Byron Au Yong

CV (2010)

Byron Au Yong composes songs of dislocation that combine voices with Asian, European, and hand-made instruments. Dedicated to cross-disciplinary, intercultural collaboration, his musical events have been performed in concert halls, theatres and site-specific locations in Canada, China, England, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

AWARDS & HONORS
Creative Capital Award 2009-2011
Multi-Arts Production (MAP) Fund 2007-2008
4Culture Award for Innovation 2006
Washington State Arts Commission Travel Grant 2006
Artist Trust GAP Grants 1998/2006
Asian/Pacific Islander Arts Presenting Initiative Award (API/2) 2006
Meet the Composer Grant 2005
NEA Access to Artistic Excellence Award 2005
Jack Straw Productions Artist Support Program Awards 1997/2009
Jack Straw Productions New Media Gallery Award 2003-2004
American Composers Forum Subito Grant 2003
Durfee Foundation ARC Grant 2003
Fukuoka Gendai Hogaku Festival Award JAPAN 2002
NEA Creativity Award 2002
Ford Foundation Fellowship 2000-2002

RESIDENCIES & FESTIVALS
NYU Asian/Pacific/American Institute Artist-in-Residence 2009-2010
4Culture King County Site-Specific Performance Network 2006/2008
Jack Straw Productions New Media Gallery Residency 2003-2004/2007-2008
Jerwood Foundation Aldeburgh Opera Writing Programme, UK 2007
Portland Taiko Composer-in-Residence 2007
Dragon Foundation Young Chinese Leaders Forum, Hong Kong and Xi'an, CHINA 2006
Jeonju Sanjo Festival, SOUTH KOREA 2002
Ford Foundation International Artists Program, MALAYSIA/USA 2000-2002
Fukuoka Gendai Hogaku Festival, JAPAN 2002
Atlantic Center for the Arts 1996
Foundation Gaudeamus International Composers’ Workshop, Holland 1994
Darmstadt Institut Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Germany 1994
Oregon Bach Festival Composers’ Symposium 1994

WORKS & PERFORMANCES
FAREWELL: A Fantastical Contemplation on America's Relationship with China
er-hu, toy piano, percussion, bicycle wheels, cassette players, soundtrack
Music created for choreographer Donald Byrd and Spectrum Dance Theatre
Premiered at The Moore Theatre, Seattle USA 2010

3Seasons
violin, toy piano, percussion
Music created for choreographer Olivier Wevers and Whim W'him
Premiered at On the Boards, Seattle USA 2010

Kidnapping Water: Bottled Operas
hiking singers, water percussionists
Richard Rodgers Award Finalist 2008
Created with support from Jack Straw Foundation, MAP Fund and Site-Specific Arts
Performed in 64 outdoor waterways throughout the Pacific Northwest 2008
Sound/Light Installation created with Randy Moss, Jack Straw New Media Gallery, Seattle USA 2008

News
paper, bamboo, taiko
Commissioned by Portland Taiko
Premiered at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts USA 2007
Toured as part of Portland Taiko's The Way Home USA 2008-2009
Recorded on the CD Rhythms of Change 2009

Island: Theme and Migrations
two pianos
Commissioned by the East-West Piano Arts Series
Premiered at Brechemin Auditorium, Seattle USA 2007
Performed at Meany Hall, Seattle USA 2007
    
Ji Mo 寂寞: The Stillness of Solitude
voices, xun, er-hu, bamboo, water, rocks, Chinese percussion
Commissioned by Portland Taiko
Premiered at Lincoln Performance Hall, Portland USA 2007

Mare Insularum: Sea of Islands
water, prayer bowls, cassette tape recorders
Commissioned by the SEAMUS Festival
Premiered at Island Music Guild Hall, Bainbridge Island USA 2006

Ishquoh: Where Sounds Meet
six children’s voices, ‘cello, rocks
Commissioned by 4Culture and the Issaquah Arts Commission
Performed as part of Site-Specific Arts, Issaquah USA 2006

