TT he Living Composers Project  

Chan Wing-wah (b. 1954, Hong Kong). Chinese composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in Asia and elsewhere; he is also active as a conductor.

Prof. Chan earned a teaching certificate at the Hong Kong Institute of Education in 1974 and a music specialist diploma there in 1975. He then studied composition with David Gwilt at the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 1975-79, where he earned his BA, and received the FTCL of the Trinity College of Music in London in 1979. He studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto from 1980-85 and there earned his MMus and DMus, on the British Commonwealth Scholarship. In addition, he attended Darmstadt in 1986, on a grant from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.

His foreign honors include First Prize in the competition of the International Double Reed Society in Florida (1981, for Autumn) and the Yoshiro Irino Memorial Award from the Asian Composers League (1988, for Transit). His local honors include the Composer of the Year Award from the Hong Kong Artists' Guild (1991) and the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award from the Hong Kong Junior Chamber of Commerce (1992). His music has been performed in Canada, China, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, the UK, and the USA.

Prof. Chan is also active in other positions. He has served as chairman of the Hong Kong Composers' Guild since 1993, the Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund since 1996, the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong since 2001, and the Artistic Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002. Moreover, he has served as chairman of the Arts Promotion Committee of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council since 2001, a council member of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra since 2001 and artistic advisor to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department since 2001. He also served as the first composer-in-residence to the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994-96, a member of the Executive Committee of ISCM from 1997-2001 and vice-president of the Asian Composers League from 1997-2002.

As a conductor, he has conducted numerous choruses and orchestras, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, with which he has led performances of his own music. He has served as music director of the Hong Kong Oratorio Society since 1995.

He has lectured on music at the Chinese University of Hong Kong since 1986, where he was Reader in Music from 1996-2001 and has been Professor of Music since 2001. He has also served as chair of its Department of Music since 1992 and as associate dean of its Faculty of Arts since 1998.

In addition to the works listed below, Prof. Chan has composed numerous anthems, children's songs, film scores, hymns, and school songs.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: wingwahchan@cuhk.edu.hk

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

STAGE: The Strangers (ballet, choreography by Helen Lai), large orchestra, 1993 (also version for piano, 1993)

ORCHESTRAL: Symphony No. 1, large orchestra, 1979; Symphony No. 2, 2 pipa, large orchestra, 1981; Celebration, large orchestra, 1984; Symphony No. 3, double orchestra, 1985; Expose, large orchestra, 1987; Transit, large orchestra, 1988; Festival Overture, Chinese orchestra, 1989; Flying Clouds, Chinese orchestra, 1990; Morning Sun, large orchestra, 1990; Rejoice in Peace, Chinese orchestra, 1993; Elevation, organ, large orchestra, 1994; Symphony No. 5, double orchestra, 1995; Symphony No. 6, 'Reunification', large orchestra, 1996; Overture – The Sea of Stars, organ, large orchestra, 1998; Moon over Mountain Pass, large orchestra, 1998; God of Protection, Chinese orchestra, 2002; Moon over Bounteous Land, Chinese orchestra, 2002; Symphony No. 7, 'The Great Wall', Chinese orchestra, 2004

CHAMBER MUSIC: Scherzo, viola, piano, 1978; Quintet, flute, oboe, violin, viola, cello, 1980; Autumn, flute, oboe, guitar, viola, 1980; Mo Shan Qi, pipa, 1980; Circle, flute, trombone, pipa, violin, percussion, 1981; Trio, zheng (Chinese zither)/harpsichord, violin, cello, 1982; Blossoms, flute, clarinet, violin (+ viola), cello, piano (+ harpsichord), percussion, 1983; Focus, flute, bassoon, piano, 1986; Divertimento, bassoon, piano, 1987; Continuity, violin, cello, piano, 1989; Merge, string quartet, 1990; Impact, 4 percussion, 1995; Encounter, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 2 violins, 2 celli, piano, 1996; Et in terra pax, oboe, pipa, viola, cello, 1999; Shi Huai – Releasing the Mind, di zi (Chinese bamboo flute), sheng (Chinese mouth organ), yangqin (plucked Chinese instrument), 1999; Dragon Spirit, 2 violins, 2000; Summer Day, oboe, viola, cello, 2000; Distant Hill, string quartet, 2000; Spark, pipa, string quartet, 2002; Over Ten Thousand Mountains, di zi, sheng, zheng, erhu, 2002; Love is Beyond Words II, violin, piano, 2003; Eternal Love, string quartet, 2003; Fires of Love, cello, 2003; The Paths of Love, string quartet, 2003; Moon Dance, violin, 2004

CHORAL: Nunc Dimittis, mixed chorus, 1980; Concertino (text from the Li Chi – Book of Rites), female chorus, piano, small orchestra (2 flutes [2nd + alto flute], trombone, celesta, 3 percussion, 16 strings), 1983; Big Little World (text by Leung Bo-wah), children's chorus, 1986; Looking Afar (text by Sonia Ng), mixed chorus, 1987; Musica (text by the composer), children's/female chorus, 1989; Peace to the Planets (text by the composer), children's/female chorus, 1990; I Love to Sing My Song (text by Simon Chow), children's chorus, piano, 1991; Symphony No. 4, 'Te Deum', soprano, tenor, mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1992; Love Song/Reminiscence, mixed chorus, piano, 1993 (version of vocal work); Nine Regions Sing as One (text by Rupert Chan), tenor, mixed chorus, piano, 1997; Reviving Arts and Culture (text by Rupert Chan), mixed chorus, piano, 1998; Tu es Petrus (text from the Book of Matthew), mixed chorus, orchestra, 2002 (also version for mixed chorus, organ, 2002); The Lord is My Shepherd (text by W.S. Passmore, after Psalm 23), mixed chorus, orchestra, 2002 (also version for mixed chorus, organ, 2002); Season of Love (text by Rupert Chan), mixed chorus, piano/organ, 2003

VOCAL: Pater Noster, soprano, piano, 1979; Love Song/Reminiscence (text by Sonia Ng), soprano, piano, 1993 (also version for mixed chorus, piano); Canterbury Bell (text by Sonia Ng), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1995

PIANO: Qing Shang Bian – Variations on the Qing Shang Mode, 1982; Impressions, 2 pianos, 1987; Timer, 1987; Love is Beyond Words I, 2003

DIDACTIC MUSIC: Three Piano Pieces for Children, 1989

ARRANGEMENTS: Yu Mei Ren (Chinese folksong), soprano, piano, 1978 (also version for mixed chorus, 1989); Ten Sisters (Chinese folksong), mixed chorus, piano, 1985 (also version for mixed chorus, di zi, pipa, yangqin, erhu, 1994); Moonlight Lullaby (Chinese folksong), mixed chorus, piano, 1985 (also version for mixed chorus, Chinese orchestra, 1985); Ma-Yi-La (Chinese folksong), mixed chorus, Chinese orchestra, 1994; White Jasmine (Chinese folksong), mixed chorus, di zi, pipa, yangqin, erhu, 1994

(Last updated on August 2, 2004)
Chan Wing-wah, Chan Wingwah, Wing-wah Chan, Wingwah Chan