Introduction to Malaysian Composers
Composers Directory
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Malaysian Composers Directory
Ahmad Muriz Che
Rose
Ahmad
Muriz was one of the four finalists in the Forum For Malaysian
Composers in 2004. HIs work brings together Malay traditional
music and contemporary music in an approachable language. He
currently composes for and directs the Petronas Performing Arts
Group.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, FT
Chin Hong Da
Chin
Hong Da studied flute and composition at Segi College Subang Jaya
under Yii Kah Hoe, and is currently pursuing his music degree
in composition in Texas. Chin's work for flute and piano
Longing
For Home was submitted to
Malaysia's inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 and was awarded Honourable Mention
for its expressiveness and emotional honesty. A highly gifted
flautist, Chin also premiered Inner Voices for Malaysia's first
contemporary music anthology
Faith,
Hope and Chaos released in 2008.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur / Texas, USA
Contact: silent_clouds2002@yahoo.com.tw
Jessica Cho
Jessica
Cho received her Bachelor of Music degree from Middlesex Universtiy,
London, majoring in piano performance and Masters of Music at
University of Sheffield, UK as a research student on composition
and modern piano repertoire.
She also studied composition with Adeline Wong in 2008 and
produced two works, Midnight for flute and Rivulets for flute
and piano, the latter wich was read during the HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 final workshop session. Cho
will represent Malaysia at the ACL Taiwan festival and conference
2011.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur
Website: http://www.jessicacho.co.uk/
Chow Jun yan
Chow
Jun Yan took up the er hu at an early age. He studied composition
at Segi College Subang Jaya, and is currently pursuing a degree
in music composition at Singapore's Yong Siew Toh Conservatory
Of Music. Chow was a finalist in Malaysia's inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 with his haunting
Childhood
for piano and flute.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur / Singapore
Contact:
Chow Jun Yi
Chow
Jun Yi began piano and theory studies at the tender age of 5.
Completing his studies at Yamaha School of Music, Chow is pursuing
his graduate degree at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing,
studying under renowned composers Qin Wen Chen and Tang Jian Ping.
Chow was a finalist in Malaysia's inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 with his exciting
Trio Dance
II for piano, flute and oboe .
Residence: Kuala Lumpur / Beijing, China
Contact:
Hardesh
Singh >>
Hardesh
Singh is a multi-talented musician and composer who studied
Indian classical music on the acoustic guitar with Ustad Ali
Akbar Khan in San Francisco. He has composed music for many
critically acclaimed Malaysian films like Amir Muhammad's The
Last Communist, Deepak K Menon's Chemmam Chaalai and Yasmin
Ahmad's Gubra. He composes and performs with his critically
acclaimed ensemble the 50cents Jazz Club.
more>>
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, FT
Website: SoundWorks
Productions
Johan Othman
Johan
Othman graduated from Yale University majoring in Music Composition,
studying with composers like Professor Richard Hoffmann, Param
Vir, Ned Rorem and many others. His style is organically Malaysian
within his medium of quasi-minimalist, sometimes jazzy, modern
yet accessible language. He was one of the four finalists in
the Forum For Malaysian Composers in 2004 where he presented
his orchestral works Ittar and Topeng 1. Othman
is currently teaching at the School of Arts at Penang’s
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Residence: Pulau Pinang
Website: johanothman.blogspot.com
CH Loh
CH Loh learnt music playing the tuba with several top
symphonic bands in Singapore from the 80s to the 90s. He received
guidance from his mentor, the Hong Kong-born conductor Luk Hoi
Yui - a leading band instructor in Singapore - who encouraged
him to compose, and commissioned several band transcriptions
including the Yellow River Concerto and Hong Wu Capriccio
for Violin and Band. His Toccata for String Quartet
was premiered in Wellington at the Asia Pacific Festival 07,
Maekhong for Saxophone Quartet in Bangkok in 2008 and
Winter Night On The Water for shakuhachi, saxophones
and percussion in Melbourne in 2009.
Loh is also a music columnist for Off The Edge who has written
extensively on Malaysian music over the past 15 years, and is
one of the founders of the Malaysian Composers Collective.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur
Contact: chloh@malaysiancomposers.com
Lee Chie Tsang
Lee
was born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and studied music at Segi College
Subang Jaya under Tan Chin Ho. His solo piano work Autumn
Steps won 2ns Prize at the 2008 Beethoven Club Composition
Contest in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Autumn Steps was
also one of the set pieces selected for the HSBC
Classics Piano Competition 2008 and was was performed by
one of the semifinalists during the competition. Lee has received
his Bachelor of music degree at the University of Western Australia
majoring in music composition.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur
Website: http://www.myspace.com/chietsang
Neo Nai Wen
Sabah-born
Neo Nai Wen studied music at Segi College Subang Jaya under Tan
Chin Ho and Yii Kah Hoe. He had his first composition recital
in 2007 and now teaches music at the Klang Music Centre. Neo was
a finalist in Malaysia's inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 with his dramatic work for piano,
oboe and flute
Qi Qiu (Pray).