Artifact
voice, Chinese cymbals
Created for the Dragon 100 Cultural Study Tour
Performed at Aurum International Hotel, Xi’an CHINA 2006

Huo Quan 火圈: Ring of Fire
Chinese drum, opera gong
Solo premiered by the composer; written for David Schotzko
Performed at Island Music Guild Hall, Bainbridge Island USA 2006
Performed at Tokyo Art Museum, JAPAN 2006

Piao Zhu 飄竹: Flying Bamboo
voices, flute, kubing mouth harp, harmonica, water, percussion
Commissioned by the Seattle Asian Art Museum
Performed at Seattle Asian Art Museum Garden Court USA 2006
Included on 4Culture Touring Arts Roster 2008-present

Samai: Lost in Time
voice, drum, prayer bowls; version 2.0 for computer
Commissioned by choreographer Archana Kumar
Premiered at Seattle Asian Art Museum USA 2006
Performed at Bellevue Art Museum USA 2006

After-Effect
turntable, snare drum, taiko
Commissioned by the Ōn Ensemble
Workshopped at Miles Memorial Playhouse, Santa Monica USA 2005
Premiered at David Henry Hwang Theatre, Los Angeles USA 2006

Becoming
two bluegrass singers, guitars, sarod, tabla, Chinese percussion
Commissioned by Ying Zhou
Premiered at Chamber Theater, Seattle USA 2005
Performed at Asia Meets Asia Festival, Tokyo JAPAN 2005

Surrender: A T’ai Qi Cantata
24 moving voices
Commissioned by The Esoterics with support from Meet the Composer
Performed at Holy Rosary and St. Joseph’s, Seattle; St. Thomas, Medina; and Christ Episcopal, Tacoma USA 2005

Two Breaths
two singers/dancers
Performed with dancer Edisa Weeks
Performed at Joyce Soho, Joe’s Pub, New York 2004; Makor, New York USA 2005

The Moment of Falling
voices, bamboo mouth harp, paper
Created for the film by Azbri Productions, Los Angeles USA 2004

YIJU 移居: Songs of Dislocation
voices, paper, chopsticks, er-hu, drums, mouth harp, water gongs
Created with filmmaker Chishan Lin, landscape architect Lorraine Pai, media artist John D. Pai
Presented at Jack Straw New Media Gallery, Seattle USA 2004

CELL: an Electronic Age Vaudeville
vaudeville crooners, drums, cell phones
Performed with writer Frederick Sauter, IT consultant Timothy McNearny
Dixon Place, HOT! Festival, New York USA 2004

AXIS: from Silk Road to Terror
soprano, tenor, ‘cello, bull horn, percussion
Created with hip hop poet Aaron Jafferis, choreographer Erica Rebollar
Performed at Kimmel Center, New York University, New York USA 2004

Home
minyo singers, taiko ensemble
Created with choreographer Michelle Fujii
TAIKOPROJECT U.S. Tour 2003-2004, 2006-2007
Recorded on the CD Rhythms of Change 2009

Two by Four
nagauta voice, taiko
Commisioned by the Ōn Ensemble for Grand Performances
California Plaza, Los Angeles USA 2003
Performed as part of Ōn Ensemble 2004-2008 repertoire
Recorded on the CD Dust and Sand 2005

Crazy Eights
taiko ensemble
Commissioned by the Ōn Ensemble
Performed at Stanford University, Palo Alto USA2003

Forbidden Circles
soprano, shakuhachi, shamisen, 17-string koto, taiko
Fukuoka Gendai Hōgaku Festival Award 2002
Premiered at Acros Hall, Fukuoka JAPAN 2002
Performed at International House New Hall, Tokyo JAPAN 2006

Salt Lips Touching
haegŭm, jing, kkwaenggwari
Commissioned by intangible cultural asset Kim Yong-Jae
Premiered at the Jeonju Sanjo Festival, SOUTH KOREA 2002

