Il-Ryun Chung

In the age of 16 he started with autodidactic guitar playing and first attempts to invent music. In 1984 he went to Berlin, where he found his first teacher and supporter, Carlo Domeniconi. From 1989-1995 he completed his studies in composition at the Berlin University of Arts ( HdK Berlin ) with Prof. Jolyon Brettingham-Smith. A further encounter of great significance was his acquaintance with the Korean master drummer Kim Duk-Soo, who introduced Chung to Korean percussion music and thus made a lasting impression upon Chung's rhythmic perception.

In the year 2001 he co-founded the multinational ensemble IIIZ+ and in 2009 he co-founded the AsianArt Ensemble with instruments from China, Japan, Korea and Europe whose artistic direction he has held since then. In October 2011 the 80-minutes long work "Part of Nature" was premiered with great success in the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. In 2013 the work was performed again at the same place. 2012 the AsianArt Ensemble was awarded with the "Germen Record Critics' Award" for their first CD.

2012-2013 he wrote compositions for ensembles with Asian and European instruments, among them "GRAVITY" for daegeum, sheng, bass koto, and ensemble, commissioned by the Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung for the festival SOUNDSCAPE EASTASIA. 2014 his epic music theatre "KASSANDRA" was premiered by the Gayageum Ensemble SAGYE & guests in the National Gugak Center in Seoul. 2016 he was composer in residence of the National Orchestra of Korea. 2017 he directed the international festival for transcultural music "Turbulenzen". 2023 he was commissioned by Wu Wei for a Concerto for Sheng and Chinese Orchestra, premiered by the Kaoshiung Chines Orchestra. 2024 he is the composer in residence of the project "Music of Tomorrow" in Seoul. The marimba master performer Kuniko Kato is dedicating two portrait concerts in Tokyo and Yokohama with the entire works for marimba.

資料來源：香港科技大學逸夫演藝中心