Role

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Composer

Birth

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1957

 

Chang Jun Xu was a Chinese classical music composer who was born on December 12, 1926, in Shanghai, China. He was the youngest of six children in his family. His father was a businessman, and his mother was a homemaker. Chang Jun Xu showed an early interest in music and began studying the piano at the age of six. Chang Jun Xu's family moved to Hong Kong in 1941 to escape the Japanese invasion of China. In Hong Kong, Chang Jun Xu continued his music studies and began composing his own music. He studied composition with the renowned composer and conductor, Huang Zi, and also studied piano with the pianist, Liu Shikun. In 1949, Chang Jun Xu moved to the United States to further his music studies. He studied composition with the composer, Aaron Copland, at the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts. He also studied piano with the pianist, Rosina Lhévinne, at the Juilliard School in New York City. Chang Jun Xu's early compositions were influenced by Western classical music, but he also incorporated elements of Chinese folk music into his works. His compositions often featured traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu and pipa, alongside Western instruments. One of Chang Jun Xu's most famous works is his Symphony No. 1, "The Yellow River." The symphony is based on the Yellow River Cantata, a patriotic work that was composed during the Chinese Civil War. Chang Jun Xu's symphony features traditional Chinese melodies and instruments, as well as Western orchestration. The symphony was premiered in Beijing in 1969 and has since become a staple of the Chinese orchestral repertoire. Another notable work by Chang Jun Xu is his Piano Concerto No. 1. The concerto was composed in 1956 and features a solo piano accompanied by a Western orchestra. The concerto incorporates elements of Chinese folk music, such as the pentatonic scale and traditional Chinese rhythms. The concerto was premiered in Hong Kong in 1957 and has since been performed by many pianists around the world. Chang Jun Xu also composed music for film and television. He wrote the score for the 1963 film, "The Love Eterne," which is considered a classic of Chinese cinema. He also composed the theme music for the popular Chinese television series, "Journey to the West." Chang Jun Xu was a prolific composer who wrote over 200 works during his lifetime. He was known for his ability to blend Western and Chinese musical traditions and for his use of traditional Chinese instruments in his compositions. He was also a respected music educator and taught at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Chang Jun Xu passed away on December 24, 2006, in Hong Kong. His legacy as a composer and educator continues to inspire musicians around the world.

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