Winner - 2008 Young Concert Artists International Auditions
The Young Concert Artists Inc. announced the first prize winners of 2008 Young Concert Artists Inetrnational Audtions are Pius Cheung, marimba and Narek Hakhnazaryan, cello. At the Auditions, Pius Cheung was also awarded the Miriam Brody Aronson Award, the Brownville Concert Series Prize, the Swiss Global Artistic Foundation Award for an engagement in Europe, the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center Prize, and the Usedom (Germany) Music Festival Prize.  (press release) (related link)

Marimba Recital in the 36th Hong Kong Arts Festival
Pius is invited to perform in the Hong Kong Arts Festival on February 22, 2008 at the Hong Kong City Hall, Theatre. In this Marimba Recital, Pius will play a selection of piano masterworks arranged for marimba, pieces by Keiko Abe, Zhou Tian as well as his own compositions. All tickets for the first concert are sold out and an additional concert is scheduled on February 24, 2008. (related link)

The 5th World Marimba Competition Stuttgart 2008
Pius' composition Etude in e minor is selected as part of the repertoire for the second round of the 5th World Marimba Competition Stuttgart 2008 to be held on September 20-28, 2008.  (related link)

1st Prize Winner Three Preludes for Solo Marimba Premiered
The Classical Marimba League announced Pius Cheung as 2007 Composition Competition 1st prize winner of the Romantic category.  Pius wrote Three Preludes for Solo Marimba (C major, c minor & Db major).  (related link)  The 1st prize winner compositions: Etude in C major, Etude in c minor and Etude in Db Major are premiered by Prof. Eric Hollenbeck, Colorado State University in his faculty recital on February 4, 2008.

CD Review - Goldberg Variations (for solo marimba)
John Sunier of Audiophile Audition wrote in his Classical CD Review on Pius' Goldberg Variations - "An excellent alternative to the usual keyboard version of this Bach masterpiece. As Charles Ives would have said, "A real ear-stretcher."" (related link)

"Absolutely incredible!...." wrote F. Michael Combs in his latest review of Pius' Goldberg Variations CD in the February 2007 Issue of Percussive Notes, a Percussive Arts Society's Publication. To view the complete CD review, please see Percussive Notes - February 2007 Issue (P. 80) (Membership required) (related link)

Goldberg Variations (for solo marimba) CD Aired
Adeline Sire of The World, a co-production of BBC World Service, PRI and WGBH Boston, met with Pius Cheung who talked about playing keyboard masterpieces on the marimba. Adeline's report in The World's Global Hit was aired by PRI's network of public radio stations on January 1, 2007. (related link)