Born in Bejing, China, Kui Dong’s compositions span diverse genres and styles and include ballet, orchestral and chamber works, chorus, electro-acoustic music, film scores, and multi-media art and free improvisation.
Dong graduated with B.A. and M.A. degrees with honors in theory and composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1989, where she was trained in Western and Chinese classical music, as well as Chinese folk music. Between 1988-1990, she worked as a free-lance ... view more »
Born in Bejing, China, Kui Dong’s compositions span diverse genres and styles and include ballet, orchestral and chamber works, chorus, electro-acoustic music, film scores, and multi-media art and free improvisation.
Dong graduated with B.A. and M.A. degrees with honors in theory and composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1989, where she was trained in Western and Chinese classical music, as well as Chinese folk music. Between 1988-1990, she worked as a free-lance composer for film, TV and commercials, as well as composer in resident for the Central Ballet Group of China and composed a 3-act full length ballet (co-author with composer Duo Huang) “Imperial Queen Young.”
In 1991, She moved to United State and obtained a doctoral degree in composition from Stanford University. Her works written in US increasingly show a unique synthesis of influences from Avant-garde experimental, jazz, electro-acoustic and other ethnic music. In other cases she has incorporated traditional Chinese instruments and musical concepts into contemporary settings. She also occasionally performs free-improvisation on piano with her Dartmouth colleagues Christian Wolff and Larry Polansky and currently teaches music composition, theory, improvisation and contemporary music at Dartmouth College.
Among the honors and awards she has received, most notable are commissions from The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation, the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University, Meet The Composer/USA Commissioning Program, The Jerome Foundation, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and China’s new national theatre, ISCM international composition prize, Rockefeller’s Bellagio Residency, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Italy’s Val Tidone Composition competition, Austria’s Prix Ars electronics (Honorary), ASCAP Award for Young Composers, Alea III International Composition Competition and China National Dance Music. Her compositions have been presented in music festivals and concerts in Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Mexico, Spain, the United States and Uzbekistan.
Dong has recently completed a string quartet for Arditti Quartet, and a double chorus work for Volti (a mixed chorus) and Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. Her music, including three full length CDs, can be found on New World Records and Other Minds Records.
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