QI: Quarendo Invenientes
‘cello, offstage voice
Commissioned by Loren Dempster
Performed at Nichiren Buddhist Church, San Francisco USA 2002

Following
Chinese percussion
Performed by the composer with Grey Filastine, Kevin Higa
SAW Gallery, Seattle 2002
Seattle Symphony Learning Center 2002
Electric Lodge, Venice Beach 2002

The Practice of Laughter
voices, dancers, piano
Music created for choreographer Marianne Kim
UCLA, Los Angeles USA 2002

Woman, Monkey and Kabuki Joe
soprano, mouth harp, er-hu, harmonium, piano, drums, gongs
Created as part of the Ford Foundation’s International Artists Program
Nippon Kan, Seattle 2002

Drum Roll
Chinese percussion
Premiered by the composer
SIL2K/I-Spy, Seattle 2001

Archaeology
voices, drums, gongs, mouth harps, brass didgeridoo, bass
Created as part of the Treasures from a Lost Civilization Exhibition
Seattle Art Museum 2001

Circus
voice, drums, recorded sounds
Premiered by the composer
Northwest Asian American Theatre, Seattle 2001

Sao 掃: Sweep
voices, gongs, drums, water
Created for Fresh Tracks
David Henry Hwang Theater, Los Angeles 2001

Tian Wen 天文: Questions of Heaven
36 vocalists with metal keys
Commissioned by The Esoterics
Pilgrim Congregational, Seattle 2001
Christ Episcopal, Tacoma 2001
Trinity Episcopal, Everett 2001

Tzu Lho: Simmering Songs
36 voices with 72 pieces of paper
Commisioned by The Esoterics
Christ Episcopal, Tacoma 2000
Trinity Episcopal, Everett 2000
Pilgrim Congregational, Seattle 2000
Stanford University, Palo Alto 2004

Hyo Shi
taiko ensemble
Performed by Seattle Kokon Taiko
Theatre Off Jackson, Seattle 2000

Stirring
soprano, Irish flute, trombone, taiko, frame drum, er-hu, tabla, gong, string bass
Commissioned by Mew Chang-Tsing and John D. Pai
Northwest Asian American Theatre, Seattle 2000

Ko Cha
drum and voice
Premiered by the composer
Seattle Composer’s Salon 1999

Rancho Grande
voice, harmonica, er-hu, percussion
Music for the world premiere of a play by Eugenie Chan
Northwest Asian American Theatre, Seattle 1999

Precious Children
three boys’ voices, string bass, Chinese drums
Music for a PBS documentary produced by Susan Han
KCTS Television 1999

Verdant Stones
horns, bagpipes, taiko ensemble
Created with Uzume Taiko Ensemble
Vancouver Folk Festival Mainstage, Canada 1999

Spirits
voices, drums, gongs, xun
Created for the Seattle Asian Art Museum
Seattle Asian Art Museum Garden Court 1998

Mothra
flute, bass clarinet, violin, ‘cello, electric bass, percussion, piano
Read by the California EAR Unit
Jack Straw Productions, Seattle 1998

Holding
five voices with ten rocks
Commissioned by The Esoterics
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Seattle 1997

Bird Footprints, Turtle Markings
voices, clay, drums, gongs, cloth, plastic
Created with support from the Seattle Arts Commission
Seattle Aquarium Bird Sanctuary 1996

Weaving
shakuhachi honkyoku
Written for Christopher Yohmei
Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach 1996

Tree Wind Echo
violin, harp
Ernest Bloch Music Festival, Newport 1995

Slouching
voices, er-hu, clay flutes, wooden flutes, gongs, taiko, toys
Seattle Fringe Festival, Seattle 1995

