Chen Yi (composer)

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This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chen.

Chen Yi (陈怡; b. Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, April 4, 1953) is a Chinese composer of contemporary classical music. She was the first Chinese woman to receive a Master of Arts (M.A.) in music composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She is also a violinist.

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[edit] Biography

Chen grew up in Guangzhou, China, into a talented family. Her parents were doctors and musicians; her mother played the piano, and her father the violin. Her older sister was a child prodigy, and even today Chen's older sister and younger brother work as professional musicians in China.

Chen began studying piano at the age of three, studying the music of Western composers such as Bach and Mozart. However, once the Cultural Revolution began in 1966, Western influences were severely shunned and the arts were attacked. For ten years, education came to a halt and people were relocated to work in large communes in countryside. Chen's father and older sister were the first to be sent away, but Chen managed to hide in her hometown a while longer, and continued to practice music, but with some impediments: she was forced to stuff a blanket inside her piano in order to dampen the sound, and play her violin with a mute. At age fifteen, she could hide no more. Her house was searched, her possessions were taken, and the rest of her family was dispersed to different locations to perform compulsory labor in the countryside.

Chen used her time spent laboring in the countryside to learn and appreciate the Chinese folk culture. Her connection with Chinese music would prove a useful tool in finding her own voice for her musical compositions in later life. At age seventeen, she returned to Guangzhou and began working as concertmaster in the orchestra of the Beijing Opera Troupe in Guangzhou.

Chen lived for many years in New York City, and studied composition with Chou Wen-chung and Mario Davidovsky at Columbia University, earning a DMA with distinction. Her husband is the composer Zhou Long. As of 2006, both Chen and Zhou are professors of composition at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance.

Alongside a great number of orchestral works, Chen has also made many contributions to the choral repertoire and the chamber music repertoire, including works written for traditional Chinese instruments.

[edit] Compositions (selected list)

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Chen's works are published by the Theodore Presser Company.

  • ANCIENT　BEAUTY，THE(2006) (2 mvts, 10')
    Dizi, Xun, Erhu, Pipa, Zheng & String Orchestra
  • ANCIENT DANCES (2005) (3 mvts, 18')

Pipa and Percussion

  • …AS LIKE A RAGING FIRE… (2002) (10')

Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano.

  • ARIRANG (1994) (3').

Mixed Chorus

  • AS IN A DREAM (1988) (7')

Soprano, Violin, Cello Alternate version for Soprano, Pipa, Zheng

  • AT THE KANSAS CITY CHINESE NEW YEAR CONCERT (2002) (3 mvts, 12')

String Quartet

  • BA BAN (1999) (8')

Piano Solo

  • BA YIN (2001) (20')

Saxophone quartet with string orchestra

  • BALLAD, DANCE AND FANTASY (2003) (3 mvts, 27')

Cello, 3333, 4331, Hp, 3 Perc. Str.

  • BIRTHDAY GREETING FOR AR, DRD, PRISM, SCP (2004) (1' each)

3 instruments, One Piano Four-hands, Saxophone Quartet, Chamber Ensemble

  • BRIGHT MOONLIGHT (2001) (5')

Mezzo-soprano, Piano

  • BURNING (2002) (4')

String Quartet

  • CARAMOOR'S SUMMER (2003) (13')

2(1 Picc.)-2-2-2; 2-1-1-0; Hp., 3Perc., Str.

  • CELEBRATION (2005) (5')

2222, 2221, T 2 Perc. Str.

  • CHINA WEST SUITE (2007) (4 mvts, 10 minutes)

Two Pianos

  • CHINESE ANCIENT DANCES (2004) (2 mvts, 8')

Clarinet, Piano.

  • CHINESE FABLES (2002) (3 mvts, 13')

Erhu, Pipa, Cello, Percussion

  • CHINESE FOLK DANCE SUITE (2001) (3 mvts, 22')

2222, 4330, 3 Perc, Violin Solo, Str.

