Qigang Chen


This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chen.

Qigang Chen (Chinese: 陈其钢; pinyin: Chén Qígāng, pronounced [tʂʰə̌n t͡ɕǐkɑ́ŋ]) is a composer of Chinese origin born in 1951 in Shanghai. He has lived in France since 1984, and obtained French citizenship in 1992.


Biography

Coming from an intellectual family, Qigang Chen began his musical studies as a child. When in his early teens, he was confronted with the Cultural Revolution and would spend three years locked up in a barracks, undergoing an 'ideological reeducation'. Nonetheless, his passion for music remained unshakeable and, in spite of the social pressure and anti-cultural policy, he pursued his training in composition.

In 1977, Qigang Chen was one of 26 candidates out of two thousand to be accepted into the composition class at the Beijing Central Conservatory. After five years of studies with Luo Zhongrong, in 1983 he stood for the national competition where he came first. As a result, he was the only one in his field to be authorized to go abroad to pursue graduate studies in composition.

Olivier Messiaen's last student, from 1984 to 1988. His first five years in France allowed him to broaden the scope of his culture and acquire new knowledge about 20th-century music.

Qigang Chen is one of the living composers more performed around the world, winning him many accolades. In 2001 His orchestral work Wu Xing was selected from over 1000 entries as one of the five finalists of the Masterprize Award, hosted by the BBC. In 2003, EMI/Virgin Classics released an album devoted to his music, including the highly acclaimed work Iris devoilée. It was later voted by Gramophone Magazine as one of the Top Ten Classical Recordings of the Month. In 2005, He was awarded the Grand Prix de la Musique Symphonique by SACEM in recognition of his career achievement. He worked as Music Director of the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Most recently, in 2013, he was decorated with Chevalier de l'Ordre des arts et des lettres by the French government.

In 2015, he launched a composition workshop at Gonggen College in China, as a platform for dialogues with, and between, young musicians.


Main Works

- Wu Xing (The Five Elements)

- Yuan(Origins)

- Reflet d'un Temps Disparu

- Iris Dévoilée (Iris Unveiled)

- Extase

- Enchantement Oubliés

- Er Huang

- Joie Eternelle

- Luan Tan

List of works

Chamber music 室内乐

- Commissioned by Radio France. First audition on February 11th 1996 at Radio France in Paris (Festival Présence) by the Beijing Hua Xia Ensemble under the conducting of Tsung Yeh.

- Length: 11 mn

- CD : by Huaxia Ensemble, Hugo HRP7174-2

- CD : Virgin Classics 0946 344693 2 6

- Commissioned by Nieuw Ensemble. First audition on July 11th 1997 in Avignon (Festival Acanthes) by Ernest Rombout and the Nieuw Ensemble (Amsterdam) under the conducting of Ed Spanjaard.

- Length: 17 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

Commissioned by Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. Nomenclature: 5, 4, 4, 3, 1 or 10, 8, 8, 6, 2

- Length:15 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur CD : by Orchestre

- Philharmonique de Radio France, Conductor : Leonard Slatkin. Scheduled Virgin Classics 0946 344693 2 6

- Commissioned by Messiaen International Piano Competition 2000.

- Length: 9 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- First audition on Sept 8th 2010 in Paris by Jean-Louis Capezzali and the Singapor Chinese Traditional Orchestra under the conducting of Tsung Yeh. Arrangement by Low Weilun

- Length: 17 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

Concerted music 协奏曲

- Commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture and les Grands Travaux du Bicentaire. First audition on February 1st 1991 by Jean-Pierre Baraglioli and the 2E2M Ensemble under the conducting of Paul Méfano for the Festival “Future Musique”.

- Length: 16 mn 30s

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur CD : in 1993 MFA/REM

- Commissioned by the Deutscher Kammerphilharmonie and the French Ministry of Culture. First audition on October 11th 1995 in Bremen (Germany) by Rodrigo Blumenstock and the Deutscher Kammerphiharmonie under the conducting of Thomas Hengelbrock.

