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CHONG KEE YONG (b 1971,
Kluang, Malaysia)
Chong
Kee Yong, Malaysia's
leading contemporary music composer, is one of the most exciting voices
in new
music today. Few composers can manage to fashion a truly individual
sound from
the experimental techniques of today, and Chong belongs to this special
class
of talents who can turn a melange of exquisite timbres into a
compelling piece
of music with his own fingerprints. Composer Peter
Eötvös calls his music
"imaginative and poetic" and composer Jonathan Harvey comments his
music as “very inventive and artistically pure”
while Belgian pianists Jan
Michiels and Inge Spinette describes his music as "very personal voice,
very deep and convincing."
His
musical language embraces not
only a rich palette of constantly expanding instrumental colours - and
Chong
never stops looking for new ones - but is also unafraid to dig into the
past
traditions with its lyricism, rhythmic vitality and tonality and work
it into
his austere contemporary language, which is enriched by his own Chinese
as well
as the multicultural Malaysian heritage. For example you can find
traces of
Beijing Opera and Gamelan in his Monodrama for Oboe, Ensemble
and
Electronics (2004), hints of kabuki and Asian funeral rituals
in his
devastatingly moving symphonic work Tearless Moon
(2006), and elements
of calligraphy in his poetic I Hear The Wind Calling (2003).
Reaching
deeper into his Chinese roots, Chong also explores the sonic
possibilities of
traditional Chinese instruments in his Metamorphosis VI -
Wind Prayer for
Sheng, Gu Zheng, Pipa and Ensemble.
Chong
was born in the small town of Kluang
at the heart of Malaysia's
southern palm-oil
plantation state of Johor, where his parents were simple farmers.
Growing up in
this rustic environment has left an indelible mark in Chong's artistic
outlook,
where the sounds and wonders of nature never cease to inspire his
music. His
musical education in the Malaysian Institute of Arts introduced him to
the more
cosmopolitan city life of Kuala Lumpur,
and his
formative studies in China
with Prof Rao Yuyan and Prof Zhang Dalong at the Xian Conservatory
brought him
full circle with his Chinese heritage.
Upon
completion of his Bachelor of
Arts in Xian Professor Rao encouraged Chong pursue his final studies at
the Royal
Conservatory of Music of Brussels
(Flemish & French section) under
the guidance of Prof Jan Van Landeghem and Prof Daniel Capelletti. There
he acquired the tools for his compositional style today, which is a
delightful
balance between the most cutting edge modern techniques and a poetic
beauty
that originates from deep within the soul.
In
2001 Chong received his Master of
Composition with the Highest Honours from the Royal Flemish
Conservatory. His
post graduation studies include numerous composition master-classes
with Brian
Ferneyhough, Daan Manneke, Peter Eötvös, Salvatore
Sciarrino, Henri Pousseur,
Hanspeter Kyburz and many others.
Chong's
distinctive style has won
him an unending series of awards and commissions, from his first
success in
Belgium with the Prix Marcel Hastir awarded by
Belgium Royal Academy of
Sciences, Letters & Fine-arts (1999, and then in 2003) to his
triumphant
debut in his home country at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
International
Composers' Award (MPOICA) 2004. The return of his music to Malaysia
is
particularly significant, as Chong is now regarded as the leading
figure in the
country - indeed the region's - budding art music scene.
Chong's
distinctive style has won him an unending series of awards
and commissions. His list of prizes at various competitions is
remarkable, for
example the Prix Marcel Hastir
by Belgium Royal Academy of
Sciences,
Letters & Fine-arts (1999, 2003), the 4th
International Andrzej Panufnik Competition for Young Composers in
Poland (2002), the Grand Prix at the 2nd Seoul
International Competition
for Composers (2003), the Max-Reger-Tage International Composition
Competition
in Germany (2004), the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra International
Composers' Award (2004), 2nd Lepo Sumera
International young
composer prize (2006), Lutoslawski award (2006), BMW award in the
International
Isang Yun Music Prize in Korea (2007), Second prize in the
Preisträgerkonzert des Internationalen
Kompositionswettbewerbes "global
music – contemporary expression" in Germany and the prestigious
commission grant award by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation
(USA).
