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Shih-Hui Chen () is a Taiwanese composer who lives and works in the
21C: Classical, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Music
Festival at Rice University. Chen Shih-hui's work has been performed widely throughout the U.S. and abroad, including Taiwan, China, Germany, and Italy. In 1999, she received an American Academy in
Shepherd School of Music Faculty Biography
ontains performance calendar of Rice University engagements and further information about 21C
Composer's WebsiteComposer's SoundCloud[Video
"Returning Souls" with Formosa Quartet">ideo">[Video
"Returning Souls" with Formosa Quartet
[Video
"Echoes from Within: A Musical Response to Cy Twombly"] {{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Shih-Hui Taiwanese women composers 1962 births Living people 20th-century Taiwanese classical composers 21st-century classical composers Taiwanese music educators Taiwanese women music educators Taiwanese women classical composers Musicians from Taipei Northern Illinois University alumni Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni Rice University faculty Taiwanese emigrants to the United States 20th-century Taiwanese composers 21st-century Taiwanese composers 20th-century women composers 21st-century women composers
Shih-Hui Chen () is a Taiwanese composer who lives and works in the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Biography
Chen Shih-hui (陳士惠) was born inTaipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
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, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, and came to the United States in 1982 to study for a master's degree from Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...
and a doctoral degree from Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
. After receiving her D.M.A.
The doctor of musical arts (DMA) is a doctoral academic degree in music. The DMA combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually music performance, music composition, or conducting) with graduate-level academic study in su ...
in music composition, Shih-Hui Chen took a position at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres.
Rice University comp ...
where she is currently Professor of Music Composition and Theory. Chen also serves on Asia Society
The Asia Society is a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on educating the world about Asia. It has several centers in the United States (Manhattan, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle) and around the world (Hong Ko ...
Texas Center's Performing Arts & Culture Committee and is the director o21C: Classical, Contemporary, and Cross-Cultural Music
Festival at Rice University. Chen Shih-hui's work has been performed widely throughout the U.S. and abroad, including Taiwan, China, Germany, and Italy. In 1999, she received an American Academy in
Rome Prize
The Rome Prize is awarded by the American Academy in Rome, in Rome, Italy. Approximately thirty scholars and artists are selected each year to receive a study fellowship at the academy. Recipients must be American citizens. Prizes have been aw ...
, a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...
in 2000, and a Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, Music of the United States, music, and Visual art of the United States, art. Its fixed number ...
in 2007. In 2010, Chen received a Fulbright Fellowship
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
to study traditional Chinese Music, Nanguan music
Nanguan (; also ''nanyin'', ''nanyue'', ''xianguan'', or ''nanqu'') is a style of Chinese classical music, Chinese chamber music from the southern Chinese province of Fujian. Nanguan was first brought to Taiwan during the Ming dynasty by the Han ...
, and music of Taiwanese Indigenous peoples.
Work
Musical style
Chen Shih-hui composes fororchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
, chamber ensemble
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...
, voice, and solo instruments. She also composes music for theater and film.
Her music blends both her Western training and cultural heritage. A citation accompanying her 2007 Goddard Lieberson Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters states, “Among the composers of Asian descent living in the U.S.A.,Shih-Hui Chen is most successful in balancing the very refined spectral traditions of the East with the polyphonic practice of Western art-music. In a seamless narrative, her beautiful music, always highly inventive and expressive, is immediately as appealing as it is demanding and memorable.”
Selected recent compositions
*Messages from a Formosan Village (2019) * Echoes from Within: A Musical Response to Cy Twombly for sheng, contrabass and electronics (2018) * Withhold the Umbrella for Chinese Orchestra (2018) * Flashback Moments for piano quartet (2018) * The Pilgrimage for Acapella Chorus (2017) * Ascending Waves for large orchestra (2017) * Silvergrass, Cello and Chamber Orchestra or Ensemble (2016) *Ten Thousand Blooms, Falling Petals for Traditional Korean Orchestra or ensemble (2015) * Fantasia on the Theme of Guanlingsan for Zheng and Chinese Chamber Orchestra or Ensemble (2014, 2015) * A Plea to Lady Chang’e for Nanguan Pipa and String Quartet or Orchestra (2013, 2014) * Returning Souls: Four Short Pieces on Three Formosan Amis Legends for Solo Violin or String Quartet (2011, 2013) * Our Names, for Narrator and Chamber Ensemble (2010) * Returnings, for Flute, Percussion and Cello (2010) * Fantasia on the Theme of Plum Blossoms for String Quartet (2007-9)Distinctions
*Barlow Endowment The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition is a scholarship established in September 1983 through the generosity of Milton A. and Gloria Barlow. Motivated by their love of music, the Barlows presented a substantial gift to Brigham Young University ...
Commission (2001).
* Bunting Institute Fellowship at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, also known as the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, is an institute of Harvard University that fosters interdisciplinary research across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, arts ...
(1996).
* Fulbright Fellowship
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...
(2010) for study of traditional Chinese Music, Nanguan music, and music of the Taiwanese aboriginal people.
* Fromm Music Foundation Commission (1995).
* Goddard Lieberson Fellowship, American Academy of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, Music of the United States, music, and Visual art of the United States, art. Its fixed number ...
(2007).
* Koussevitzky Music Foundation Commission (2004).
* John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...
(2000).
* Rome Prize
The Rome Prize is awarded by the American Academy in Rome, in Rome, Italy. Approximately thirty scholars and artists are selected each year to receive a study fellowship at the academy. Recipients must be American citizens. Prizes have been aw ...
, The American Academy in Rome
The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo in Rome, Italy. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.
History 19th century
In 1893, a group of American architect ...
, Italy (1999).
References
External links
Shepherd School of Music Faculty Biography
ontains performance calendar of Rice University engagements and further information about 21C
Composer's Website
"Returning Souls" with Formosa Quartet">ideo">
"Returning Souls" with Formosa Quartet
"Echoes from Within: A Musical Response to Cy Twombly"] {{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Shih-Hui Taiwanese women composers 1962 births Living people 20th-century Taiwanese classical composers 21st-century classical composers Taiwanese music educators Taiwanese women music educators Taiwanese women classical composers Musicians from Taipei Northern Illinois University alumni Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni Rice University faculty Taiwanese emigrants to the United States 20th-century Taiwanese composers 21st-century Taiwanese composers 20th-century women composers 21st-century women composers