Chen Yi Chen Yi

Chen Yi (simplified Chinese: 陈怡; traditional Chinese: 陳怡; pinyin: Chén Yí) (born April 4, 1953) is a Chinese violinistand 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. Yi was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition Si Ji (Four Seasons). In 2012, she was awarded the Brock Commission from the American Choral Directors Association.

Early life

Chen was born and raised in Guangzhou, China into a talented family. Her parents were doctors and musicians; her mother played the piano, and her father was a violinist. Her older sister was a child prodigy, and both she and their younger brother continue to work as professional musicians in China.

Chen began studying piano at the age of three, heavily influenced by the music of Western composers such as Bach and Mozart. However, once the Cultural Revolution began in 1966, Western attitudes were severely shunned and arts were opposed. 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 sent away, but she managed to stay in her hometown a while longer and continued to practice music, although she was forced to stuff a blanket inside her piano in order to dampen the sound and play her violin with a mute. When she was 15 years old, the family house was searched, all 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 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.

Career

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

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

ORCHESTRAL:

Xian Shi (concerto), viola, orchestra, 1983

Duo Ye No. 1, small orchestra (flute, oboe, E-flat clarinet, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, timpani, strings), 1985 (version of work for piano)

Sprout, string orchestra, 1986 (also version for string quartet)

Two Sets of Wind and Percussion Instruments, small orchestra (piccolo, bass clarinet, 15 brass, timpani, 6 percussion), 1986

Symphony No. 1, large orchestra, 1986

Duo Ye No. 2, 1987

Overture No. 1, orchestra of instruments from China, 1989

Overture No. 2, orchestra of instruments from China, 1990

Concerto, piano, large orchestra, 1992

Pipa Rhyme, pipa (lute from China), small orchestra (14 players), 1993

Symphony No. 2, large orchestra, 1993

The Linear, large orchestra, 1994

Ge Xu – Antiphony, 1994

Shuo, string orchestra, 1994 (also version for string quartet)

Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in, 2 violins, string orchestra, 1995 (also versions for erhu [violin from China], piano; cello, piano; violin, piano; also incorporated into Romance and Dance)

The Golden Flute (concerto), flute, orchestra, 1997

Fiddle Suite, huqin (family of spike fiddles from China), string orchestra, 1997 (also versions for huqin, string quartet; huqin, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass; huqin, orchestra, 2000; huqin, orchestra of instruments from China, 2008)

Romance and Dance, 2 violins, string orchestra, 1998 (incorporates Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in; also version for violin, piano)

Concerto, percussion, large orchestra, 1998

Momentum, large orchestra, 1998

Eleanor's Gift (concerto), cello, orchestra, 1998, revised 1999

Spring Festival, symphonic band, 1999

Chinese Folk Dance Suite, violin, orchestra, 2000 (also version of second movement as Yangko, violin, 2 percussion)

Ba Yin, 4 saxophones, string orchestra, 2001

Tu, large orchestra, 2002 (also version for symphonic band, 2003)

Caramoor's Summer, 2003

Ballad, Dance and Fantasy, cello, large orchestra, 2003

Symphony No. 3, large orchestra, 2003–04

Celebration, 2005

Si Ji – The Four Seasons, large orchestra, 2005

Spring in Dresden, violin, orchestra/large orchestra (8 winds, 10 brass, harp, 3 percussion, strings), 2005

The Ancient Beauty, dizi (transverse flute from China) (+ xun [clay flute from China]), pipa, zheng [zither from China], erhu, string orchestra, 2006

Suite from China West, symphonic band, 2007

The Ancient Chinese Beauty, recorders (1 player), string orchestra, 2008

Concerto for Reeds, sheng (mouth organ from China), oboe, small orchestra/orchestra (5 winds, French horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, strings), 2008

Overture, youth orchestra, 2008

Prospect Overture, large orchestra, 2008

Rhyme of Fire (original title Olympic Fire), large orchestra, 2008

Prelude and Fugue, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, piano, percussion, strings), 2009

