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Born in Kluang, Johor (Malaysia),
he grew up on a palm oil plantation. His father, a farmer, wanted him to
study economics but he ‘escaped’ from home and went to the Malaysian
Institute of Art in Kuala Lumpur, where he became a music student
(1990–93) and subsequently a faculty member (1995–97). He continued
his studies with Da-Long Zhang and Yu-Yan Rao at the Xi’an Conservatory
in China. His professor recommended him to a friend at the Royal Flemish
Conservatory of Music of Brussels. For two years, he studied in the day
under the guidance of Jan Van Landeghem, and worked late nights washing
dishes and serving in a Taiwanese restaurant. In 2001 he studied
electroacoustic music with Peter Swinnen and received
a diploma in composition with the highest distinction. He attended many
composers’ seminars given by Brian Ferneyhough and Salvatore Sciarrino
in Brussels, Zoltan Janey and Peter Eötvös in Paris and Henri Pousseur
in Switzerland, the composers’ course in Boswil (Switzerland) and the
Composers’ Forum of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
His honours include the Prix Marcel Hastir from Belgique Academie Royale
des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux- Arts (1999, 2003), First Prize at
the 18th icoms International Composers’ Competition in Turin (2000),
Second Prize at the 8th International Mozart Competition in Salzburg
(2001), First Prize at the 4th International Andrzej Panufnik Competition
for Young Composers in Kraków (2002), the Grand Prix at the 2nd Seoul
International Competition for Composers (2003), and First Prize at the
Max-Reger-Tage International Composition Competition in Weiden, Germany
(2004). He also won the International Composers’ Award of the Malaysian
po (2004).
His commissions have included those from Het Collectief (Belgium), Ictus,
the Chamber Orchestra in Brussels, Nieuw Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Danel
Quartet (France/Belgium), Interensemble (Italy), Nouvel Ensemble
Contemporain (Switzerland), the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra as well
as many soloists in Europe, Asia and the United States.
His forthcoming commissions include works for the Spiegel Quartet (Third
String Quartet, 2007), the ‘Triatu’ Percussion Trio (2006) and the
Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (two compositions, 2006/07). In June
2004, he was unanimously awarded first prize from the Royal Conservatory
of Music in Brussels (French section).
His piece Mourning the murder of an old Banyan tree represented Malaysia
during the iscm World Music Days in Switzerland in 2004.
Selected works: Enigma I for violin and piano (1993), Enigma II for wind
quintet (1994), String Quartet No. 1 Huang tu (1994, rev. 2002), Space of
loneliness for two traditional Chinese instruments (san-xian and da-di),
percussion and string orchestra (1995), Batterie for piano (1998, rev.
2000), String Quartet No. 2 Scar (1999), The Echoed Dream for 11 string
instruments (1999, rev. 2000), Invisible Cell for recorder, percussion and
tape (2000), SI for flute solo (2000), YI for string trio (2000–01),
Metamorphosis III for piano (2001), Metamorphosis IV for two musicians and
piano (2001), Four Short Lamens for X. for flute, bass clarinet,
percussion and string trio (2001), Ye Huo for viola and 12 strings or
string orchestra (2001), Mourning the murder of an old Banyan tree for
flute (also for alto flute, Thai gong and tam-tam), clarinet (also bass
clarinet), violin, cello (amplified) and piano (amplified) (2002), Ye Huo
II for flute and 11 strings (2002), Aubade for two string groups (2002),
Il silenzio dell’Ancestrale for conductor (percussion), clarinet, viola,
piano and two percussionists (2002), Abandoned heart for oboe (also
English horn) and string quartet (2003), Epitaphe sans mots for piano trio
(2003), Wu Yan for six percussionists (2003), The starry night’s ripples
for orchestra (2003, rev. 2004), Monodrama for oboe solo, ensemble and
electronics (2004), Splattered landscape for piano (2005).
Silence Cosmos
For a long time I have been interested in the music, literature, poetry,
painting and calligraphy of the ancient Tang Dynasty (ad 618–907). It
has prompted me to experiment with the abstract form-Qi of Chinese
calligraphy and ink painting to present the ‘image’ and ‘movement’
of silence in most of my recent compositions.
In my works, I interpret the tranquillity and movement as an abstract
space, where every point and line, bright and dark, strong and weak,
silence and action influence and transform each other. It shows an
esoteric feeling of space and the inner power of the counters unification
like in the world of nature.
In this short string quartet, I was inspired by the profound hush and
overwhelming emotion of these poetic lines by Chen Ziang (689–740 Tang
Dynasty) who in the boundless space concealed his own poetic, silent
cosmos.
I see no one before me,
I see no one after me;
All alone, overwhelmed by the thought of
the eternity of heaven and earth,
My tears fall.
I have dedicated the piece to the Kairos Quartett to show my gratitude for
having performed it at the Warsaw Autumn Festival.
Kee-Yong Chong
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