The Fifty-Sixth Annual

Symposium of Contemporary Music

Contemporary Music in China
Guests from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Chengdu

• Yang Xiaozhong, composer
• Song Mingzhu,composer
• Zhou Tianli, guzheng (Chinese plucked zither)

Thursday, February 3, 4 PM:

• Panel discussion on music education and new music in China

Friday, February 4, 7:30 PM:

• Concert of music by Yang XIaozhong and Song Mingzhu, performed by IWU faculty, students and guest performer Zhou Tianli

Both events in Westbrook Auditorium, Presser Hall
Free and Open to the Public

Song Ming-zhu

Prof. Song Ming-zhu, Director of the Composition Department of Sichuan Conservatory of Music is an expert with special allowance from the China’s State Council. He has been awarded numerous prizes in China’s top competitions held by the government and associations. As a scholar as well as judge, he has been invited to Japan, Korea，Switzerland, Philippines, Poland，USA and Hongkong etc. He was also awarded the first prize of Sichuan Higher Education Achievement and Excellent Music Education Award by both Sichuan provincial government and China’s Education Ministry. He also participated in the producing of several records.

Yang Xiaozhong

Yang Xiaozhong, is the professor of Sichuan Conservatory of Music and the director of composition teaching and research section. From 1973 to 1978, Yang studied music at Sichuan “Wuqi” arts school. Afterwards, he worked at Sichuan Opera School as a teacher till 1985. In 1985, Yang admitted to Composition department of Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Yang received his bachelor degree in 1990, and then started his graduate study in the same year. In 1992, Yang finished his study and got the Master degree. From then on, Yang taught at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music till present. Yang is famous for his creation of “the composing technique of non-linear regression”.

Yang has been active in the musical circles of China since 1990s.  He was the main composer in many national cultural events, and rewarded by Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and the State administration of Radio Film and Television. His works were played worldwide in Switzerland, South Korea, New Zealand, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States, Luxembourg, Thailand, Croatia, China, etc. Yang was also invited to take part in many great musical festivals both home and abroad, and awarded in many national and international competitions.

Zhou Tianli

Zhou Tianli,an a teacher of Sichuan Conservatory Of Music, a member of the China National Orchestral Society, China Guzheng Society and Tianlai Guzheng Band of theSichuan Conservatory of Music, started learning Guzheng at 5 and was tutored by Guzheng virtuoso, associate Prof. Sha Lijing and He Chengyu. Since 1993 up to now, she has been studying guzheng under associate Prof. Jiang Danxi. Throughout the years she has been the top student on guzheng of the school, demonstrating her outstanding music talent.

During her undergraduate studies, Zhou Tianli was under the guidance of well known composers and musicians such as Prof. He Zhanhao, Prof. Xu Xiaolin, and renounced guzheng teacher and virtuoso, Prof. He Baoquan. Ten years of intensive trainings brought her mastery of all traditional skills of guzheng performance and made her outstanding among the students and winner of numerous competitions.

In 2002, she was the bronze prize Winner at the first national musical Instruments recital competition sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the eommer of the second prize of the first FangYing Cup of the all China guzheng competition.

In 2004, she won first prize at the third FangYing Cup all China guzheng competition.

In 2005,she won the golden prize at the women musical instrument competition joinly sponsored by the Sichuan Culture Bureau, the provincial women federation TV and Movie Bureau and the provincial association of literature. She won first prize in SiChuan district at the Deyi shuangqing competition. Also, she was the golden prize winner on guzheng performance at the China, Japan and South Korea youth art talent competitions.

In 2006,on be half of the conservatory of music, she joined the 3 person tour concert to Germany and she was also invited to giver performance at the diplomatic receptions and was well received.

Based on her success on guzheng studies, she has taken up harp courses under Zhang Liduo from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music since 2004.Again, her talent and hardworking won her good reputation on harp performance. In the 2005-2006 annual orchestral concert of the SiChuan Conservatory of Music, her solo on harp in accompaniment with violin and harp concert was highly acclaimed. She has been studying harp as the second major under XuShanshan from Sichuan Conservatory of Music Since September 2006.

As one of the top students from this school, Miss Zhou Tianli is growing into a matured virtuoso of guzheng.

About the Symposium

The Annual Symposium of Contemporary Music, established in 1952, brings prominent guest composers or performers to campus each year for a two-to-three-day residency. IWU faculty and students participate in the performance of works by guest composers and in discussions on aesthetic or analytical issues.  Guests also give master classes and presentations to composition and performance students.

Recent guests of the Symposium include; Grammy recipients Libby Larsen and John Corigliano; two of Europe's most widely celebrated composers, Arvo Pärt and Louis Andriessen; and the acclaimed ensembles Present Music and the New York New Music Ensemble.  The Symposium forms part of IWU's New Music Series, which also includes recitals of contemporary music by guest composers and performers, faculty performances, the New Music Cafe concert series, ensemble concerts featuring new music, and recitals of student compositions.

Previous Guest Composers, Performers, Scholars