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Hai Deng Yan was a Chinese composer who was born on December 12, 1925, in the city of Shanghai. He was the youngest of six children in his family, and his parents were both musicians. His father was a violinist, and his mother was a pianist. From a young age, Hai Deng Yan was exposed to music and began to show an interest in it. Hai Deng Yan began his formal music education at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1941. He studied composition under the tutelage of Ding Shande, a prominent Chinese composer. During his time at the conservatory, Hai Deng Yan also studied piano and violin. He graduated in 1946 and went on to teach at the conservatory for several years. In 1950, Hai Deng Yan moved to Beijing to work for the Central Philharmonic Society. He worked as a composer and arranger for the society, and he also conducted the orchestra on occasion. During this time, he composed several works that would become some of his most famous, including his Symphony No. 1 and his Piano Concerto No. 1. In 1957, Hai Deng Yan was sent to Moscow to study at the Moscow Conservatory. He studied composition under the famous Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. While in Moscow, Hai Deng Yan also attended concerts and operas, which exposed him to a wide range of Western classical music. After returning to China in 1961, Hai Deng Yan continued to compose and teach. He became a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where he taught composition and music theory. He also served as the vice president of the Chinese Musicians' Association. Throughout his career, Hai Deng Yan composed a wide range of works, including symphonies, concertos, chamber music, and vocal music. His music is characterized by its use of Chinese folk melodies and traditional Chinese instruments, as well as its incorporation of Western classical music techniques. One of Hai Deng Yan's most famous works is his Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1954. The symphony is in four movements and is scored for a large orchestra. The first movement is marked by its use of Chinese folk melodies, while the second movement is more introspective and features a solo violin. The third movement is a lively scherzo, and the fourth movement is a triumphant finale. Another notable work by Hai Deng Yan is his Piano Concerto No. 1, which he composed in 1956. The concerto is in three movements and is scored for piano and orchestra. The first movement is marked by its use of Chinese folk melodies, while the second movement is a lyrical adagio. The third movement is a lively rondo that features virtuosic piano passages. Hai Deng Yan also composed several works for traditional Chinese instruments, including his Concerto for Erhu and Orchestra, which he composed in 1982. The erhu is a two-stringed Chinese instrument that is similar to a violin. The concerto is in three movements and features the erhu as the solo instrument. The first movement is marked by its use of Chinese folk melodies, while the second movement is a slow and introspective adagio. The third movement is a lively rondo that features the erhu in virtuosic passages. Hai Deng Yan's music has been performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world, and he is considered one of the most important Chinese composers of the 20th century. He passed away on December 28, 2015, at the age of 90.

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