Bright Sheng is an esteemed Chinese-American composer whose musical language is as eclectic as it is enchanting, effortlessly bridging the gaps between Eastern and Western classical music traditions. Born on December 6, 1955, in Shanghai, China, Sheng was deeply influenced by the cultural upheaval during the Cultural Revolution, an experience that would later permeate his compositions with complex emotional landscapes. He moved to the United States in the mid-1980s, where he furthered his education at Queens College and Columbia University, studying with luminaries like Leonard Bernstein and Chou Wen-chung.

As a composer, Sheng has created an impressive body of work that includes symphonies, chamber music, opera, and choral pieces. His music often integrates Chinese and Western instruments and has been lauded for its strikingly vivid use of tonal color and narrative depth. Bright Sheng’s most recent releases, such as "Bright Sheng: Let Fly, Zodiac Tales & Suzhou Overture," and "The Intimacy of Creativity: 5 Year Retrospective," showcase the breadth of his artistic vision and his continuous evolution as a composer. He has received numerous awards and honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship, and his works are performed around the world by major orchestras and ensembles. As a respected educator, Sheng also shares his creative knowledge with students in his role as a professor of composition at the University of Michigan, contributing to the next generation of composers and musicians.

Genres

American Contemporary Classical

Chinese Classical

Contemporary Classical

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Lou Harrison

Latest Release

Three Songs for Violoncello and Pipa: I. Seasons (arr. for guitar and cello)

Bright Sheng•

Xuefei Yang

Single - Released August 30, 2024