  • CHINESE MOUNTAIN SONGS (2001) (5 songs, 10')

Treble Chorus

  • CHINESE MYTHS CANTATA (1996) (3 mvts, 36')

2(Picc)22(Eb&Bcl)2(C) 4230 4 Perc Erhu Pipa Yangqin Zheng, Male Chorus, Str

  • CHINESE POEMS (1999) (5 mvts, 10')

Six Girls’ Choruses

  • DUNHUANG FANTASY (1999) (12')

1121 1110 P, Organ

  • DUO YE (1984) (6')

Piano Solo Alternate version for Pipa Solo

  • DUO YE for chamber orchestra (1985) (7')

112(Eb)1 1000 P, Str

  • DUO YE No. 2 for full orchestra (1987) (8')

3(2 Picc)3(EH)3(Bcl)3(Cbsn) 4331 T, P(3), Str

  • ELEANOR'S GIFT (1998) (15')

Cello Solo, 2222, 2220, 3 Perc, Hp, Str. Pn Reduction with percussion, Score and Parts.

  • FENG (1998) (Introduction & Rondo, 10')

Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn

  • FIDDLE SUITE (1997) (3 mvts, 16')

Chinese Huqin Solo, String Quartet/Str Orch/Full Orchestra

  • FISHERMAN'S SONG (1979) (4')

Violin and Piano

  • GE XU (ANTIPHONY) (1994) (10')

2(Picc)2(E.H.)2(Bcl)2 4230 Hp, T, P(2), Str

  • GOLDEN FLUTE, THE (1997) (3 mvts, 18')

Flute Solo, 2222, 4230, T P(2), Str.

  • GUESSING (1989) (5')

Piano Solo

  • HAN FIGURINES, THE (2006) (5')

Violin, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Double Bass, Piano & Percussion.

  • HAPPY RAIN IN SPRING NIGHT (2004) (12')

Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano.

  • JI-DONG-NUO for piano solo (2005) (4')
  • JOY OF THE REUNION for oboe, viola, cello and double bass (2001) (4')
  • KC CAPRICCIO for wind ensemble & mixed choir (2000) (4')

2222(+b.cl) 3sax 34311 SATB 3P Alt version CAPRICCIO for Chorus, Organ & Percussion (2001)

  • KNOW YOU HOW MANY PETALS FALLING (2001) (4'

Mixed Chorus [312-41814], $1.60

  • LAMENT OF THE TWIN STARTS (1996) (5')

Mixed Chorus

  • LANDSCAPE (2003) (3')

Mixed Chorus

  • LINEAR, THE (1994) (12')

2(Picc)222 4331 Hp. T, P(4), Str

  • LOOKING AT THE SEA (2006) (4'30")

Women's Choir

  • MEDITATION (1999) (two songs, 6')

Mezzo-soprano and Piano

  • MOMENTUM 3(1998) (10')

333 4331 Hp. 4 Perc. Str

  • MONOLOGUE (IMPRESSIONS ON THE TRUE STORY OF AH Q ) (1993) (5')

Clarinet Solo (Bb)

  • NEAR DISTANCE (1988) (10')

Fl(Alto Fl), Cl(Bcl), Vn, Vc, Pf, Perc

  • NIGHT THOUGHTS (2004) (8')

Flute, Cello, Piano

  • NING (2001) (15')

Violin, Pipa, Cello.

  • OVERTURE (1989) (13')

Chinese Instrumental Orchestra

  • OVERTURE No.2 (1990) (15')

Chinese Instrumental Orchestra

  • PERCUSSION CONCERTO (1998) (3 mvts, 20')

Percussion Solo, 3(1Picc)33(1Bcl)3(1D.Bsn), 4331, 3 Perc., Strings Alt.version for Percussion and Piano/Percussion Group/Perc & Str Quartet

  • PIANO CONCERTO (1992) (16')

Piano Solo, 3(3 Picc)3(EH)3(Bcl)3(Cbsn) 4331 T, P(3), Str.

  • PIPA RHYME (1993) (6')

Pipa and 14 Players

  • POINTS, THE (1991) (9')

Pipa Solo

  • QI (1997) (10')

Fl, Cello, Percussion, Piano

  • ROMANCE AND DANCE for String Orchestra (1998) [2 mvts, 9'].