Residence: Subang Jaya, Selangor
Website: http://www.myspace.com/naiwenneo
Ng Chong Lim
Ng
won 1st prize at the Malaysian National Piano Competition in
1993 and was selected by one of the judges for a scholarship
to study at the Royal College of Music in London, after which
he proceeded to study composition with Professor Beat Furrer
at Graz, Austria. Chong has written a number of piano works
that combines a bold, experimental approach to composition with
a warmth and freedom more associated with Asian music aesthetics.
He was one of the four finalists in the Forum For Malaysian
Composers II in 2007.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, FT
Ng Shyh Poh
Melaka-born
Ng Shyh Poh, a choir teacher at the Young Choral Academy, studied
composition with Adeline Wong and received his Music Diploma from
the Malaysia Institute of Arts. He composed choral music for various
choral groups in Kuala Lumpur, and won first prize at the 1st
Asian Choir Games Jakarta 2007. Ng was a finalist in Malaysia's
inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 with his highly experimental
work
Scene. He is currently pursuing his bachelor degree
in music in Xian Conservatory in China.
Residence: Melaka / Xian, China
Contact: shyhpohng@hotmail.com
Ngiao Tzu En
Penang
based Ngiao graduated with First Class Honours in Electrical Engineering
from University of Hull and is currently pursuing a Master Degree
in Music Composition at University Sains Malaysia studying under
Johan Othman. Ngiao's set of piano pieces
Inconsequentials
was selected as one of the set of test pieces for the
HSBC
Classics Piano Competition 2008
Residence: Pulau Pinang
Contact: raozien@yahoo.com
Valerie Ross
Dr Valerie Ross is an established composer and academic whose
works have been premiered in numerous cities in Europe and in
the Asia-Pacific. She has received commissioned awards from
the Rockefeller Foundation (Serbollini), Commonwealth
Foundation (Tathagata) and the Japan Foundation (Embattled
Garden). Valerie has been resident composer at the Darmstadt
International Institute for New Music and the Centre for Intercultural
Music Arts, London. Her recent works include Titiwangsa
commissioned by the Ministry of Culture. As an academic, Valerie
regularly presents papers at international music conferences,
and is the Head of Music Department at the Faculty of Music,
Universiti Teknologi MARA.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, FT
Contact: dr.valerie.ross@gmail.com
Tan Zi Hua
Tah
Zi Hua is the winner of Malaysia's inaugural
HSBC
Young Composers Workshop 2008 where he presented his poetic
work for flute and piano
Images of Wind II. Tan graduated
with honours in electrical engineering at the University of Michigan
where he also attended courses from the music faculty. Returning
to Penang as a full-time Electrical Engineer, he is also active
musically as the composer in residence of the Penang State Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus. Tan was recently a finalist for the Ton
de Leeuw 2008 International Competition in Albania in Nov 08.
Residence: Pulau Pinang
Contact: zihuatan@gmail.com
Tazul Tajuddin
Tajuddin
is an award-winning composer residing in London. He studied
with composers like Leonardo Balada and Jonathan Harvey and
received his PhD from the University of Sussex. His unique approach
to incorporating his Malay heritage into a Western musical language
has won him many prizes, including the Toru Takemitsu prize
for Tenunan II. French composer Henri Dutilleux once
described Tazul as "a very finely gifted composer."
Residence: London, UK
Website: www.tazultajuddin.com
Teh Tze Siew
Teh
Tze Siew graduated from Xi'an Music Conservatory where she received
her Bachelor Degree in music composition under Professor Rao
Yu Yan. She was one of the four finalists in the Forum For Malaysian
Composers II in 2007. Formerly teaching in Gansu North-West
Normal University Music, China, Teh currently resides and teaches
music in Kulim.
Residence: Kulim, Kedah
Adeline Wong
Adeline
Wong received her Bachelor of Music at the Eastman School of
Music in New York and her Master of Music at the Royal College
of Music, London, where she received the Cobbett and Hurlstone
Composition Prize. She was one of the four finalists in the
Forum For Malaysian Composers in 2004 and has premiered a number
of works in Kuala Lumpur. Wong has also written works for the
2006 Bang on a Can summer festival in New York and the TACTUS
Young Composers' Forum in Brussels. Wong currently a staff member
at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore.
Residence: Kuala Lumpur, FT
This is not an exhaustive list, but a
compilation of information that we have managed to gather at
this point in time. Names without links are still pending further
information. Find out how you
can get listed.
Last updated: December 2009