He
receives numerous commissions and
grants, for example from Ensemble Prometheus (Belgium), Het Collectief
(Belgium), Ensemble
Spectra (Belgium), Quatour Danel (Belgium), Spiegel
Quartet
(Belgium), Transit New Music Festival (Belgium), Ensemble Modern
(German),
Akademie der Künste (Berlin), Herrenhaus
Edenkoben (Germany), Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and the ministry of Culture, Arts &
Heritage of Malaysia and
Koussevitzky foundation (USA)
Chong
has also worked with distinguished
musicians such as pianist Jan Michels, Amy Lin, Yutaka Oya, violinist
Wibert
Aerts, violist Paul De Clerck, Yoshiko Sato, Stephanie Griffin, Oboist
Piet Van
Bockstals, flutist, Rikke Peterson, Toon Fret, conductor Etienne
Siebens, Ivo
Venkov, Pierre-Alain Monot, Jonas Alber, Kevin Field, Bart Bouckaert,
Filip
Rathe, Enno Poppe and ensemble like Het Collectief Ensemble, Ensemble
Prometheus, Ensemble Spectra, Quatour Danel in Belgium; Amsterdam
Sinfonietta,
Nieuw Ensemble in Holland; Kairos Quartett, Trio Jean Paul, Ensemble
Aventure,
Ensemble Mosaik, Ensemble Intégrales in Germany; Nouvel
Ensemble Contemporain,
Ensemble fur Neue Musik Zurich in Switzerland & SORI ensemble
in Korea.
In
2006
Prof Peter Eötvös nominated Chong for the half-year composer’s residency at the
Herrenhaus Edenkoben Foundation, Germany,
which has yielded yet another masterpiece: Hidden Eternity for
4-Hands Piano
& Ensemble. Written in memorial of Gyorgi Ligeti, a
composer whom Chong
deeply admires, it marks yet another milestone in
this exciting
composer's growing portfolio as he takes solo piano
writing and the
concept of the concerto to the farthest limits.
In 2007 the
Spiegel Quartet (Belgium) was
touring Belgium
with Chong's 3rd String Quartet "Inner
mirror" and the Ensemble
Modern world premiered his "Splattered landscape
II"-Cloud echoing- for large ensemble
in Frankfurt.
At home the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra world premierd his "
Ocean's pulse" for orchestra and 5 local traditional musicians
(Featured "Hand percussion group" and Dizi soloist Yii Kah Hoe) as part
of Chong's residency with the orchestra.
The
highlight of 2007, Chong's debut in the United
States
under the invitation of American composers Chou Wen Chung and Chinary
Ung,
while his solo viola work Temple Bell Still Ringing In My
Heart was
heard at the Asia Pacific Festival 2007 in Wellington, New
Zealand.
n 2007, He
received a
visiting artist fellowship to live in New
York
for 6 months (May-October 07) from the Asian Cultural Council (New York).
In the same year his “Horizon’s
chants” for Sheng, Gayageum & Koto was commissioned
and first
performed at the Musica Viva 2007 Festival (Munich) and a concerto
“Shui.Mo” for 4 Chinese
instruments and orchestra for Ensemble Dragon and Vlaaderen Symphonie
Orkest.
(2008, Belgium).
In 2009,
Chong was awarded the prestigious commission grant award by the Serge
Koussevitzky Music Foundation (USA), a Special prize in the
Giga-Hertz-Award
2009 at ZKM-Institute for Music & Acoustics (Karlsruhe, Germany)
and the
prestigious "The Outstanding Young Malaysian Awards" in the Cultural
Achievement category by Junior Chamber International Malaysia.
Chong was the
festival artistic director/Chairman of jury of 1st KL
Contemporary
Music Festival 2009. This festival represents
the first regional contemporary
music festival of its kind in Malaysia and indeed the region, and is
the
premiere contemporary music event of the year. It serves as a platform
where
Malaysian and South East Asian composers can meet, exchange ideas and
celebrate
our region's rich musical talent.
