Man-Ching Donald Yu

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Yu Man Ching (traditional Chinese: 余文正) (born 1980) is a Hong Kong composer.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Donald Yu is one of the most active Hong Kong composers of his generation. He was born in 1980 in Hong Kong. He started learning piano at an early age and made his debut as a soloist with Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra when he was sixteen, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3.

He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Baylor University where he studied piano performance with renowned pianist Krassimira Jordan. Yu also studied advanced composition and was at the same time minor in conducting. In the summer of 2000, he attended piano summer classes in Vienna's Bösendorfer Piano Academy. In 2007 July, Yu received scholarships to attend the Cortona Contemporary Music Festival "soundSCAPE" in Italy. In 2007 August, he was also awarded with scholarships to attend the International Summer Academy of the "University Mozarteum Salzburg" in Austria. In 2008 summer, he will attend the "International Summer Course for New Music" in Darmstadt, Germany. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Composition of the Hong Kong Baptist University under full University Grant studentships. His research area focuses on applying the western post-tonal theory and the eastern Tai Chi compositional system towards large scale traditional acoustic compositions. His composition teachers include Christopher Keyes, Brian Hulse, Ichiro Nodaira, Scott McAllister, and Yip Wai Hong. Since 2005, he was the recipient of the ASCAP International Awards and the ASCAPlus Standard Awards. In 2008 spring, he was awarded the 2007-2008 Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship for his outstanding postgraduate composition achievement.

Yu is prolific and by the age of twenty-five, he has already composed over hundred works to his credit in many genres including piano works, organ works, chamber music, vocal music, choral music, opera, film music, orchestral works and concerti. His music has been heard in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Iowa, Mexico City, England, Italy, Austria, and Hong Kong including the special presentation of the Cortona Contemporary Music Festival "soundSCAPE" in Cortona in 2007 July, the International Summer Academy "Mozarteum" in Salzburg in 2007 August, the 18th Annual Fruehling Posaunen "Spring Trombones Festival" in Pennsylvania in 2007 March, and the "Coro de la Universidad de Harvard Viaje de Mexico" in 2007 March. Yu's music has been performed at various venues including the Memorial Church and Adolphus Busch Hall of Harvard University, University "Mozarteum" Salzburg, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Baylor University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Northern Iowa, Elmira College, Iglesia San Francisco El Grande in Ciudad de Mexico, Temple San Antonio in Queretaro Mexico, Teatro de Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende Mexico, the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre, the Hong Kong Science Museum, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre Theatre, Yip's Salon de Musique, Hong Kong Baptist University's Academic Community Hall, Shek Mun Campus's Auditorium, City University of Hong Kong's Wei Hing Theatre, the Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Pittsburgh, First Unitarian Church in Massachusetts, the Community Culture Center Auditorium in Boston, St. Gregory Centre in Canterbury and among others. As a performer, Yu has been performing his own music in various venues in Hong Kong including the Hong Kong City Hall's Concert Hall, and he is one of the first composer in Hong Kong who frequently premiere own compositions in public as a pianist or an accompanist. More than thirty compositions including piano works, chamber music and vocal works are published by Gold Branch Music, Inc. in North Carolina and Wehr's Music House in Florida. His chinese art songs are mainly published by New World Book Centre in Hong Kong. His piano works, chamber music and art song are released by Zimbel Records in Massachusetts, U.S.A. on the CD, Illusions: Music of Man-Ching Donald Yu, features the performances of his own music. Yu is the first Hong Kong composer whose music has been released and published by those companies in the United States.

Yu's music has been commissioned and/or played by various prominent performers, writers, and organizations, including the Ithaca College Trombone Troupe in Ithaca New York, the Onondaga Civic Symphony Orchestra in Syracuse New York, U.S. organist Carson Cooman, the Choral Fellows of the Harvard University Choir, Arizona Duo46, the Hong Kong Baptist University's International Writers Workshop, Japanese violinist Amy Takahashi, renowned Taiwanese Poet Ya Hsien, Hong Kong Poet Mr. Wong Kin Kwok and among others.

