What ABLAZE was looking for were simply two things as we approached this first Millennial Masters volume: great compositions and excellent performances that were well recorded. We were stunned at the level of the submissions and first disc features music of superb composers from the USA, Greece, Ukraine and China. Stephen Yip was awarded a place on the disc for his stunning, evocative In the Garden for a small mixed ensemble. David Lipten's muscular, yet elegant set of piano pieces Best Served Cold, Ever Since and Snap won not only because they are marvelous compositions, but because of the tremendously lucid and effortless performances by Mark Tollefsen. The solo oboe work Progressions by Greek composer Michael Travlos brought an exciting, virtuosic dimension to the competition and a compositional voice that we believe deserves to be heard more in the United States and world over. Leading Ukrainian composer Igor Shcherbakov won a place on the disc for his luminous, emotional and virtuosic Piano-Gesang. His authoritative approach to piano writing coupled with a musical language that is forward looking yet with deep roots in the strong traditions of his culture were very impressive to us. Finally, we were delighted and captivated by Jeff Nichols' le trombe d'oro della solarità. This work is so inventive and marked by a fluidity, grace and power from the small instrumental ensemble comprised of the very best performers New York City has to offer. All of this collection of great works, tremendous performers and wonderful recordings were mastered by the superb Grammy Award winning mastering engineer, Silas Brown.

When it comes to new music, quality audio, great performances and bold, dramatic, original conceptions, you don't have to look any further than ABLAZE Records.

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In The Garden by Stephen Yip

Biography

"Stephen Yip has an extraordinary way of creating a post-Darmstadtian modernism that incorporates his Chinese roots with a subtlety that gives us a vivid experience of the inner colors of an advanced spatial sense. It leaves us with a feeling of focused tranquility. He is a genuine voice in new music today."
—Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review

“…..abound in colourful texture that take their cue from traditional Asian music….and ….Yip’s splendid ear and sophisticated technique stand him in good stead….”
—Gramophone Review

Stephen Yip was born in Hong Kong and now living in U.S.A. He received his doctor of musical arts (D.M.A.) at Rice University and bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.  He has attended major music festivals including: Wellesley Composers Conference, Aspen Music Festival, International Summer Course for New Music Darmstadt, Asian Composers’ League, ISCM World Music Days, Chinese Composers’ Festival, Music X, June in Buffalo, IMPULS Ensemble Akademie, California E.A.R. Unit Composer Seminar, the 13th International Summer Program, Czech Republic, International Composers’ Workshop, Luxembourg, the International Summer Course for New Music, Darmstadt, Germany, Wellesley Composers’ Conference. Residencies include: the Atlantic Center for the Arts, Florida, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Nebraska, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts , Yaddo Colony, NY and the MacDowell Colony, NH.    

Yip’s works have been performed in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Israel, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Philippines.  He has received several composition prizes, included “Earplay”, “Salvatore Martirano Memorial Composition Award”, “Taiwan Music Center International Composition Prize”, “Robert Avalon Interantional Prize”, “Singapore International Composition Competition for Chinese Orchestra”,  “Haifa International Composition Prize”, First International EPICMUSIC Composition Prize, Italy, International Biennial composition competition, the Debussy Trio Music Foundation, Molinari Quartet’s Third International Composition Competition, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra Emerging, the ALEA III composition Competition, the fourth NACUSA Texas Composition Competition, the International Music Prize for Excellence in Composition 2010, by the National Academy of Music, Thessaloniki, Greece, and the 2010 Alvarez Chamber Orchestra Freestyle Composition Competition, London, England .  

His works have been performed by major ensembles and players such as Alarm Will Sound, Earplay New Music, Mivos String Quartet, New York New Music Ensemble, Great Noise Ensemble, North South Consonance, Brno Philharmonc Orchestra, inFLUX Duo, Windpipe Chinese Orchestra, Little Giant Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, St. Paul Chambr Orchestra, Curious Chamber Players, TIMF Ensemble, Ensemble El Perro Andaluz, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Avanti, Ensemble Kochi, Moscow New Music Ensemble, etc.
  
Yip’s works are recorded in the ERM-Media, PARMA, Capstone, North South recording, Ablaze records, ATMA Classique, and Beauport Classical labels.  Yip is a member of the SCI, NACUSA, and ASCAP. Currently, he is on the music faculty at Houston Community College and works as a freelance composer.

Email: yshukin71@gmail.com 
Web: www.stephen-yip.com

ABLAZE Records is a company based in Australia and the USA dedicated to the recording, distribution and promotion of work by living composers and performers.

ABLAZE Records values high quality recordings and production of discs through traditional and web-based media. 

In The Garden by Stephen Yip

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