“Metamorphosis VI”
--Wind prayer-- 
for Sheng, Pipa, Gu Zheng & 10 western instruments (2005)
Dedicated to Nieuw Ensemble
Metamorphose from my work:
“I hear the wind calling” for ensemble (2003)
Last July 2005, during my stay in Lyo Island, a little island in Denmark, I rework and convey my derivation of idea on my previous piece “I hear the wind calling” for western instrument ensemble. 

The main musical idea of the previous composition is remains; this new work is more than just a variation; it is a sublimation or mutation from the same musical idea or emotional condition evident in the previous composition

For a long time, I interest in music, literature, poem, painting and calligraphy of the ancient Tang Dynasty has prompted me to experiment with “the abstract form-Qi” of the Chinese calligraphy and ink painting to present the image of wind in this composition. I interprets the tranquility and movement of the wind in this piece as an abstract space, where every point and line, bright and dark, strong and weak, silence and action were influenced and transformed each other, it shows an esoteric feeling of space and the inherent power of the counters unification like the nature. 

In this piece, I’d like to create the confluence sounds of the timbre of both Eastern and Western instruments. In this work, I attempt to create the mobility of sound like wind during the performance, so I disposed the flute, clarinet and Sheng off stage and put them around the audience; also make a total rearrangement of the disposition of the instruments on the stage; You will listen to the wind’s “soundscape” from different directions and depthness of this new confluence sounds inside the concert space.

This piece is written especially for the “Nieuw ensemble’s young Chinese composer competition 2004, Holland” which was first performed by Mr.Wu Wei (Sheng); Miss Min XiaoFen (Pipa); Miss Xu FengXia (Gu Zheng); Nieuw ensemble and conducted by Mr. Ed Spanjaard at Theatre Korzo (Den Haag) on 12/10/2005, Lantaren/Venster (Rotterdam) on 13/10/2005 & Muziekgebouw aan ‘tIJ (Amsterdam) on 14/10/2005.

I dedicate the work to the Nieuw Ensemble.


Matemorphosis VI-wind prayer-Nieuw Ensemble

空山
為室內樂團 （九位音樂家）而作     
Kong Shan (Hollow mountain) 
for chamber ensemble (9 players)

Instrumentation: 
1Fl (A. fl+Thai gong), 1Ob (Thai gong) 1Cl (B. cl+ Thai gong) /1Perc /1Pf /1Vln, 1Vla, 1Vc, 1D.b

Composed: September 2003
Commissioned by: TRANSIT Festival 2003
Dedication: Prof. Mark Delaere
Duration: ca 11’	
World premiere: 24/10/2003; “TRANSIT” festival 
Venue: STUCK (Leuven, Belgium) 
1st Performed by: Ensemble Mosaik  (Berlin/Germany)
                                  Enno Pope (conductor)
~ Financial assistance provided by the Vlaamse Gemeenschap (The Flemish Community)~ 

“Kong Shan” (Hollow Mountain) (2003)
“Kong Shan” (Hollow Mountain) for 9 musicians is a reflection of silent and movement fancy in the poem of “Lu Chai” (DEER-PARK HERMITAGE) by Wang Wei (Tang dynasty). 

This poem showed the emotion of tranquillity and movement transformed from each other. His poems always full of description about the beauty, silent, movement, emptiness and fullness of nature, as you can see it by your eyes and hear by your ears like a living likeness Chinese landscape ink painting in front of you! 

This is my second piece that I used his poem as my musical reflection; previous one is “Liu-xu-fei” (HARMONIZING A POEM BY PALACE-ATTENDANT GUO) for oboe and cello (2001). I’ve been very influenced by the music, poems, literatures, paintings and calligraphy from the ancient Tang Dynasty (618-907) during my studies in the province of Xian, China where I obtained my Bachelor of Arts. Today my music reflects all these influences. 

I hope that my music gives an abstract space for the listener, where you can feel every point and line, bright and dark, strong and weak, silence and action, which influences and transforms each other; it shows an esoteric feeling of space and the inherent power of the counters unification of nature. 