[edit] Major works

  • String Quartet in Eb (2000)
  • Brilliant Humorous Waltz for Piano(2000)
  • Concerto for Horn and Orchestra(2000)
  • Nocturne for Clarinet and Piano (2000)
  • “Zwei Rosen” for Baritone and Piano (2000)
  • Dialogue for Two Violins (2000)
  • Sonata No.1 "Grand Concert Fantasy" for Piano(2000)
  • Song without Words for Piano (2000)
  • Sonata No.2 "Humoresque" for Piano (2000)
  • "Ode On Nature" for Soprano and Piano(2001)
  • Five Japanese Lyrics for Soprano and Piano(2001)
  • Concert Rhapsody for Violin and Piano (2001)
  • Autumn Elegy for Violin and Piano (2001)
  • Four Sovenoirs for Wind Quintet (2001)
  • Fuga for String Quartet(2001)
  • Five Miniatures for Piano (2001)
  • Sonata No.3 "Aggressive" for Piano (2001)
  • Choral: Recalling for Brass Quintet (2002)
  • Black Hole for Full Orchestra (2002)
  • Essay for Orchestra (2002)
  • Concerto for Grand Viola and Orchestra(2002)
  • Symphonic Poem: Dreamscapes for Full Orchestra (2002)
  • The Lonely Heart of the Cosmos for String Orchestra (2002)
  • Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra (2002)
  • Prelude for Violin and Piano (2002)
  • Serenade for Flute and Piano (2002)
  • Quartet No.2 "Apparition" for strings (2002)
  • Sonnet No.104 for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano (2002)
  • Two Dramatic Art Songs for soprano and piano(2002)
  • Quartet No.1 "Four Seasonal Sketches" for strings (2002)
  • Sonata No.4 "Chaos" for Piano(2002)
  • Rhapsodic Sonata for Flute and Piano (2003)
  • Sonata No.5 "Ionization" for Piano(2003)
  • Hell and Heaven for Piano (2003)
  • Ten Variations on a Chinese Folk Song "Home-sickness" for Piano (2003)
  • Dark Rhapsody for Cello and Piano (2003)
  • Double Concerto for Harp, Viola, String Orchestra and Timpani(2003)
  • Fantasy on "The Lady of Shalott for Piano(2003)
  • Concerto for Horn, String Orchestra, Harp and Timpani(2003)
  • Toccata for Piano (2003)
  • Fantasy Poem "Beowulf" for Full Orchestra (2003)
  • Mesto Fugue for Chamber String Orchestra (2003)
  • Illusion for Oboe and Piano (2003)
  • Symphonic Fantasy "Comet" for Full Orchestra (2004)
  • Two Pieces for Clarinet Solo (2004)
  • Uncertainty for Piano (2004)
  • Duet "Argument" for Violin and Cello(2004)
  • Vier Kleine Klavier Stuecke(2004)
  • Brass Quartet "Solemn Elegy" for 2 Tenor Trombones and 2 Bass Trombones(2005)
  • Fanfare for Orchestra (2005)
  • Caprice for Viola Solo (2005)
  • Dialoque for Oboe and Clarinet (2005)
  • Fanfare for Brass Quintet (2005)
  • Mysterium for Orchestra (2005)
  • Three Movements for String Orchestra (2005)
  • Symphonic Sketch"Nocturne" for Orchestra (2005)
  • Nocturne Reflection for Flute and Piano (2005)
  • Ode for Flute Solo (2005)
  • Shivering for Double Bass Solo(2005)
  • Psalm No. 63 for chorus SSA and piano(2005)
  • Recalling from Dream for Trumpet and Piano (2005)
  • Imaginary Conversation for Violin and Piano(2005)
  • Lyric Sketch No. 1: The Art of Fugue for four instruments(2005)
  • Lyric Sketch No. 2: The Art of Fugue for string quartet(2005)
  • Lyric Sketch No. 3 : The Art of Fugue for flute quartet(2005)
  • Romantic light piece for violin and piano (2006)
  • Romantic Light piece No. 2 for cello and piano (2006)
  • Etude "Birds" for Piano (2006)
  • "Zwei Lyrisches Intermezzo" for soprano and piano(2006)
  • Electronic Sketches No. 1-2(2006)
  • Toccata fantastique for organ (2006)
  • Meditation for organ (2006)
  • Mystical Aria for organ (2006)
  • Anthem 'Our Father' for A cappella SATB (2006)
  • Concert Overture "Hong Kong Night Scene's Sketch for orchestra (2006)
  • Film Score "Dong" (2006)
  • Preludes No. 1-12 for organ (2006)
  • Frankenstein for organ and cello(2006)
  • The Persistence of Memory for orchestra (2006)
  • "Echo I" for solo oboe (2006)
  • "Echo II" for solo flute (2006)
  • Hamlet's Aria "To Be or Not To Be" for violin and piano (2006)
  • The Shadow of Love for viola and piano (2006)
  • The Reflection of Love for cello and piano (2006)
  • Opera "hamlet" Act 1 Scene 1 (2006)
  • Reflections for Trombone Choir(2006)
  • In Memoriam J.S. Bach for harpsichord (2006)
  • Concert Aria "To be or not to be for baritone and piano (2006)
  • Two Chinese Poems by Ya Hsien for piano and baritone (2007)
  • Explosion for piano (2007)
  • O Virtus Sapientiae for SATB A Cappella(2007)
  • Organic Synthesis for piano (2007)
  • The Morning for Soprano/Baritone and piano (2007)
  • Collect Beads Of Night for Soprano/Baritone and piano (2007)
  • With a Flower for Soprano/Baritone and piano (2007)
  • A Polish Poem: Everything for Soprano and piano (2007)
  • Imaginery Conversation II for Cello and Piano (2007)
  • Frankenstein II for Cello and piano (2007)
  • Nebula for Organ and Chamber Orchestra (2007)
  • Three Characteristic Pieces for 4-hands piano duet (2007)
  • Halluncation for Piano (2008)
  • The Refraction of Shadow for trombone and piano (2007)
  • I used up this body for soprano and piano (2008)
  • Starlight for soprano and piano (2008)
  • Xin Yu "The Deepest voice of My Heart" for baritone and piano (2008)
  • qiu zhi shi luo "The Suffering in Autumn" for soprano and piano (2008)
  • Wen Tian "Inquiring the Sky" for soprano and piano (2008)
  • yang ming shan ye you "Wandering at the Yang Ming Mountain" for soprano and piano (2008)
  • Yuan Yang Gan Jue "The Feeling of the Far Ocean" for baritone and piano (2008)
  • Si Wang Hang Xing "The Voyage of Death" for baritone and piano (2008)
  • De Ceng Yin "The Recitation of the Stratum" for baritone and piano(2008)
  • Ge "Song" for baritone and piano (2008)
  • Zao Chen "The Morning" for baritone and piano (2008)
  • Brilliant Variations and Fantasy on a Chinese folk tone "Qindao" for violin and piano (2008)