Alt.version for Violin and Piano (2001)

  • ROMANCE OF HSIAO AND CH'IN (1995) (4')

Two Violins and String Orchestra Alt version for Cello and Piano (2001)

  • SAKURA (1994) (1')

Mixed Chorus

  • SET OF CHINESE FOLK SONGS, A (1994) (10 songs, 17')

Unaccompanied Mixed Chorus, with optional Piano part Alt. version for Children's Chorus and Str.Orch./Quintet (25') Alternate version for Unaccompanied Male Choir (TTBB)

  • SHADY GROVE (2001) (4')

Mixed Chorus

  • SHUO (1994) (8')

String Orchestra; Alternate version for String Quintet

  • SI JI (FOUR SEASONS) (2005) (15')

3(+Picc)3(+EH)3(+b.Cl)3(+C.Bsn) 4331 Timp 4 Perc Hp Str

  • SINGING IN THE MOUNTAIN (2002) (1')

Piano Solo for children

  • SMALL BEIJING GONG (1993) (1')

Piano Solo for children

  • SONG IN WINTER (1993) (8')

Harpsichord, Di, Zheng Alternate version for Flute, Zheng, Piano, Percussion Alternate version, ORIENT AND OCCIDENT, for Soprano, Zheng & Piano

  • SONG OF THE GREAT WALL arr. from a song by Liu Xue-An (1999) (5')

Eight French Horns

  • SOUND OF THE FIVE (1998) (4 mvt, 20')

Cello Solo, String Quartet Alternate version for Perc Solo & Str Quartet

  • SPARKLE (1992) (11')

Fl(Picc.), Cl(Eb), Perc 2, Pf, Vn, Vc, Bass

  • SPRING DREAMS (1997) (5')

Mixed Chorus

  • SPRING FESTIVAL (1999) (5')
  • SPRING IN DRESDEN, Concerto for Violin Orchestra (2005) (14')

2(Picc)222, 4231, Hp, T, P(2), Violin Solo, Str

  • SPROUT (Budding / Meng) (1986) (7')

String Orchestra

  • STRING QUARTET (1982) (3 mvts, 23')

Vn(2), Va, Vc

  • SUITE (1991) (3 mvts, 12')

Traditional Chinese Instrumental Ensemble

  • SUITE FOR CELLO & CHEMBER WINDS (2004) (4 mvt, 20')

1111 1110 P, Cello (Adapted from SOUND OF THE FIVE)

  • SUITE FROM CHINA WEST (2007) (4 mvts, 10')

Wind Symphony

  • SYMPHONY No. 1 (1986) (23')

3(Picc)2(EH)3(Bcl)2 4331 T, P(4), Str

  • SYMPHONY No. 2 (1993) (18')

33(EH)3(Bcl)3(Cbsn) 4331 Hp, T, P(3), Str

  • SYMPHONY No. 3 (2004) (3 mvts. 23')

33(EH)3(Bcl)3(Cbsn) 4331 Hp, T, P(3), Str

  • TANG POEMS for Male Choir (1995) (4 songs, 12')

Male Choir / Mixed Choir

  • TANG POEMS CANTATA (1995) (4 mvts, 15')

Mixed Chorus (SATB) and Chamber Orchestra (1111 1110 Pn T, Perc. Str.)

  • THREE BAGATELLES FROM CHINA WEST (2006) (3 mvts, 10')

Flute and Piano, or 2 Flutes, or Guanzi and Sheng

  • THREE POEMS FROM THE SONG DYNASTY (1985) (3 songs, 14')

Mixed Chorus

  • TIBETAN TUNES (2007) (2 mvts, 10')

Violin, Cello and Piano

  • TIDE, THE (1988) (10')

Traditional Chinese Instrumental Ensemble

  • TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM (2001) (3 mvts. 10')

Mixed Chorus Soprano and Mezzo-soprano(2002)