In this piece, I intended to create a mobility of sound during the performance, so I disposed the instruments of the ensemble, which will create a different layers and depth of the acoustic sound space. 

-鹿柴-    王維 (唐朝)
空山不見人， 但聞人語響。 
返景入深林， 復照青苔上。 

Translation in English:
“Lu Chai” (DEER-PARK HERMITAGE)

There seems to be no one on the hollow mountain.... 
And yet I think I hear a voice, 
Where sunlight, entering a grove, 
shines back to me from the green moss.

Kong Shan_Hollow mountain

獨腳戲
為雙簧管獨奏，室內樂團和現場電子互動而作     
Monodrama 
for Oboe solo, ensemble and live electronics  

Instrumentation: 
Ob solo + 1 Fl (Alto+Bass Fl), 1 Cl (Bass Cl) / 1 Perc / 1 Pf / 2 Vln, 1 Vla, 1 Vc

Composed: 2004 
Commissioned by: Spectra ensemble (Belgium)
Dedication: Piet Van Bockstals and Filip Rathe
Duration: ca 13’	
World premiere: 21/10/2004; “Transit” New Music Festival 2004
Venue: STUK, Leuven, Belgium.
1st performed by: Piet Van Bockstals (oboe)
                                  Spectra Ensemble (Belgium) 
                                  Filip Rathe (conductor)
“Monodrama” (2004) 

This work conceived as a concertante piece and had great influence from Malaysia Gamelan music. Firstly, I focused on the sound sample of Gamelan bow-string instrument “Rebab” as main feature sound materials in the electronic part. Secondly, I used Oboe solo to imitate the sound of Gamelan Oboe-like double reeds instrument “Serunai”. These two main figures versus and compromise each other; with the inherent virtuosic nature of the western instruments, electronic and the Asian musical instrument sounds and aesthetic. It creates and transforms the unique of contradiction and an amalgamation of the eastern and the western musical worlds. 

I intend to create a mobility of different sounds during the performance, so I will dispose the instruments of the ensemble on stage and dispose the loudspeakers surrounding the audience; this will create a different layers and depth of the acoustic sound space in my piece.

Monodrama

意
為弦樂三重奏而作
Yi 
for string trio 

Composed: 2000-2001 
Commissioned by: --
Dedication: Mr. ZAO WOU-KI
Duration: ca 11’	
World premiere: 12/03/2001
Venue: Auditorium of Royal Conservatory of Brussels (Flemish section, Belgium) 
1st performed by: Wibert AERTS (violin), 
                                   Yoshiko SATO (viola)
                                   Stijn KUPPENS (cello)  

“Yi” (2000-2001)
This work presents a Chinese philosophical concept of energy and desire -- at the apex of concentration, one attains 'Yi', thus enabling breakthrough of the mind ,body…etc.

展現精神
為小提琴和鋼琴而作
Unfolding spirit
for violin and piano 

Composed: 2009
Commissioned by: TIMF ensemble (Korea) 
Dedication: To my daughter Chong Chuan Le
Duration: ca 9’	
World premiere: 23/06/2009; ADEvantgarde 09 Festival  
Venue: The Gasteig, Black Box (cultural centre in Munich, Germany).
1st performed by: TIMF ensemble (Korea) 

“Unfolding spirit” (2009)
I dedicate this work to my second daughter Chuan Le for her pure and joyful smile that unfolds the inner spirit in our journey of life!