UMKC Fanfare, symphonic band, 2009

Symphony No. 4, 'Humen 1839', large orchestra, 2009

Dragon Rhyme, symphonic band, 2010

Mount a Long Wind, large orchestra, 2010

Wind, symphonic band, 2010

Jing Diao, large orchestra, 2011

Fountains of KC, large orchestra, 2011

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Fisherman Song, violin, piano, 1980

Xie Zi, sheng, 2 dizi, liuqin (mandolin from China), sanxian (lute from China), zheng, 1985

Woodwind Quintet No. 1, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1987

Near Distance, flute (+ alto flute), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1988

The Tide, xun, pipa, yangqin (hammered dulcimer from China), zheng, gaohu (spike fiddle from China), erhu, percussion, 1988

Dian, pipa, 1991

Suite, dizi, pipa, sanxian, yangqin, erhu, 1991

Sparkle, flute (+ piccolo), clarinet (+ E-flat clarinet), violin, cello, double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 1992

Monologue (Impressions on 'The True Story of Ah Q'), clarinet, 1993

Song in Winter, dizi, zheng, harpsichord, 1993 (also version for flute, zheng, piano, percussion, 1993)

Shuo, string quartet, 1994 (version of work for string quartet)

Duo Ye No. 1, pipa, 1995 (version of work for piano)

Qi, flute, cello, piano, percussion, 1996–97

Fiddle Suite, huqin, string quartet, 1997 (version of orchestral work; also version for huqin, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1997)

Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in, erhu, piano, 1997 (version of work for 2 violins, string orchestra; also versions for cello, piano, 1998; violin, piano, 1999)

Sound of the Five, cello, string quartet, 1998 (also version for marimba, string quartet, 2004)

Feng (Woodwind Quintet No. 2), flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 1998

Dunhuang Fantasy (concerto), organ, ensemble (flute, oboe, E-flat clarinet, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion), 1999

Romance and Dance, violin, piano, 1999 (version of work for 2 violins, string orchestra)

Song of the Great Wall, 8 French horns, 1999

Ning, pipa, violin, cello, 2001

Joy of Reunion, oboe, viola, cello, double bass, 2001

...as like a raging fire..., flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2001–02

Wu Yu, flute, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), bassoon, violin, cello, percussion, 2001–02 (also version for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, double bass, 2001–02)

At the Kansas City Chinese New Year Concert, string quartet, 2002 (one section may be performed separately: Blue Dragon Sword Dance)

Chinese Fables, pipa, erhu, cello, percussion, 2002

Burning, string quartet, 2002

Chinese Ancient Dances, clarinet, piano, 2004

Night Thoughts, flute, cello, piano, 2004

Happy Rain on a Spring Night, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2004

Suite for Cello and Chamber Winds, cello, ensemble (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion), 2004

Ancient Dances (after Li Bai), pipa, percussion, 2005

Yangko, violin, 2 percussion, 2005 (version of second movement of Chinese Folk Dance Suite)

The Han Figurines, clarinet, tenor saxophone, violin, double bass, piano, percussion, 2006

Three Bagatelles from China West, flute, piano, 2006 (also versions for 2 flutes, 2006; sheng, guan [oboe from China], 2006)

Tibetan Tunes, violin, cello, piano, 2007

Tunes from My Home, violin, cello, piano, 2007

Septet, 4 saxophones, pipa, erhu, percussion, 2008

Woodwind Quintet No. 3, flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon, 2008

From the Old Peking Folklore, violin, piano, 2009

Jing Marimba, marimba, 2009

Memory, violin, 2010

China West Suite, piano, percussion (version of work for 2 pianos)

Sprout, string quartet (version of work for string orchestra)

CHORAL:

Three Poems from the Song Dynasty (texts by Li Qingzhao, Xin Qiji, Su Shi), mixed chorus, 1985