  • TU (2002) (13')
  • TWO CHINESE FOLK SONGS for Mixed Chorus (2003) (6')
    • A HORSEHERD'S MOUNTAIN SONG [312-41832]
    • A SINGLE BAMBOO CAN EASILY BEND [312-41833]
  • TWO SETS OF WIND & PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS (1986) (10')
  • WEST LAKE, THE (2003) (5')

Mixed Chorus

  • WOODWIND QUINTET (1987) (9')
  • WU YU (2002) (2 mvts. 14')

Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon, Violin, Cello, Percussion Alt. version for Fl, Ob, Cl, Vln, Vla, VC and CB

  • Viola Concerto "XIAN SHI" (1983) (14')

Va Solo, 2(Picc)222 4320 T, P(2), Str

  • XIE ZI for 2 Di, Sheng, Liuqin, Zheng, Sanxian (1985) (5')
  • XUAN (2001) (3')

Mixed Chorus

  • YANGKO (2005) (5')

Violin, 2 Percussionists (Adapted from the 2nd Mvt of Chinese Folk Dance Suite)

  • YU DIAO (1985) (2')

Piano Solo for children

[edit] Discography

www.bis.se Momentum/Chinese Folk Dance Suite/Dunhuang Fantasy/Romance and Dance/Tu Singapore Symphony/Lan Shui, Momentum, BIS-CD-1352, released 7/2003, http://www.eclassical.com/eclassic/eclassical?&composer_id=280&page=find_by_composer_list

Chinese Myths Cantata/Duo Ye No. 2/Ge Xu (Antiphony)/Symphony No. 2 The Women's Philharmonic, Chanticleer/JoAnn Falletta, "The Music of Chen Yi," New Albion, NA 090, 2/1/1997. http://newalbion.com/NA090/

Sparkle/As in a Dream/Qi/Duo Ye/Shuo/Song in Winter/Near Distance Music From China, New Music Consort, etc. 2/16/99, CRI eXchange CD804 Reissued on New World/CRI Recordings [NWCR804] in Feb. 07 http://www.newworldrecords.org/album.cgi?rm=view&album_id=17584 Qi for mixed quartet http://artofthestates.org/cgi-bin/search.pl?sterm=chen+yi&x=9&y=6

Percussion Concerto, Oriental Landscapes, Evelyn Glennie & Singapore Symphony Orchestra, cond. Lan Shui, Label: BIS [CD-1222], 2002.

Eleanor’s Gift for cello and orchestra, Paul Tobias & Virginia Symphony/JoAnn Falletta. Label: Albany, released on 4/1/04, The American Cello, Troy 648.

Koch International Classics The Golden Flute for flute and orchestra, Alexa Still & New Zealand Symphony / James Sedares. Label: Koch International Classics, 9/21/2004, KIC 7566.

Bis Duo Ye for chamber orchestra, Singapore Symphony/Lan Shui. Label: Bis, released in Feb. 04, Dances of Our Time, CD-1192 [EAN 7318590011928]

Teldec Written on a Rainy Night, Wild Grass (from Tang Poems) (1999 Grammy Award) Vocal ensemble Chanticleer, in "Colors of Love". Teldec [3984-24570-2], 5/18/99

Teldec Wild Grass, from Tang Poems, Chanticleer, A Portrait, Teldec, 0927-49702-2, 2003.

Boosey & Hawkes Baban for piano solo, The Carnegie Hall Millennium Piano Book, Boosey & Hawkes, by Ursula Opens on CD [ISMN M-051-246174-5].

Spring Festival for middle school wind ensemble, CD-ROM <www.bandquest.org/> University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, American Composers Forum, HL04001978.

Atma Ge Xu for orchestra, Women Write Music, Foundation Philharmonic/David Snell, ACD 22199. Label: Atma, Harmonia Mundi, 6/8/99

Duo Ye No. 2 for full orchestra, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Cond. Tsung Yeh, Label: Hugo, HongKong. June, 2000 [HRP7204-2], www.hugocd.com.