This work was first performed by TIMF ensemble (Korea) at the ADEvantgarde 09 Festival on 23rd June 2009 in the Gasteig, Black Box (cultural centre in Munich, Germany). The Belgium premiere will take part in the KlaraFestival 2009 (International Brussels Music Festival) by TIMF ensemble (Korea) on 5th September 2009 at BOZAR, ter Arken. FORZA MUSICA! (Brussels, Belgium)

Unfolding Spirit

柳－絮－飛
為雙簧管和大提琴而作
Liu-Xu-Fei 
for oboe and cello

Composed: 2001
Commissioned by: Rafael PALACIOS and Stijn KUPPENS
Dedication: Rafael PALACIOS and Stijn KUPPENS
Duration: ca 5’30”	
World premiere: 12/03/2001
Venue: Auditorium of Royal Conservatory of Brussels (Flemish section, Belgium) 
1st performed by: Rafael PALACIOS (oboe)
                                   Stijn KUPPENS (cello) 

“Liu-Xu-Fei” (2001) 
桃李阴阴柳絮飞。――唐·王维《酬郭給事》

“HARMONIZING A POEM BY PALACE-ATTENDANT GUO”
..Where peach and plum are blooming and the willow cotton flies..Wang wei (Tang dynasty)

The title is an extract quotation from above poem by Wang wei (Tang dynasty), the title means willow catkins hover or flutter in the air. These work presents the soliloquize atmosphere between these two instruments, two personal characters……etc

I’m most grateful to oboist Mr. Rafeal PALACIOS and cellist Mr.Stijn KUPPENS for their collaboration, especially for the technical advice of them, and to whom this work is dedicated.

Liu - Xu - Fei

Metamorphosis I 
for viola and harp 

Composed: 2000
Duration: ca 11’	
World premiere: 17 Dec 2007
Venue: Advent Lutheran Church (New York, USA) 
1st Performed by: musicians of Argento ensemble (New York) 
                                  Stephanie Griffin (viola)
                                  Jacqueline Kerrod (harp) 

“Metamorphosis I” (2000)
This work is a metamorphosis of my work "The reflection of the dancing ghost" for bassoon and harp. The viola and bassoon both share the same musical emotion background presented by the harp. 

The microtone scordatura of the harp and viola create a mixture of pure and non-pure fifth tuning, as often evident in Asian folklore music.  I simulated the non-pure tempered tuning of the Chinese traditional instruments, and attempted to present the versatility of these 2 western instruments in presenting phrases, melodies and structure of Chinese folklore.

Argento Advent Lutheran Church

Metamorphosis I

鳳凰的呼喚
為37簧高音笙和室內樂團 （八位音樂家）而作之修訂版
Phoenix calling
revised version for 37-reed soprano Sheng solo and chamber ensemble (8 players)

Instrumentation: 
Shg solo/Fl/Ob/Cl/Vln/Vla/Vc/Pno/Perc

Composed: October 2013
Commissioned by: Goethe Institut Young composers competition and workshop festival 2013
Dedication: WU Wei and in memorial of the victims of tragedy in Sichuan and Myanmar
Duration: ca 14’	
World premiere: 14/12/2013; Goethe Institut Young composers Competition and workshop festival 2013 
Venue: Sangkeet Vadhana Hall, Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music (Bangkok/Thailand)
1st performed by: WU Wei (Sheng), 
                                   Ensemble Mosaik, 
                                   Enno Poppe (Conductor) 

Phoenix calling (Version 2013)
In the ancient Chinese and Egyptian mythology, phoenix is symbolized as consumed itself by fire, later to rise renewed from its ashes. 

In traditionally, the construction outlook and shape of sheng, reminding of "Phoenix wings"; it is imitating the flying phoenix and it represents as an immortal figure. In this work, Sheng reflects as phoenix and it calls for hope and peace for the victims of tragedy in Sichuan and Myanmar, as well as their families and friends, may they find peace in this catastrophic nature tragedy!

“Phoenix calling” is special written in memorial of the victims of tragedy in Sichuan and Myanmar. The revised version 2013 is specially written for the Goethe Institut Young composers Competition and workshop festival 2013 in Bangkok. I dedicated this piece to Sheng soloist Mr. Wu Wei.