- Length: 17 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Virgin Classics 0946 344693 2 6

- Commissioned by Radio France. First audition on April 23rd 1998 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris by Yoyo Ma and the Orchestre National de France under the conducting of Charles Dutoit.

- Length: 25 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Virgin Classics 724354554926

- First audition on May 27th 2001 in Paris by the Orchestre National de France.

- Length: 5mn

- Editions musicales Durand

- Commissioned by the Montréal Symphonic Orchestra and French Culture Ministry. erhu: Ma Xianghua. First audition on 22 Oct 2002 in Beijing under the conducting of Muhai

- Length: 25 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Naxos 8.570614

- Commissioned by Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. Viola: YU Peijun. Creation on 18th november 2012 under the conducting of Muhai Tang. - Length: 25 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- Commissioned by the Carnegie Hall. First audition on Oct 22nd 2009 in New York by Lang Lang and the Juliard Orchestra under the conducting of Michael Thomas Thilson.

- Length: 15 mn

- Boosey & Hawkes

- CD : Naxos 8.570614

- First audition on June 2011 in Hong Kong by HUANG Zheng and the Hong Kong Chinese Traditional Orchestra under the conducting of Yan Huichang. Arrangement by Low Weilun

- Length: 17 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- Co-commissioned by the BBC Proms, Zaterdag Matinee of Holland Radio, MDR and KT Wong Foundation

- First audition on July 1st 2014 in Beijing by Alison Balsom and the China Philharmonic under the conducting of YU Long.

- Length: 23 mn

- Boosey & Hawkes


- Co-commissioned by Hong Kong Philharmonic, Radio France and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. First audition on April 21 2015 at Hongkong Cultural Center by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the conducting of ZHANG Xian.

- Length: 22 mn

- Boosey & Hawkes

Vocal music 人声

- Commissioned by the Nieuw Ensemble (Amsterdam). First audition on 2nd April 1991 in Amsterdam by the Nieuw Ensemble under the conducting of Ed Spanjaard.

- Length: 12 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : in 1993 MFA/REM

- Commission : Stuttgart City & WDR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. First audition on the October 27th 2005 in Beijing by the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra under the conducting of Sir Roger Norrington, voices : Stuttgart Neue vocalsolisten Nomenclature: Soprano, Mezzo soprano, Alto, Tenor, Britone, Bass. 3.3.3.3 - 4.3.3.1 - hp, timpanies, 4 percussions players. 16, 14, 12, 10, 8

- Length:20 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

Symphonic music 管弦乐

- Commissioned by Radio France (1988). Winner of the 27th International Contest of Symphony Composition in Trieste (Italy; 1988). First audition on July 5th 1990 at Radio France by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio France under the conducting of Yves Prin.

- Length: 17 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : by Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Virgin Classics 0946 344693 2 6

- Commissioned by Radio France for the Broad Casting program.

1. Water (2'03)

2. Wood (1'54)

3. Fire (2'07)

4. Earth (2'13)

5. Metal (2'00)

- Length : 11 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Virgin Classics 724354554926

- Commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation and Radio France. First audition on February 6th 2002 for the Festival Présences of Radio France.

- Nomenclature : 3 sopranos one of which on the style of Pekin Opera, 3 Chinese traditional instruments (Pipa, Erhu and Zheng) - 3.3.3.3 - 4.3.3.1 - 4 perc, pno(celesta), hp and strings (16.14.12.10.8)

1. Ingenious 纯洁

2. Chaste 羞涩

3. Libertine 放荡

4. Sensitive 神经质

5. Tender 温柔

6. Jealous 嫉妒

7. Melancholic 多愁善感

8. Hysterical 歇斯底里

9. Voluptuous 情欲

- Length: 44 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Virgin Classics 724354554926

- Commission : Orchestre National de France. Nomenclature suggesed by Kurt Masur.

- Nomenclature: Hp, pn (celesta), timpanies, 4 percussions. 16, 14, 12, 10, 8

- Length : 19 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

- CD : Naxos 8.570614

- Commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra for the grand opening of Shanghai Symphony Hall by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra under the direction of YU Long. First audition on September 6 2014 in Shanghai for the grand opening of Shanghai Symphony Hall.