Tang Poems (cantata, texts by Li Bai, Li Shangyin, Bai Juyi, Chen Zi'ang), male chorus, 1995 (also version for mixed chorus, small orchestra, 1995)

Written on a Rainy Night, male chorus, c. 1995 (also version for mixed chorus, c. 1995)

Chinese Myths Cantata (vocalise), 12 male voices, pipa, yangqin, zheng, erhu, 4 pianos, orchestra, 1996

Spring Dreams (text by Meng Haoran), mixed chorus, 1997

Chinese Poems (texts by Wang Zhihuan, Li Bai, 2 folk poems), 6 children's voices, 1999

KC Capriccio (vocalise), mixed chorus, symphonic band, 2000 (also version of one section as Capriccio, mixed chorus, organ, percussion, 2001)

Xuan (text by Laozi), mixed chorus, 2001

Know You How Many Petals Falling (text by Meng Haoran [English translation]), mixed chorus, 2001

To the New Millennium (texts by Du Fu, Wang Wei, Cao Cao), soprano, mezzo-soprano, mixed chorus, 2001

Landscape (text by Su Shi), mixed chorus, 2003

The West Lake (text by Su Shi), mixed chorus, 2003

A Horseherd's Mountain Song, mixed chorus, 2003

A Single Bamboo Can Easily Bend, mixed chorus, 2003

Looking at the Sea, female chorus, 2006

From the Path of Beauty, mixed chorus, string quartet, 2008 (one section may be performed separately: The Bronze Taotie, mixed chorus)

Angel Island Passages, children's chorus, string quartet, 2010

Spring Rain, mixed chorus, 2010

With Flowers Blooming, female chorus, 2010

Distance can't keep us two apart, mixed chorus, 2011

Early Spring, mixed chorus, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2011

VOCAL:

As in a Dream (text by Li Qingzhao), soprano, pipa, zheng, 1988 (also version for soprano, violin, cello, 1988)

Meditation (texts by Meng Haoran, Chen Zi'ang), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1999

Bright Moonlight (text by the composer), mezzo-soprano, piano, 2001

PIANO:

Variations on 'Awariguli', 1978

Duo Ye No. 1, 1984 (also versions for small orchestra; pipa)

Yu Diao, 1985

Guessing, 1989

Small Beijing Gong, 1993

Ba Ban, 1999

Ji-Dong-Nuo, 2005

China West Suite, 2 pianos (also version for piano, percussion)

Singing in the Mountain

ARRANGEMENTS:

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (folksongs from China), male chorus, 1994 (also versions for children's chorus, string orchestra, 1994; children's chorus, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 1994; mixed chorus, piano, 1994; mixed chorus, 1994)

Sakura, Sakura (folksong from Japan), male chorus, 1994

Arirang (folksong from the Koreas), male chorus, 1994

Singin' in the Dark (Songs of the American Frontier) (folksongs from the USA), mixed chorus, orchestra, 1995 (collaboration with Alice Parker)

Lament of the Twin Stars (folksongs from Guangdong), male chorus, 1996

Chinese Mountain Songs (folksongs from China), female chorus, 2001

Shady Grove (folksong from the USA), mixed chorus, 2001

Two Chinese Folksongs (folksongs from China), mixed chorus, 2003

Two Chinese Folksongs (folksongs from China), mixed chorus, 2008 (collaboration with Steven Stucky)

DISCOGRAPHY

Duo Ye No. 1 (version for small orchestra); Xian Shi; Symphony No. 1; Sprout (original version); Two Sets of Wind and Percussion Instruments. Liu Li-zhou, viola; Shao En, Shui Lan/Central Philharmonic Orchestra (China Record Corporation: AL-57, 1986)

The Palm Tree from Three Poems from the Song Dynasty. Yan Liangkun/Central Philharmonic Society Chorale (Pacific Audio-Video Corporation: P-2318, 1989)

Duo Ye No. 1 (original version). Shi Shucheng, piano (China Record Corporation: CCD-90 088, 1990)