Phoenix Calling_2013 Version

另一個更美好的世界
為小提琴獨奏而作                            
For another Better World 
for violin solo

Composed: 2001
Dedication:  Prof Franklin GYSELYNCK                                      
Venue: Mozarteum Concert hall (Salzburg, Austria)
Performed by: Wibert Aeart

* Special prize in the “8th International Mozart Competition, Salzburg, AUSTRIA”

For another better World

孤鐘之千縷漣漪
為中提琴獨奏而作
The Thousand Ripples Of a Lonely Bell
for viola solo

Composed: 2000-2001
Commissioned by: Paul DE CLERCK
Dedication: Paul DE CLERCK
Duration: ca 9’	
World premiere: 08/02/2001; “Concert of Vlaanderen Internationaal Franklin GYSELYNCK”
Venue: Auditorium of Royal Conservatory of  Brussels (Flemish section, Belgium)
1st Performed by: Paul DE CLERCK (viola)
Recorded by: Yoshiko Hannya
“The Thousand Ripples Of a Lonely Bell” (2000-2001)
This short piece is an honor to J.S.Bach enthusiasm about music. Be a composer, music of Bach is a great influence to me, from the very beginning of my composing, Bach led me to the highest inspiration of the creation!

For this piece, I quoted the theme from “The Art Of Fugue” by Bach. The theme reverberated throughout the piece, like the ripples from a bell, although the sounds are fading out, but it is still remained in the depth of one heart.

This work was premiere by violist Mr. Paul DE CLERCK on the 8/2/2001Vlaanderen Internationaal Franklin GYSELYNCK concert at the Brussels Royal (FLEMISH) Conservatory of Music, to whom this work is dedicated.

The Thousand Ripples Of a Lonely Bell

變形之三
為鋼琴獨奏而作
Metamorphosis III
for piano solo

Composed: 2001
Dedication: Prof. Jan Michiels 
Venue: Mozarteum Concert hall (Salzburg, Austria)
1st performed by: The participants of the “8th International Mozart Competition 2002, Salzburg, AUSTRIA” 
Recorded by: Amy Lin

* 2nd prize in the “8th International Mozart Competition, Salzburg, AUSTRIA”
** Score is published by Universal Edition.

“Metamorphosis III” (2001)
This piece is a metamorphosis of my piano solo piece “ Battarie”. “Metamorphosis III’ conveys my derivation of idea on my own composition.  

The main musical idea remains -- which are to express the beauty of the acoustic sound space after each time hitting or striking something, the resonance was always prepared by each attack and without realizing we are surrounded by this silence “sound”. 

It is more than just a variation; it is a sublimation or mutation from the same musical idea or emotional condition evident in the previous composition. 

“Metamorphosis III” proceeds from the percussions to the piano playing not only percussively, but also expressing the metamorphosis of the subtle melody, dynamic, gesture and spacial acoustics of the percussions!  

I am most grateful to Prof. Jan Michiels for his collaboration, and especially for his advise on pianistic writing.

Metamorphosis III

Metamorphosis IV
for two musicians and pre-recorded audio samples
Composed: 2001
Commissioned by: Miss Yoshiko SATO
Dedication: Miss Yoshiko SATO and Rikke PETERSEN
World premiere: 12/03/2001
Venue: Auditorium of Royal Conservatory of Brussels (Flemish section, Belgium) 
1st Performed by: Rikke PETERSEN (flute)
                                  Yoshiko SATO (viola)
                                  CHONG Kee-Yong (sound projectionist) 

This piece is a metamorphosis of my “Si” for flute solo (2000); the fourth piece in my metamorphosis series. 
“Metamorphosis IV” for two musicians and CD (2001) conveys my derivation of idea on my own composition. The main musical idea of the previous composition is remains; Two musicians (can be in any combination, premiered version: Flute & viola) and CD all shared the same musical emotion and atmosphere of “Si”. 

For me, this piece is more than just a variation; it is a sublimation or mutation from the same musical idea or emotional condition evident in the previous composition.