Teldec A Set Of Chinese Folk Songs (Fengyang Song, Jasmin Flower, Dui Dui Deng) Arirang, Sakura, "Wondrous Love, A World Folk Song Collection", Chanticleer , Teldec, 16676-2, 1997

The Points for pipa solo Nimbus Chinese Traditional & Contemporary Pipa Music/Wu Man, Nimbus NI 7043/4, 1/1/00

Duo Ye for pipa solo Avant Min Xiao-Fen with Six Composers, Avant AVAN 021, released: Japan, 7/1/1998

Cala The Points, Min Xiaofen, pipa, Cala Records Ltd., (CACD 0504), UK, 1995. (800) 879-2252 or (518) 783-9079

Nimbus Dian (The Points), Wu Man, pipa, Nimbus Records (NI 5368), UK, 1993. PO Box 7746, Charlottesville, VA 22906-7746

Duo Ye, Shi Shucheng, piano, China Record Corporation (CCD90 088), Guangzhou, 1990. Available through Chinese Books & Gallery of the Oriental Culture Enterprises Co., Inc., 13-17 Elizabeth Street, 2/F, NYC 10013. (212) 226-8461.

As In A Dream, Chen Hongyu, soprano; Vera Hsu, violin; Ted Mook, cello. China Record Corporation (CCD-94/388), Beijing, 1994.

The Palm Tree, Central Philharmonic Society Chorale/Yan Liangkun. Pacific Audio-Video Corporation (P-2318), Guangzhou, 1989.

Duo Ye/Xian Shi /Symphony No. 1/Sprout//Two Sets Of Wind And Percussion Instruments, Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China/En Shao, Lan Shui. China Record Corporation (AL-57), Beijing, 1986.

Momentum for full orchestra, 1999 Contemporary Chinese Composers Retrospective Concerts, Taiwan Symphony Orchestra/David Chen, 2000 [026189890046],

Angel Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in for 2 violins and string orchestra, Compassion, A Tribute to Sir Yehudi Menuhin/Ulf Hoelscher & Nachum Erlich, violins, and Karlsruhe Ensemble/Andreas Weiss Cond. - 6/01, Angel [7243 5 57179 24] London,

Chinese Poems: Picking the Seedpods of the Lotus, The Cataract of Mount Lu, Crossroads, San Francisco Girls Chorus / Sharon J. Paul, Cond. 11/2000, SFGC 0001,

Romance of the Hsiao and Ch’in for 2 violins and string orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra / Barbara Day Turner, 12/1/97 BMS SJCO1.

Riding on a Mule, Jasmine Flower, Alishan Song (arr. from A Set of Chinese Folk Songs), The Palm Tree (from Three Song Dynasty Poems) Asian Choral Works I, Singapore Youth Choir / Jennifer Tham, 2000, Singapore.

Guessing, Riding on a Mule, Song of Alishan (arr. from A Set of Chinese Folk Songs)，A Cappella Chinese Folksongs, Shanghai Philharmonic Chorus / Lim Yau, 1997, International Music Management Pte Ltd. Singapore

Feng Yang Song, Mayila (arr. from A Set of Chinese Folk Songs)，On The Wings of Song, Johor Bahru Chamber Choir, 12/2000, JBCC 2000, Malaysia,

As in a Dream for soprano, violin & cello, by Continuum at the International Festival of Contemporary Music on the CD Ilkhom-XX, Selected performances of 2002, Uzbekistan, released in '03, by Carol Meyer, Renee Jolles and Kristina Reiko Cooper.

琵琶独奏《点》（蒋婷演奏）The Spirit of Calligraphy for pipa (The Points)，Jiang Ting, "Voice of the Pipa". M.A.Recordings, ASIN: B0009IB29,6/10/03,www.marecordings.com 小提琴独奏《琴箫引和剑舞》（何东演奏）Romance and Dance for vln and pn, by Ho Dong, "Resonance of the Violin III", Guangzhou, China　[ISRCCN-A65-02-562-00/A-J6]

Centaur Duo Ye for piano solo, performed by Li Fan in Chinese Piano Music, on Centaur, released on 7/13/3004, CRC 2652

Delos The Points for pipa solo by Huaxia Contemporary Music Chinese Chamber Ensemble, Chen Yi-Han. Delos, released on 8/24/2004, Delos 3299.

