Vivianfung|Composer
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vivianfung|Composer “Her music ... summons images of dusk and reaches for hidden places and states of mind.” San Jose Mercury News Vivian Fung Phone: (917) 535-0050 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vivianfung.net Vivian Fung has distinguished herself as a composer with a unique and powerful compositional voice. Since earning her doctorate from The Juilliard School in 2002, she has forged her own approach often merging western forms with non-western vivianfung|Composer influences such as Balinese and Javanese gamelan and folk songs from minority regions of China. The New “…as vital as encountering Steve Reich or the York Times has described her work as ―evocative,‖ Kronos for the first time.” and The Strad hails her Uighur-influenced music to be The Strad ―as vital as encountering Steve Reich or the Kronos for the first time.‖ Chicago Tribune described Fung‘s Yunnan Folk Songs as conveying ―a winning rawness that went beyond exoticism.‖ Fung has traveled extensively for her work. In 2004, she traveled to Bali, Indonesia Highlights of Fung's recent world as part of the Asia Pacific Performance Exchange premieres include: her Violin Concerto for Kristin Program, sponsored by the UCLA Center for Lee and Grammy nominated Metropolis Ensemble, Intercultural Performance. In summer 2010, as an Dust Devils commissioned by the Eastern Music ensemble member of Gamelan Dharma Swara, she Festival celebrating their 50th anniversary, Yunnan completed a performance tour of Bali including Folk Songs by Fulcrum Point New Music Project in competing in the Bali Arts Festival. Chicago; new choral works by the acclaimed Suwon Civic Chorale in South Korea; Chant by pianist Fung‘s works have increasingly Margaret Leng Tan at the Museum of Modern Art in become part of the core repertoire. Recognized New York; Piano Concerto Dreamscapes by pianist by the New York Times as ―the most memorable Jenny Lin with Metropolis Ensemble in New York part‖ of the Ying Quartet‘s concert at Weill Recital City; and the standing-ovation premiere of String Hall, Fung‘s Pizzicato was part of the quartet‘s Quartet No. 2 commissioned by the Shanghai repertory for two seasons. Her Glimpses for Quartet for its 25th anniversary season. prepared piano is being embraced by a diverse group of pianists, including Margaret Leng Tan, Fung‘s upcoming projects include Conor Hannick, Jenny Chai, Bryan Wagorn, and and her Pizzicato for String Quartet for the Chamber Vicky Chow. After the world premiere of Fung‘s Music Society of Lincoln Center‘s season premiere String Quartet No. 2 by the Shanghai Quartet at Opening Night: Fireworks! The premiere of four the Freer Gallery in Washington D.C., the new works commissioned by NJMTA, the Canadian Shanghais have included the work on their roster, premiere of her String Sinfonietta by the Montreal including giving the Canadian premiere at the Chamber Orchestra and the live rendering of her Edmonton Chamber Music Society this past works for Billy Collins Suite. March. Vivian Fung Phone: (917) 535-0050 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vivianfung.net Fung‘s music has been commercially released on the Telarc, Çedille, and Signpost labels. 2012 will see the release of her piano concerto Dreamscapes, violin concerto and Glimpses for Prepared Piano on the Naxos Canada label. She has an impressive body of compositions commissioned and performed by such ensembles as the Seattle Symphony, San José Chamber Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, American String Quartet, Afiara String Quartet, Escher String Quartet, Music from China, and American Opera Projects to name a few. Fung has been composer-in-residence of the Music in the Loft chamber music series in Chicago, the San José Chamber Orchestra, and the Billings Symphony. She has also completed residencies at the MacDowell, Yaddo, and Banff arts colonies as well as two residencies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. Fung is the 2010 New York Foundation for the Arts‘ Gregory Millard fellow. She has received numerous awards and grants from ASCAP, BMI, American Music Center, American Composers‘ Forum, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Born in Edmonton, Canada, Vivian Fung began composition studies with composer Violet Archer. Other early influences include her mentors David Diamond, Narcis Bonet, and Robert Beaser. Fung is affiliated with The Juilliard School and is an associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre. vivianfung|Composer ―I was particularly struck...by the rhythmically buoyant creations of composer Vivian Fung.