“Si” & “Metamorphosis IV” both were inspired by the fragmentary poem from “Wu Ti” [Untitled] (Tang dynasty) by Shang-Yin LI and the elegiac address text written by Mr. Woon-Hong WONG for our dear friend Miss Lee-Ting PHANG (1971~1989) who was killed in the car accident. 

Cherish is like the entangled threads, I treat the two musicians playing as the slender breath which simulate cherish, so remoteness like the threads that tangled people.
                                                                                                                                 The Tape part is a montage of different sort of music I listened to while I was conceiving this piece; most of them are very strong with the spirit of ritualistic!
  
“METAMORPHOSIS IV” was first performed by flutist Miss Rikke PETERSEN , violist Miss Yoshiko SATO and composer as sound projectionist on 12/03/2001 at the Auditorium of Royal Conservatory of Brussels. 

The second version (2006) is played and recorded by musicians of ENSEMBLE INTEGRALES viola/violin player Ms Barbara Lüneburg and double bass player Mr. John Eckhardt in their concerts and CD album “TRACES OF ASIA”. (CD label: Coviello Contempoarary, Germany)

Metamorphosis IV

無名者。聖擊
為四位舞台上與四位舞台下的打擊樂手和預先錄製的音頻而作
Being nameless. Holy strike 
for 4 onstage and 4 offstage percussionists with pre-recorded audio 

Composed:  November 2017
Commissioned by: Ju Percussion Group
Dedication: Ju Percussion Group
Duration:  ca 15’30”	
World premiere: 09/03/2018 
Venue: Taiwan National Concert Hall
1st performed by:  Ju Percussion Group (Taiwan)

“Being nameless. Holy strike” (2017) 
“Being nameless. Holy strike” describes the holy striking moment of being nameless saint in the holy journey of “The Ramayana”. This work is written in memory of the countless, unknown saints in history who have sacrificed their lives for peace and in their holy journey.

“無名者。聖擊”描述了“羅摩衍那”神聖旅程中無名聖人的聖擊時刻。此曲也為了紀念那些為了和平和神聖的旅程犧牲生命的無數名不見經傳的聖人。

Being Nameless - Holy strike

This short piece “Lock yourself” for 37-reed traditional soprano sheng (also Xun), Guzheng and bass clarinet with live electronic is a re-creation derive from my previous work “Wu Wei. Meng Die” for the 37-reed traditional soprano Sheng (also Xun) and bass clarinet with live electronic, “Wu Wei. Meng Die” is special written and dedicated to my best friends Wu Wei, Harry Sparnaay and team of ExperiementalStudio des SWR. 

I was always inspired by the Zhuangzi story of “Zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly”.  In “Lock yourself” you will find the similar character of struggling and confusion in life!

“Lock yourself” is written in memorial for two of the great musicians and my best friends Mr. Harry Sparnaay and Mr. Jean-Marc Sullon who are sadly lost in the cancer battle!     

I’m graceful to Mr. Patrick Hartono who re-designed and adapted the max/msp patch designed by Mr. Jean-Marc Sullon in my previous work “Timeless echoes” for “Lock yourself”!   