His upcoming projects included the artist in
resident in the Centre de Recherches et de Formation Musicales de
Wallonie
Electronic studio of Liege (Belgium) with a new commission for cello
solo, live
performer (painter), live electronic and video (2010, Belgium); New
piece for Singapore
Chinese Orchestra, soloist & video (Singapore Art Festival 27th/28th
May 2011); String Quartet no.4 for Momenta String Quartet (Serge
Koussevitzky
Music Foundation, USA); and invited by famous flutist Robert Aitken to
curate a
“Malaysian’s Voices” concert with a new flute
concerto for Robert Aitken at the
New Music concerts. (8th May 2011 Toronto)
鍾
啟榮是馬來西亞頂尖的
青年作曲家，並在創作現代試驗性和具有特殊風格的音樂方面擁有絕對特殊的天分。著名作曲家和指家Peter Eötvös 形容他為一名
“富有想象力和詩意”的作曲家，另一名著名英作曲家Jonathan
Harvey則形容他的音樂為“非常具有創造力和純潔的”。
鍾啟榮誕生于南馬的居鑾，其父母都是種植油棕的小園主。1990年至1993年，他在馬來西亞吉隆坡表演藝術學院學習古典吉他和作曲。1995年後，他遠
赴中國西安音樂學院並獲得一等榮譽學士學位，師從饒餘燕教授和張大龍教授。
1997年後，他再到比利時皇家音樂學院修讀作曲系，師從Jan Van Landeghem和Daniel
Capelletti教授。在2001年6月，他以一等榮譽的成績獲得作曲碩士學位。此外，他也曾經參與多位知名作曲家教授開設的大師課程，例如：
Brian Ferneyhough, Daan
Manneke, Zoltan Janey, Peter Eötvös , Salvatore Sciarrino, Henri
Pousseur 和 Hanspeter Kyburz。
鍾啟榮的卓越表現，讓他在上贏得多個獎項和獲得無數的贊揚，因此，他也獲得和世界上多世界頂尖的音樂家, 音樂節和基金會合作的機會。
2009
第一屆吉隆坡當代音樂節藝術總監
/評委主席.
2009
Giga-Hertz-Award
2009 特別獎
(ZKM音樂聲學中心,卡爾斯魯厄, 德國）
2009
由馬來西亞國際青年商會頒發
“馬來西亞傑出青年獎”(文化成就獎)
2009
Koussevitzky音乐基金会作曲委约奖项
2008 卢
森堡国际第七届作曲比赛三等奖
2008 & 2004
2度代表馬來西亞參加分別在瑞士（2004年）
和立陶宛（2008）舉行，由國際
現代作曲家協會主辦的世界音樂節
2007
獲得在德國柏林舉行的國際作曲家比賽“環球音樂-現代的表達”第二名。
2007
“2007年漢城尹伊桑國際作曲家比賽”BMW大獎。
2007
獲紐約洲文化理事會頒發“藝術家”訪問獎學金。
2006
“2006年波蘭華沙盧託拉斯基獎”第二名。
2006 & 2004 獲得馬來西亞藝術、文化及遺產部頒發的獎學金。
2006
“第二屆愛沙尼亞國際Lepo Sumera青年作曲家比賽”第二名。
2006
德國柏林藝術研究院授予“青年藝術家”的稱號。
2005
德國埃登科本鄉村別墅基金會長駐作曲家。
2005
荷蘭“2005年新
華裔青年作曲比賽”得主。
2004
獲得2004年馬來西亞國油愛樂樂團-國際作曲家獎第一名。
2004 & 1999 2次成為比利時皇家科學、文學與藝術研究院“Marcel Hastir獎”得主。
2004
“馬來西亞國油愛樂團-馬來西亞作
曲家論壇”第一名。
2003
“2003年德國馬克斯雷格國際作曲家比賽”第一名。
2003
“第2屆首爾國際
作曲家比賽”大獎。
2002
“第4屆波蘭帕努
夫尼克國際作曲家比賽”第一名
2001
“第8屆奧地利國
際莫扎特作曲比賽”第二名和特別獎。
2000
“第18屆意大利ICOMS國際作曲家比賽”第一名。
For
more information please contact Chong Kee Yong at:
Email: kychongcom@gmail.com
www.chongkeeyong.com
www.myspace.com/keeyongchong
Updated
on:10th July 2010
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