Vienna Teng sings beautifully, plays the piano impeccably, and performs
her own original songs with a style and grace that just may leave you
breathless. She also flat out entertains – engaging her audience and
turning her performance into an intimate conversation. Yes, she does
most of the talking and most of the singing, but she’s also listening –
there’s a back and forth element to a Vienna Teng performance that makes
the audience feel involved and connected. Oh, she plays an occasional
cover that often improves on the original, and she uses technology
effectively, recording snippets of her own playing and singing as she
goes along to provide backup harmony and percussion – but the main thing
is the beautiful voice, the accomplished playing, and the enchanting
songs.
Vienna grew up on the peninsula, majored in Computer
Science at Stanford, worked as a software engineer at Cisco Systems, and
somehow managed to study classical piano and begin performing at clubs.
Along with earning dual graduate degrees at the University of Michigan,
one from the School of Business and one from the School of Natural
Resources and the Environment, she has found time to perform on Late Night with David Letterman and NPR’s Weekend Edition,
co-write a musical, open concerts for Joan Baez, Shawn Colvin, and
India.Arie, and release seven albums, including her latest, Aims,
which won four Independent Music Awards, including Best Adult
Contemporary Album, and Best A Cappella Song, Best Pop Song, and Best
Social Action Song. On her Pacific tour this past summer, she played
China, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan,
and Kuala Lumpur. She has attracted an adoring audience, and her shows
at the Freight tend to sell out, so if you want to see her – and you
should! – get your tickets early.