The Chinese conscience of contemporary music

The Chinese conscience of contemporary music

main

norman lebrecht

November 02, 2014

Tim Page, who writes far too little these days, has contributed a beautiful profile of Chou Wen-chung, composer and inspirational composition teacher at Columbia to generations of gifted musicians.

Chou, now 91, came to the US in 1946 and studied with Luening and Ussachevsky, Columbia’s electronic music pioneers.

But it was as assistant and interpreter to the aged Edgard Varèse that he entered music history. ‘I knew,’ said Chou, ‘that I would either be a composer or have a very unhappy life.’

Read Tim’s piece here.

chou wen-chung

Photograph by Karli Cadel

Comments

MOST READ TODAY: