Chung Yiu-Kwong

Chung Yiu-kwong was born in Hong Kong, 1956. He received formal percussion training at the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts and Brooklyn College, City University of New York where he studied percussion with Nicolas D'Amico and Morris Lang. He also studied marimba with Leigh Howard Stevens and Keiko Abe. From 1980 to 1986, he served as the Assistant Principal Percussion at the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

As a composer he was basically self-taught until in 1986 he was awarded the 1st prize at the 13th Percussive Arts Society Composition Competition in USA which enabled him to study composition formally in the Ph.D. program of the Graduate Center, City University of New York with Robert Starer and David Olan. He received his Doctoral of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) degree in percussion in 1991 and Ph.D. degree in composition in 1995 from the Graduate Center, City University of New York. His D.M.A. dissertation Hans Werner Henze's Five Scenes from the Snow Country: An Analysis (available at UMI Dissertation Information Service) was granted the Barry Brook Dissertation Award. Chung is currently a professor of the National Taiwan College of Arts in Taipei teaching composition and percussion.

In 1995, based on structures, orderly sequence, and symbolism of the 64 hexagrams, Chung invented I-Ching Compositional System (ICCS) which integrates fundamental Chinese Yin-yang philosophy into Western contemporary compositional and analytical theories.

In March 2000, The Eternal City for Chinese Orchestra captured the 1st prize of the 21st Century International Composition Competition held by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. His another 1st prize-winning chamber work in 1986, Chariots Ballad for Solo Marimba and 7 Percussionists, quickly entered the repertory, with performances by the Prague Percussion Ensemble and over 50 different percussion ensembles of many leading universities in USA and Japan. Festive Celebration for Wind Orchestra, now published by Musikverlag Johann Kliment KG in Vienna, has been performed by many orchestras throughout the world and is recorded on the 7th and the 8th WASBE Conference CD sets. His two pieces Dance of the Earth and Taiwanese Children Song, performed by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, are recorded on SONY (Taiwan)'s Super Charme Yo-Yo MA Album.

Following Chung's move to Taiwan in 1991, his music began to receive much wider recognition and has been performed throughout the world at many major international festivals such as Prague Spring Festival, ISCM World Music Days, Shanghai Music Festival, Festival of the Asian Composers' League, and WASBE International Band Festival. Numerous recent commissions and collaboration with international renowned artists such as Yo Yo Ma, the Berlin Philharmonic 12 Cellists, and the Elsner String Quartet have confirmed the growing interest in his music throughout the world.

Recent commissioned works in 2000 include: Drumming No. 5 for 6 Percussionists for the Ju Percussion Ensemble (premiered in January 2000); Millennium Lauds for Wind Orchestra for the Taipei County Government; 4 Chinese Arts Songs for the R.O.C. Vocalist Society; Music for Winds and Percussion 21 for the Experimental Chinese Orchestra in Taiwan (premiering on December 31, 2000).

Chung's future important performances include the world premiere of the In A Faraway Garden II for Solo Violin and Orchestra performed by the Mainland Chinese violinist Liu Wei and Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in the Asian Music Week 2000 on August 3rd in Yokohama. His most recent CD releases include a Hugo recording of Under the Red Eaves for Orchestra; a CD of the Experimental Chinese Orchestra performing Mountain Ritual for Sanxian and 4 Cellos; and a Taipei County Government CD of the Fu Jen Catholic University Symphonic Band performing Millennium Lauds for Wind Orchestra.