《自锁》 （Lock yourself)为笙兼塤、筝，低音单簧管和实时电子音乐而作，此曲是源自我在2009年为德国著名西南电台电子音乐实验工作室团队（SWR ExperimentalStudio）, 旅德37簧笙大师吴巍和去世了的荷兰当代低音单簧管教父Harry Sparnaay 的作品《无为。梦蝶》，原作深受庄子的“周庄梦蝶”的影响，《自锁》有着如原作同样的自我争扎自我怅疑的个性！我也借此作品缅怀两位被癌症残酷地夺去生命的音乐同伴Harry Sparnaay和比利时Henry Pousseur中心的首席电子音乐工程师Jean-Marc Sullon。也非常感谢印尼年轻电子作曲家Patrick Hartono和我共同重组Sullon先生为我设计的电子实时互动程序运用在《自锁》中。作品开头由台湾知名笙演奏家大师黃朧逸先生吹奏持续的长音，由弱渐强渐急，笙和日本留德低音单簧管演奏家Yuria Otaki女士低沉的互相“怒吼”着，如影随行地古筝拉奏也随着全息音场和实时电子互动让多方位音响此起彼伏的在整个音乐厅中穿梭，时而狂躁，时而不安。笙大师黃朧逸擅長傳統樂曲之演繹，並長期接觸現代音樂，近年來創辦笙樂團，不斷從事笙專業演奏及研究，現為台北和樂集團長暨藝術總監。黄老师也对作品分享了他参与这首作品的演奏感想和体会，他认为这作品以37簧笙、塤、低音單簧管、古箏等樂器築建出令人驚艷的聲響世界，特别是在此次極高規格頂級場館ZKM中，作曲家擅於空間的改置與變換來呼應此場館的優越性與獨特性，值得一提的是作曲家雖結合了東西方樂器卻能恰如其份的＂安排＂各自獨立的音色氛圍，集時間、空間、美學於一爐、淬煉出ZKM現場令人摒息且驚呼連連的聲學印象，與其讚嘆場館硬體的齊備優越，更該向作曲家的用心致敬，這一切源自於＂愛＂、源自於對逝去的人、事、物無限的的感怀。目前就讀德國卡爾斯魯爾音樂院（Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe)最高演奏家文憑的台湾留德小提琴家陳瑋中对此作品有较深刻印象，他说这三個樂器安排在音樂廳不同方位，讓聽眾猶如置身在imax電影院的環繞音響一般，讓人覺得音樂不再只是時間的藝術，而是時間與空間的結合.

Lock Yourself

Chong Kee Yong is one of the Malaysia's leading composers with a rare talent of fashioning a truly individual sound from modern experimental techniques.
Born in Kluang in southern Malaysia where his parents were farmers, he completed his Bachelor of Arts at the Xian Conservatory (China) and received his Master of Composition (Highest Honours) at the Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels. He has also attended master classes by Brian Ferneyhough, Peter Eötvös, Salvatore Sciarrino, Henri Pousseur and Hanspeter Kyburz.
Chong's distinctive style has won him many awards, commissions and composer-in-residencies, for example, the 4th International Andrzej Panufnik Competition, the 2nd Seoul International Competition for Composers, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra International Composers' Award, Lutoslawski award, BMW award in the International Isang Yun Music Prize, the Herrenhaus Edenkoben Foundation (Germany) and Asian Cultural Council.(New York)
Most recently, CHONG received the prestigious commission grant award 2009 by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation. (USA)
www.chongkeeyong.com
鍾啟榮是马来西亚顶尖的青年作曲家，并在创作现代试验性和具有特殊风格的音乐方面拥有绝对特殊的天分。著名作曲家和指揮家Peter Eötvös形容他为一名“富有想象力和诗意”的作曲家，另一名著名英國作曲家Jonathan Harvey则形容他的音乐为“非常具有创造力和纯洁的”

钟启荣诞生于南马的居銮，其父母都是种植油棕的小园主。1990年至1993年，他在马来西亚吉隆坡表演艺术学院学习古典吉他和作曲。1995年后，他远赴中国西安音乐学院并获得一等荣誉学士学位，师从饶余燕教授和张大龙教授。

1997年后，他再到比利时皇家音乐学院修读作曲系，师从Jan Van Landeghem和Daniel Capelletti教授。在2001年6月，他以一等荣誉的成绩获得作曲硕士学位。此外，他也曾经参与多位知名作曲家教授开设的大师课程，例如：Brian Ferneyhough, Daan Manneke, Zoltan Janey, Peter Eötvös, Salvatore Sciarrino, Henri Pousseur 和 Hanspeter Kyburz。

鍾啟榮的卓越表现，让他在國際上赢得多个奖项和获得无数的赞扬，因此，他也获得和世界上衆多世界級顶尖的音乐家，樂團，音乐节和基金会合作的机会。



CHONG Kee Yong

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