Cauldron
two trumpets, two ‘cello
Theatre Off Jackson, Seattle 1995

Five Stained Glass Elegies
oboe, string trio
OK Hotel, Seattle 1994

Edge
soprano, flute, oboe, trumpet, ‘cello, string bass, taiko, conch shell, gongs, prayer bowls
University of Washington, Seattle 1994
Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, Germany 1997
Excerpt recorded on the CD eXchange: China, CRI/New World Records 1999
GLAMA Awards Best Contemporary Classical Composer nomination 1999

PRESENTATIONS & PANELS
4Culture Touring Arts Roster Panelist, Seattle 2009
Alliance of Artist Communities Music & Social Change Panelist, Seattle 2008
Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs Youth Arts Panelist, Seattle 2008
Americans for the Arts Exemplars Program Panelist, Seattle 2007
NYU Music, Performance, and Racial Imaginations Conference Curator 2005
UC Davis "Kodo as Commodity," Presenter 2001
Ford Foundation Imagining Our Ancestors Panelist, Seattle 1999
Northwest Folklife Festival Defining Folk & Ethnic Arts Panelist, Seattle 1998
NYU Conference of the Chinese in the Americas Panelist 1997
Foundation Gaudeamus Ritual Structures Presenter, Amsterdam 1994

BIBLIOGRAPHY & PUBLICATIONS
E. Bae, Korea Now

• Going with the Flow: Traditional music takes an impromptu style, October 2002

Mary Murphin Bayley, The Seattle Times

• Film and dance unite, May 2000

Misha Berson, The Seattle Times

• Theater homage features dance, puppet, May 2002

Gavin Borchert, Seattle Weekly

• Water Music, August 2008
  
• Fugue for Three Voices, February 2008
• Opera: Stuck Elevator, June 2007
• SW Pick: Ishquoh, October 2006

Joseph Dalton, Albany Times Union

• Chinese Composers are Making Mark, December 2004

Christopher DeLaurenti, The Stranger

• Dry and Dark, October 2008
  
• Music Up and Coming: Byron Au Yong, August 2005

Jon Gierlich, International Examiner

• Walking: Byron Au Yong, November 2001

Jen Graves, The News Tribune

• Tao Te Ching texts inspire composer, August 2005

David Hayes, The Issaquah Press

• The sounds of Ishquoh, October 2006

Alan Lau, International Examiner

• Highlights: Byron Au Yong, June 2007

Caroline Li, Northwest Asian Weekly

• Stuck in elevator, no way out, June 2007

A. Perez, International Examiner

• Woman, Monkey & Kabuki Joe revives the spirituality, 2002

Judith van Praag, International Examiner

• Entering into a new dimension, December 2004

Zdenek Slaby, Unijazz Magazin

• Apokalypticky pohadkar za zrezavele lodi, October 2007

Ann-Marie Stillion, Northwest Asian Weekly

• Names in the News, May 2006

Pat Tanumihardja, Northwest Asian Weekly

• The shared experience of dislocation, December 2004

Sid Whelan, New Music Box

• Breaking the Great Wall, August 1999

TEACHING
Cornish College of the Arts Adjunct Instructor, Seattle 2007-present
Taiko Consultant/Workshop Leader, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle 1997-2009
New York City Center Encores Program Songwriting Teacher 2003
UCLA World Arts and Cultures Graduate Teaching Fellow, Los Angeles 2001-2002

EDUCATION
MFA in Musical Theatre Writing
New York University New York 2005

Thesis Committee: Robert Epstein (Chair), Robb Hartman, Robert Lee, Mel Marvin
Tisch School of the Arts Scholarship 2003-2005
"-ism" Performance Project Grant 2004

MA in Dance Studies
UCLA Los Angeles 2003

Thesis Committee: David Gere, Russell Leong, Marta Savigliano, Peter Sellars (Chair)
Elaine Krown Klein Fine Arts Scholarship 2001-2002
Department of World Arts and Cultures Graduate Fellowship 2000-2001

BA/BM in Composition/Theory, Cum Laude
University of Washington Seattle 1996

Principal teachers: Joël-François Durand, Bright Sheng, William O. Smith
School of Music Scholarships 1993-1995