[edit] Publications

  • Dark Rhapsody for cello and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00122)
  • Quartet No. 1 "Four Seasonal Sketches" for string (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00121)
  • William Shakespeare's Sonnet 104 for mezzo-soprano and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00075)
  • Sonata No. 1 "Grand Concert Fantasy" for piano '(Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00069)
  • Brilliant Humorous Waltz for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00078)
  • Two Dramatic Art Songs for soprano and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00089)
  • Dialogue for two violins (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00086)
  • Duet "Argument" for violin and cello (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00083)
  • Sonata No. 5 "Ionization" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00080)
  • Vier Kleine Klavier Stuecke (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00084)
  • Ten Variations on a Chinese Folk Song Theme "Home-sickness" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00074)
  • Uncertainty for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00070)
  • Zwei Rosen for baritone and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00119)
  • Sonata No. 3 "Aggressive" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00088)
  • Toccata for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00077)
  • Two Pieces for clarinet (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00087)
  • Hell and Heaven for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00082)
  • Fantasy on "The Lady of Shalott" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00081)
  • Song without Words for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00076)
  • Sonata No. 2 "Humoresque" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00071)
  • Five Miniatures for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00089)
  • Sonata No. 4 "Chaos" for piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00079)
  • Chorale: Recalling for brass quintet (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00052)
  • Autumn Elegy for violin and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00051)
  • Illusion for oboe and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00126)
  • Four Souvenirs for wind quintet (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00125)
  • Fuga for String Quartet (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00124)
  • Quartet No. 2 "Apparition" for string (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00127)
  • Five Japanese Lyrics for soprano and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00120)
  • Ode on Nature for soprano and piano (Gold Branch Music, Inc. No. 00141)
  • Recalling from Dream for trumpet and piano (Wehr's Music House. WM No. 345)
  • Trombone Quartet "Solemn Elegy" (Wehr's Music House. WM No. 365)
  • Horn Quartet "Solemn Elegy" (Wehr's Music House. WM No. 358)


[edit] Discography

  • Sonata No. 1 "Grand Concert Fantasy" for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Sonata No. 2 "Humoresque" for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Sonata No. 4 "Chaos" for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Hell and Heaven for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Dark Rhapsody for cello and piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Illusion for oboe and piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Five Japanese Lyrics for soprano and piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Uncertainty for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Fantasy on "The Lady of Shalott" for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • Five Miniatures for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)
  • William Shakespeare's Sonnet No. 104 for piano (Zimbel Records No. 113)


[edit] External links