Merwin Siu holds the David W. Robinson Chair as the Toledo Symphony’s Principal Second Violin, and also serves as the TSO’s Artistic Administrator.
Merwin has made numerous solo appearances with the TSO, specializing in local premieres of twentieth and twenty-first century compositions. He made his Classics Series debut in 2008, performing Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s Concerto funèbre. Other recent highlights include regional premieres of works by Alban Berg, Chen Yi, John Corigliano, Lou Harrison, Keith Jarrett, DBR, and Bright Sheng. Merwin is a regular guest on performing arts series throughout the Midwest both as a recitalist and as chamber musician. Alongside appearances with numerous guest artists, he regularly performs with the Zin String Quartet and the Bezonian Piano Trio.
Merwin holds a Masters in Music from Indiana University and degrees in English and Music from Montreal’s McGill University. He is a recipient of the Toledo Business Journal’s 20 Under 40 award in 2004, recognizing young leaders in Lucas County, and helped to bolster the TSO’s recent strong showings at the Toledo Blade’s Corporate Spelling Bee with victories in 2005, 2009, and 2010. An avid reader and hockey fan, he lives in Ottawa Hills, Ohio with his wife Kimberly and son Kai.
Merwin wrote this biography all by himself, in the third person.