‖ San Francisco Chronicle for the Ying Quartet‟s „Dim Sum‟ Vivian Fung Phone: (917) 535-0050 Email: [email protected] Website: www.vivianfung.net vivianfung|Composer Highlights 2010-2011 Commissions and Performances September 15, 2011 – Premiere of Violin Concerto Summer 2010 – Bali, Indonesia. Fung performing and with Metropolis Ensemble and Kristin Lee, soloist. touring with Gamelan Dharmaswara; tour culminates in Bali Arts Festival main stage performance July 8, 2010. September 26, 2011 – Pizzicato featured as part of http://www.dharmaswara.org/. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center‘s Opening Night Concert at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Performed by the Escher Quartet. May 28, and June 4, 2010 – Suwon and Seoul, South Korea. Premiere of three new choral works by the July 30, 2011 – New Orchestral Commission to be Suwon Civic Chorale, In-Gi Min, conductor. premiered at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC with Gerard Schwarz conducting. In Career Highlights celebration of the festival‘s 50th Anniversary. First commission at age 19 (1995) by New York Chamber Symphony and Gerard Schwarz. June 2011 - Composer-in-residence with Delaware Chamber Music Festival. First major orchestral work by Seattle Symphony in 1998 entitled Blaze. April 26, 2011 – Concert at Americas Society in New York featuring chamber music by Fung, including Glimpses, Six Haiku for baritone and piano, and String Music Alive! residency (sponsored by Meet the Quartet No.2. Canadian all-star cast including Afiara Composer and the American Symphony Orchestra Quartet, pianist Bryan Wagorn, and baritone Jonathan League) with the San José Chamber Orchestra in 2004- Estabrooks. 2005, culminating in a work for string orchestra entitled Butterfly Variations (2005). April 22, 2011 – Glimpses for prepared piano performed by Jenny Q Chai at Thalia at Symphony Space. String Quartet No. 2 commissioned and premiered by the Shanghai Quartet in April 2009 at the Freer Gallery March 22, 2011 – Premiere of Yunnan Folk Songs in Washington DC; the Shanghai Quartet will give the commissioned by Fulcrum Point New Music Project in Canadian premiere on March 5, 2011. Chicago through a grant from the MAP Fund – for mezzo-soprano, baritone, and large chamber ensemble for Western instruments and sheng (Chinese mouth Pizzicato for string quartet (2001), recorded by Ying organ). Quartet, Telarc Label, has been performed numerous times as part of the Ying Quartet's core repertoire for March 8, 2011 – Preview of the cadenza portion of three years. NY Times declared it ―an evocative work … Fung‘s Violin Concerto at Metropolis Ensemble‘s the most memorable part of the ensemble‘s Inaugural Benefit. concert‖ from the Ying Quartet's April 22, 2009 concert at Weill Hall. March 5, 2011 – Edmonton, Canada. Canadian premiere of String Quartet No. 2 with the Shanghai Quartet at the Edmonton Chamber Music Society. Works recorded by Çedille (2009 and 2005), Telarc (2008), and Signpost (2009) labels. Vivian Fung - Press Quotes ―Fung‘s Yunnan Folk Songs stood out ... for how its complexity was put at the service of high level entertainment. The seven short pieces, each an interpretation of recordings sung by members of ethnic minorities in southwest China, conveyed a winning rawness that went beyond exoticism.‖ Chicago Tribune, March 24, 2011 “Yunnan Folk Songs is an engaging and delightful work crafted with great flair, with Fung‘s skillful writing and scoring for voices and orchestra avoiding both pastiche and the stolid, overly respectful treatment of so many world-music inspired works.‖ Chicago Classical Review, March 24, 2011 ―Vivian Fung‘s Miniatures for Clarinet and String ―[Summerfest] ... served up another winner.... Fung‘s Quartet take advantage of her Chinese heritage to ―Miniatures‖ was a fascinating work, based on a folksong produce some non-traditional (in the Western from the Uighur people of Western China. Scored for sense) harmony and melody that's quite clarinet and string quartet, the work fused elements of compelling.‖ David Hurwitz of modernism — harmonic dissonance and quarter-tones — with traditional elements of ornamented folksong. ‖ Classicstoday.com Kansas City Star, July 25, 2010 ―Vivian Fung‘s ‗Miniatures,‘ rooted in Uighur ―[E]nchanting.... [Her] music ... summons images of dusk music from Chinese Xinjiang and superbly and reaches for hidden places and states of mind.‖ played, are as vital as encountering Steve Reich or San Jose Mercury News, June 4, 2005 the Kronos for the first time.‖ The Strad, March 2008 ―The most memorable part of the ensemble‘s concert on Friday evening was an encore from that disc: Vivian Fung‘s ‗Pizzicato for String Quartet.‘ Ms. Fung‘s evocative ―I was particularly struck…by the rhythmically work, inspired by Chinese and Asian instruments like the buoyant creations of composer - Vivian Fung.‖ pipa and gamelan, features percussive gestures and a San Francisco Chronicle, January 20, 2008 – medley of plucked sounds, including strumming. At one Review