- Length: 10 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

Instrumental music and electronics 器乐与电声

- Commissioned by the IRCAM (1992). First audition on April 28, 1993 at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris by the Ensemble InterContemporain under the direction of Mark Foster.

- Length: 22 mn

- Gerard Billaudot Editeur

Music for ballet 芭蕾舞剧音乐

- First audition on May 2, 2001 in Beijing by the China National Ballet.

- Length: 90 mn

- Editions musicales Durand

- CD : September 2005 by EMI Asian 0094633467729 M4018-2L

Music for film 电影音乐

- Length: 110 mn

- Producer : New Images

- CD : October 2010 by Jing Wen

- Length: 140 mn

- Producer : New Images

- CD : by Sony Classical 88697 99256 2

- Length: 109mm

- Producer: Le Vision Pictures

- CD: by Sony Classical 88843054472

Song 歌曲

- Theme song of 29th Olympic games in Beijing 2008

- First audition on Aug 8th 2008 in Beijing by LIU Huan and Sarah Brightmann

- Length: 3 mn

- Length: 3 mn

- First audition on Jan 1st 2011 in Putuo by Chang Shilei

- Length: 5 mn

- Length: 3 mn

- Length: 5 mn 24 sc

- Length: 3 mn 27 sc

- First audition ion June 2014 at Dragon Tiger Mountain (Jiangxi),in 江西龙虎山 by Faye WONG王菲

Music for open air project 大型露天活动音乐

1. Scroll Painting 画卷

2. Ritual Music 礼乐

3. You and me 我和你

Publishers

- Gérard Billaudot Editeur (Paris, from 1985 to 2007)

- Boosey & Hawkes (London, since 2008)

- Durand (for La Nuit Profonde & Raise the Red Lantern)

References

- BBC NOW/Zhang review – hypnotic, seductive stuff: Qigang Chen’s beguiling score was conducted with love and care by Xian Zhang, who also brought grand passion to Rachmaninov’s second symphony (Royal Albert Hall, London)http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jul/30/bbcnow-zhang-chen-premiere-prom-15

- Proms 2015: Prom 15, Prokofiev, Qigang Chen & Rachmaninov, review: 'beguiling' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/11770347/Proms-2015-Prom-15-Prokofiev-Qigang-Chen-and-Rachmaninov-review-beguiling.html

- Prom, 15, review: Qigang Chen's Iris devoilee shows an interesting way forward http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/classical/reviews/prom-15-review-qigang-chens-iris-devoilee-shows-an-interesting-way-forward-10426743.html

- Prom 2: A tentative orchestra but a dazzling soloist https://bachtrack.com/review-proms-china-philharmonic-balsom-july-2014

- BBC Proms: China Philharmonic, review: a triumph of programming. The visit from the China Philharmonic to the Proms was full of shrewd choices says Ivan Hewett http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/10979129/BBC-Proms-China-Philharmonic-review-a-triumph-of-programming.html

- Prom 2: China Philharmonic Orchestra/Yu review – a bit too cool https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/20/prom-2-china-philharmonic-orchestra-yu-review

- Memories of son inspire composer Chen Qigang to escape his creative abyss http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1767928/memories-son-inspire-composer-chen-qigang-escape-his-creative-abyss

- Konzert West-östliche Klangspiele: Long Yu dirigiert die Münchner Philharmoniker http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/konzert-west-oestliche-klangspiele-1.3042458

- MÜNCHEN/Die Münchner Philharmoniker – Qigang Chen – Gustav Mahler http://der-neue-merker.eu/muenchendie-muenchner-philharmoniker-qigang-chen-gustav-mahler

- The China NCPA Orchestra is (mostly) brilliant at Koerner Hall in Toronto http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/music/the-china-ncpa-orchestra-is-mostly-brilliant-at-koerner-hall-in-toronto

- Beijing orchestra makes impressive showing in Chicago debut http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2014/11/beijing-orchestra-makes-impressive-showing-in-chicago-debut/

-China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra is four years old and on tour http://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/visiting-chinese-orchestra-gives-energetic-performance

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