Qi for chamber ensemble, featured on the CD in celebration of Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble Thirty Years of Adventure (1975-2005), released in Dec. 2004, Boston, MA.

Cavalli Orient and Occident (adapted from Song in Winter) for soprano, guzheng & piano, text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), by Ensemble Roter Phienix <www.roterphoenix.de.tf>), released on Cavalli Records [LC05724] in 2004

Eroica

Shuo for string orchestra, performed by Manchester Festival String Orchestra, Music of the 20th & 21st Centuries, on Eroica, April, 2005 released.

小提琴协奏曲《中国民族舞组曲》（美国保陵格林爱乐交响乐团） 美国 Albany 唱片公司 Chinese Folk Dance Suite, included in New Music from Bowling Green Vol. IV, Bowling Green Philharmonic/ Emily Freeman Brown/ Penny Thompson Kruse (solo), released on May 1, 2005, on Albany Records, Troy 743.

混声合唱《西湖》（美国芝加哥无伴奏合唱团）美国 Centaur 唱片公司 The West Lake, Eclectric/Chicago a cappella, on Centaur [CRC 2752], May, 05.

钢琴独奏《八板》，《多耶》（林绚加演奏） Ba Ban and Duo Ye for piano solo ABW Classics [ABW1001] in 2005, Amy Lin Interprets Contemporary Piano Works.

钢琴独奏《唱山歌》（塔莉亚．迈也尔演奏）英国 Usk 唱片公司 Singing in the Mountain for piano solo, by Thalia Myers, Spectrum 4 – 66 miniatures for solo piano, an international collection, Usk Recordings [USK 1227CDD], ABRSM Publishing [LC 14240], 2005.

混声合唱《玛依拉》，《凤阳歌》（美国犹他州大学合唱团） Mayila and Fengyang Song from A Set of Chinese Folksongs, by University of Utah Singers [UUS-003] 2005.

混声合唱《 茉莉花》（美国俄亥俄州海德堡学院合唱团） Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower) from A Set of Chinese Folk Songs, by The Heidelberg College Chamber Singers, Cond. by Grant W. Cook III, Spring Tour 2006, Soundwaves Recording, Huron, OH, 2006 www.soundwaves.org.

琵琶独奏《点》（田军琵琶独奏专辑）中国文联音像出版社 Point for pipa solo，Pipa Solo Special Collection of Tianjun, China Wenlian Recording Press [ISRC CN-A49-04-314-00/A.J6].

The Points for pipa solo, Lan Weiwei Contemporary Pipa Music Lecture Recital, VCD, CCOM, Beiing Universal Music Video & Audio Publishing Company, Tiantian Arts [ISRC CN-A64-02-550-00/V.J7] Capstone Ji-Dong-Nuo for piano solo, performed by Jane Solose, included in her solo album Array, on Capstone Records [CPS-8766], 2006.

As in a Dream, two songs for soprano, violin and cello, performed by Judith Kellock, Sham Guibbory & Madeleine Shapiro in the CD East Meets West on Albany [Troy 885], 06.

Spring Festival for middle school wind ensemble, CD-ROM with score & parts <www.bandquest.org/> University of Minnesota Wind Ensemble, American Composers Forum, HL04001978.

Fisherman’s Song, Romance and Dance, Xu Ke (erhu), Wind and Rhythm, XUA Records [XUADV-8002], 2006.

At the Kansas City Chinese New Year Concert for string quartet, performed by Ying Quartet, in the CD United States: LifeMusic2, on Quartz [QTZ2055], Feb. 2007。

[edit] External links

  • [1] 作曲家陈怡的音乐 Chen Yi from the Theodore Presser site
  • [2] 陈怡访谈 interview Chen Yi from the New Music Connoisseur site
  • [3] 陈怡与周龙 Chen Yi and Zhou Long in conversation with Frank J. Oteri, April 19, 2006 and May 7, 2006 (includes video)
  • [4] 作曲家陈怡 Chen Yi page from The Living Composers Project site
  • [5] 美国纽约长风中乐团 Music From China site
  • [6] Art of the States: Chen Yi -- two works by the composer
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