Dian. Wu Man, pipa (Nimbus Records: NI 5368, 1993)

As in a Dream (version for soprano, violin, cello). Chen Hongyu, soprano; Vera Hsu, violin; Ted Mook, cello (China Record Corporation: CCD-94/388, 1994)

Dian. Min Xiaofen, pipa (Cala Records: CACD 0504, 1995)

Qin Tomb of the Middle Kingdom (music for computer game). (Warner Brothers, 1996) (CD-ROM)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (original version); Arirang; Sakura, Sakura. Chanticleer (Teldec: 16676-2, 1997)

Chinese Myths Cantata; Duo Ye No. 2; Ge Xu; Symphony No. 2. Chanticleer; Music from China; JoAnn Falletta/Women's Philharmonic (New Albion Records: NA 090, 1997)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (version for mixed chorus; excerpts). Lim Yau/Shanghai Philharmonic Choir (International Music Management, 1997)

Duo Ye No. 1 (version for pipa). Min Xiaofen, pipa (Avant: AVAN 021, 1998)

Sparkle; As in a Dream (original version); Qi; Duo Ye No. 1 (version for pipa); Shuo (version for string quartet); Song in Winter (original version); Near Distance. Yang Yi, dizi; Min Xiaofen, pipa; Wei Lai-gen, zheng; Joyce Lindorff, harpsichord; Manhattan String Quartet; Music from China; New Music Consort; New York New Music Ensmble (Composers Recordings, Inc.: CRI 804, 1999)

Tang Poems (original version; excerpts); Written on a Rainy Night (original version). Chanticleer (Teldec: 3984-24570-2, 1999)

Ge Xu. David Snell/Foundation Philharmonic (Atma Classique: ACD 2199, 1999)

Dian. Wu Man, pipa (Nimbus Records: NI 7043/44, 2000)

Ba Ban. Ursula Oppens, piano (Boosey & Hawkes: ISMN M-051-246174-5, 2000)

Duo Ye No. 2. Yeh Tsung/Hong Kong Sinfonietta (Hugo Productions: HRP 7204, 2000)

Momentum. David Chen/National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Recordings: 026189890046, 2000)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (version for mixed chorus; excerpts); The Palm Tree from Three Poems from the Song Dynasty. Jennifer Tham/Singapore Youth Choir (Singapore Youth Choir, 2000)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (version for mixed chorus; excerpts). Johor Bahru Chamber Choir (Johor Bahru Chamber Choir Recordings: JBCC 2000, 2000)

Spring Festival. (BandQuest, 2000) (CD-ROM)

Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in (original version). Nachum Erlich, Ulf Hoelscher, violins; Andreas Weiss/Karlsruhe Ensemble (Angel: 7243 5 57179 24, 2001)

Duo Ye No. 1 (version for small orchestra). Shui Lan/Singapore Symphony Orchestra (BIS Records: BIS-CD-1192, 2001)

Concerto (percussion). Dame Evelyn Glennie, percussion; Shui Lan/Singapore Symphony Orchestra (BIS Records: BIS-CD-1222, 2002)

As in a Dream (version for soprano, violin, cello). Continuum (Ilkhom-XX/Open Society Institute Uzbekistan/British Council, 2003)

Wild Grass from Tang Poems (original version). Chanticleer (Teldec: 0927-49702-2, 2003)

Dian. Jiang Ting, pipa (M. A. Recordings: M061A, 2003)

Momentum; Chinese Folk Dance Suite; Dunhuang Fantasy; Romance and Dance (original version); Tu (original version). Yi-Jia Susanne Hou, Cho-Liang Lin, violins; Kimberly Marshall, organ; Shui Lan/Singapore Symphony Orchestra (BIS Records: BIS-CD-1352, 2003)

Romance and Dance (version for violin, piano). Ho Dong, violin; Brenda Tom, piano (ISRC: CN A65-02-562-00/A-J6, 2003)

Qi. Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble (Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble, 2005)

