Prize Presentation Concert
A showcase of new contemporary Chinese chamber music works by the finalist composers of Composium 2021! Composers hailing from all over the world compete for the top prizes in this fourth edition of composition competition. All the 9 finalist compositions will be performed live by Ding Yi Music Company.
This year’s composition competition revolves around two themes – Chinese Festivals and Customs (Category A) and Life Sentiments (Category B1 and B2). Category A encourages composers to develop their own interpretations on festivities such as Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, and more, while Category B1 and B2 represents our composers’ thoughts and reflections on modern life in a pandemic world.
Enter our finalist composers’ inner worlds and hear their refreshing takes on these two themes at Composium 2021 this December. Audiences also get a chance to participate and vote for their favourite works under the Audience Award!
Category A
Category B1
Category B2
Zhou Jia Ying
Title: Twinkling of Bonfire Night
Theme: Chinese Festivals and Customs
Theme: Life Sentiments
Theme: Life Sentiments
Liu Yu Hui
Title: The Rhythm of Lv Opera VI --'New Year Pictures'
Cheng Kuang-Chih
Title: Chilly-Autumn with
Misshapen Beauty Moon
Zhang Yi Meng
Title: Ode on the Spring
Liu Peng
Title: Sitting Together Among the White Clouds
Xie Qin Wei
Title: Memory
Ding Jian Han
Title: Lu (nox)
He Jia Ning
Title: Ocean Breath
Zhang Zhi Liang
Title: Tumbleweed
Masters' Replay Concert
The Masters’ Replay Concert showcases a series of specially curated representative works by Composium 2021’s final round adjudicators, comprising of internationally renowned composers in the Chinese music composition scene. Come experience and hear outstanding works of contemporary Chinese chamber music, performed live on stage by Ding Yi Music Company.
Dance of the Naxi Tribe
Composed by Eric Watson
Composed by Chong Kee Yong
Composed by Wang Jian Min
Promenade
Heart Bridge
Composed by Qin Wen Chen
The Sun Shadow VI
Composed by Chen Yi
Three Dances from China South
Composed by Law Wai Lun
River of Life-Chapter Two : A Prosperous River
Quintet
Quintet
Chinese Chamber Music
Quartet
Chinese Chamber Music
Chinese Chamber Music
Symposiums
Pre-Festival Symposiums (11-12 Dec 2021)
Why Contemporary Chinese Chamber Music Matters?
11 Dec 2021, 4pm - 5pm
Facilitator: Quek Ling Kiong
Panel: Lee Kok Leong, Giam Meng Tuck, Lu Yun, Luo Mai Shuo, Rozie Hoong
Music is often inspired by our experiences, from daily mundane tasks to significant life milestones. One of Composium 2021’s category – Life Sentiments seeks to create new contemporary Chinese chamber music to steer our life in the modern-day as the world grapples and adapts to the new normal. Could these new sounds anchor and help us navigate through life? Come explore why it matters and how we can better appreciate contemporary Chinese chamber music.
What does it takes in interpreting Contemporary Chinese Chamber music?
12 Dec 2021, 4pm-5pm
Facilitator: Quek Ling Kiong
Panel: Fred Chan Hong Wei, Derek Koh, Yvonne Tay, Ng Hsien Han, Chee Jun Sian
Musicians are the bridges between the composer and audience to make a work come alive. As such, the composer’s artistic vision may be compromised without a strong and stable bridge. How can musicians work together with the composer to enhance and perform these contemporary works while maintaining both parties’ individuality and essence?
Festival Symposiums (17-19 Dec 2021)
Composition Competition: Thematic vs Free Writing
17 Dec 2021, 7pm-8pm
Facilitator: Quek Ling Kiong
Panel: Zhuo Jia Ying, Liu Yu Hui, Cheng Kuang-chih, Zhang Yi Meng, Lui Peng, Xie Qin Wen, Ding Jian Han, Zhang Zhi Liang and He Jia Ning
For Composium 2021, Ding Yi introduced two new themes – Chinese Festivals and Customs, as well as Life Sentiments for composers to use as overarching themes for their composition submissions. In this symposium, we invited the finalist composers from this year’s composition competition to debate and discuss on the difference between thematic vs freestyle composition writing. Find out about their creative process and learn how they sought inspiration from the two themes for their composition submissions.
![[JL] Instagram Post (17).png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cd2e1c_f01478a8c8ce4dd1ba96e7b4abd1db64~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_89,y_0,w_903,h_1080/fill/w_196,h_234,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/%5BJL%5D%20Instagram%20Post%20(17).png)
New Vision for Contemporary Chinese Chamber Music
18 Dec 2021, 7pm - 8pm
Facilitator: Phang Kok Jun
Panel: Chen Yi, Wang Jian Min, Qin Wen Chen, Law Wai Lun, Chong Kee Yong
What’s next for Chinese chamber music? When Composium was inaugurated, Chinese chamber music was still a relatively new genre. Aspiring groups like Ding Yi Music Company first worked with reduced orchestra pieces, before realising its limitations and started to commission works. Today, they have a body of commissioned repertoire. But despite the progress, many issues still prevail. For example, the limited instrumentation availability in different ensembles meant that pieces do not travel beyond many other groups. This bodes the question. What’s next for Chinese chamber music? This session taps on the expert panel on the various ways Chinese chamber music can develop and progress further.
Composition Devices of
Chinese vs Western
18 Dec 2021, 4pm-5pm
Facilitator: Phang Kok Jun
Panel: Eric Watson, Dr. Goh Toh Chai, Jon Lin Chua, Alicia De Silva
Writing for Chinese instruments or western instruments? Many composers who write for Chinese instruments initially come from Western music backgrounds: having studied Baroque counterpoint, practised four-part harmony, and even played the quartets of Beethoven. However, this does not mean that they would not then be able to appreciate and subsequently learn to write for a Chinese chamber ensemble. But what techniques should they import from their Western music background? What works, and what doesn’t? How do the instruments work differently? This session explores this topic with examples of effective writing for Chinese chamber music.
Open Rehearsals
