Zhaoyu Zhang (b. 1988) is an award-winning composer trying to incorporate experimental elements into his compositions by using effective and creative way that produces high quality sounds. Born in Mainland of China, he grew up in Inner Mongolia, where the rich cultural heritage of the Han-Mongolian border region influences much of his music.
His compositions has won many awards. These include: first prize in Palatino composition competition (China), 2nd prize in Golden Key Music Festival competition (USA), honorable mention in the Sun River Prize (China), Shanghai TMSK Competition (China) and ASEAN Composition Competition (China), finalist in Antonin Dvorak competition (Czech Republic), ASCAP competition (USA), and the winner of 20th Annual 21st Century Piano Commission (University of Illinois). His electroacoustic compositions have been selected into SEAMUS, NYCEMF, New Music Symposium SCI University of Iowa, WOCMAT in Taiwan, SCI national and regional conferences, N_SEME and many other conferences and festivals across the globe.
Zhaoyu received his undergraduate degree in composition and theory from Central Conservatory in China, and master’s and doctoral degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where he worked as a graduate teaching assistant. Zhaoyu has studied composition with Danbu Chen, Stephen Taylor, Erik Lund, Sever Tipei, Carlos Carrillo, and advanced studio techniques with Scott Wyatt and Eli Fieldsteel.
Inheritance is a fundamental key to the developmental stages. It is not equal to backwardness. It indicates the starting point from which the materials were replicated and enlivened. This work addresses the sound material inheritance and combinations of inherited sound materials in a variety of ways. The scope of the view is shifted in and out of the acoustic environment that created by the placement of in-series gestures and their backgrounds. Through deliberate use of transforming the gestures, inheritances that had been chased for and driven away is near to be imagined.