Duo Ye No. 1 (original version); Ba Ban. Amy Lin, piano (ABW Classics: ABW 1001)

Eleanor's Gift. Paul Tobias, cello; JoAnn Falletta/Virginia Symphony Orchestra (Albany Records: TROY 648)

Chinese Folk Dance Suite. Penny Thompson Kruse, violin; Emily Freeman Brown/Bowling Green Philharmonia (Albany Records: TROY 743)

As in a Dream (version for soprano, violin, cello). Judith Kellock, soprano (Albany Records: TROY 885)

Qi. J. Karla Lemon/Empyrean Ensemble (Albany Records: TROY 1064–65)

Jing Marimba. Gordon Stout, marimba (Bridge Records: BRIDGE 9311A/B)

Ji-Dong-Nuo. Jane Solose, piano (Capstone Records: CPS-8766)

Song in Winter (version for flute, zheng, piano, percussion). Ensemble Roter Phoenix (Cavalli Records: LC05724)

China West Suite (original version). Dennis Russell Davies, Maki Namekawa, pianos (Cavi-Music: B000ZLNM6S)

Duo Ye No. 1 (original version). Li Fan, piano (Centaur Records: CRC 2652)

The West Lake. Chicago A Cappella (Centaur Records: CRC 2752)

Monologue (Impressions on 'The True Story of Ah Q'). Gregory Oakes, clarinet (Centaur Records: CRC 3038)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (version for mixed chorus, piano; excerpts). Yan Liangkun/China Central Chorus (China Central Chorus)

Dian. Chen Yi-Han, pipa (Delos Productions: DE 3299)

Shuo (original version). Ariel Rudiakov/Manchester Festival String Orchestra (Eroica: JDT 3201)

Septet. Music from China; PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Innova Recordings: 767)

The Golden Flute. Alexa Still, flute; James Sedares/New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (Koch International Classics: KIC-CD-3-7566-2)

China West Suite (version for piano, percussion). Strike (Luminescence Records: LUM002)

Tu (version for symphonic band). Craig Paré/DePauw University Band (Mark Masters: 7871-MCD)

Chinese Poems. All-State Mixed and Women's Chorus (Mark Records: B001LU93CO)

Three Bagatelles from China West (original version). Marya Martin, flute; Colette Valentine, piano (Naxos Records: 8.559629)

Monologue (Impressions on 'The True Story of Ah Q'); Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in (version for cello, piano); Chinese Ancient Dances. Beijing New Music Ensemble (Naxos Records: 8.570604)

...as like a raging fire...; Wu Yu (original version); Night Thoughts. The Azure Ensemble (New World Records: 80683-2)

Sound of the Five (original version); Burning; Sprout (version for string quartet); Happy Rain on a Spring Night; Yangko; Tibetan Tunes. Third Angle New Music Ensemble (New World Records: 80691-2)

The Ancient Chinese Beauty. Michala Petri, recorder; Daniil Grishin/Kremerata Baltica (OUR Recordings: 8.226905)

At the Kansas City Chinese New Year Concert. Ying Quartet (Quartz: QTZ2055)

Chinese Poems. Sharon J. Paul/San Francisco Girls Chorus (San Francisco Girls Chorus Recordings: SFGC 0001)

Romance of Hsiao and Ch'in (original version). Cynthia Baehr, Claudia Bloom, violins; Barbara Day Turner/San Jose Chamber Orchestra (San Jose Chamber Orchestra Recordings: BMS SJC01)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (version for mixed chorus; excerpts). Grant W. Cook III/Heidelberg University Chamber Singers (Soundwaves Recording)

A Set of Chinese Folksongs (original version; excerpts). University of Utah Singers (University of Utah Singers: UUS-003)

Singing in the Mountain. Thalia Myers, piano (Usk Recordings: USK 1227CDD)

Fisherman Song (version by the performer); Romance and Dance (version by the performer). Xu Ke, erhu (XUA Records Japan, Inc.: XUAR-2350)