As a composer, Lan Tung creates a new voice that draws inspiration from her background in Chinese music and, at the same time, incorporates influences from various genres: from western contemporary music, creative improvisation, to various ethnic styles. Her rhythmic intricacy has a direct influence from Indian music, while her passionate melodies come from Flamenco and Central Asian music, and the sense of breath/space from Chinese music. She uses elements of traditional music as bridges to connect between Asian and western ears, while experimenting with contradictions by taking culturally specific materials outside their context and fusing them with other genres. She also draws inspiration from ancient myth, philosophy, poetry, paintings, landscape, and other imageries. Incorporating improvisation and graphic notations with Asian traditions, she explores a new territory to discover fresh sounds.
Lan’s composition credits range from chamber, improvisational, world and fusion, theater, dance, choral to film music. She was the composer in residence with the Upstream Ensemble (Halifax). Her works have been performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Turning Point Ensemble, Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra (Vancouver & Toronto), Atlas Ensemble (Amsterdam & Helsinki), Taipei Chinese Orchestra, Chai Found Music Workshop (Taipei), and Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taipei & China). In 2010, she won the forth place at the Yin-Yang International Composition Competition in Taiwan.
Lan is the resident composer of the Orchid Ensemble, and composes regularly for her other projects such as the Sound of Dragon Ensemble, Have Bow Will Travel, Naadaleela Ensemble, Vancouver Erhu Quartet, Birds of Paradox, and Sounds Global Ensemble. Her commissions from the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra and TomoeArts Society received the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. In 2012, she established “Proliferasian”, dedicated to perform her music written with combinations of graphic and conventional notations for improvising musicians.
Lan’s music is released on a number of CDs: From A Dream, Life Death Tears Dream, Birds of Paradox, Road to Kashgar, Heartland and Tandava, winning multiple nominations by the JUNO Awards, Independent Music Awards, Canadian Independent Music Awards, and Western Canadian Music Awards.
Original Compositions
(click on the pieces to watch videos and view program notes in English & Chinese)
i) Large Ensemble/Orchestra
Taste of Taiwan《品味臺灣》(2017) － Lan Tung
－ vocal & chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra with a Canada Council commissioning grant
The Righteous Drummer (Ma Cao)《罵曹》 (2014)－ Lan Tung
－ Beijing opera vocal & chamber orchestra or intercultural orchestra or Chinese orchestra, premiered by Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra in Markham, Ontario, 2015
Sound of Dragon 《龍吟滄海》 (2014) －Lan Tung
－ 1-3 soloists & chamber orchestra or intercultural orchestra or Chinese orchestra, written for/premiered by the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchstra at the inaugural Sound of Dragon Music Festival, 2014
(Hopefully) Happily Ever After (2012)－ Lan Tung
－ vocal/solo improviser & chamber orchestra or intercultural orchestra or Chinese orchestra, , premiered by Atlas Ensemble in Amsterdam, 2012
Peony Dreams 《牡丹驚夢》 (2011)－ Lan Tung
－ vocal/solo improviser & chamber orchestra or intercultural orchestra or Chinese orchestra, commissioned by the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra and premiered at the National Concert Hall in Taiwan on Dec 23, 2011.
Ba Ban Variations 《八板變奏曲》(2009 & 2010) － Lan Tung
－1-3 soloists & chamber orchestra or intercultural orchestra or Chinese orchestra
ii) Chamber Ensemble
The Legend of the Kui Niu 《夔牛傳奇》(2023) – Lan Tung
– for PhoeNX Ensemble: erhu, pipa, harp, and percussion
Ay Yo Wei《哎喲喂》(2021)－ Lan Tung
－ for Naadaleela Ensemble: erhu, vocal, ney, Carnatic vocal, zheng, electric guitar, mridangam, percussion, and Chinese opera percussion
From the Stars《星空》(2017)－ Lan Tung
－ for Orchid Ensemble‘s 20th anniversary production of “Music of the Heavens”: erhu, vocal, zheng & percussion
Celestial River《銀河》(2014, 2016)－ Lan Tung
－ originally written for TomoeArts’ production of “Weaver Woman”, the new arrangement was for the Orchid Ensemble‘s 20th anniversary production of “Music of the Heavens”: vocal, zheng & percussion
Oriole《鶯》(2015)－ Lan Tung
－ for Sound of Dragon Ensemble: erhu, vocal, flute, dizi, cello, ruan & percussion
－ for Proliferasian: erhu, vocal, trumpet, electric guitar, cello, bass & drums
－ for Lalun: erhu, vocal, hand pans, bass & percussion
Double Happiness《双喜》(2014) – Lan Tung, commissioned by Russell Wallace
－erhu & violin;
－erhu & cello
(Hopefully) Happily Ever After《從此過著幸福快樂的日子嗎？》(2012)－ Lan Tung
－ chamber ensemble of improvising musicians on voice plus minimum 5 more instruments, various instrumentations
Beijing Opera Rock《京劇搖滾》(2010) – Lan Tung
－ Chinese ensemble: dizi, erhu, zheng, pipa, yangqin, daruan, percussion
－ quartet: flute or clarinet, cello, piano, and erhu or violin or viola (2012)
Moon World《月世界》 (2011) – Lan Tung & Li Tung
– flexible instrumentation, 4-15 players
Colourful Clouds Eating the Moon《彩雲吞月》– Lan Tung (2009, 2021) － for Birds of Paradox: erhu, vocal, bansuri, electric guitar, bass
－ for Naadaleela: erhu, vocal, ney, zheng, electric guitar, percussion
－ for Birds of Paradox: erhu, vocal, bansuri, electric guitar, bass
－ for Lalun: erhu, vocal, hand pans, percussion
Dancing Moon《月舞 》(2009) – Lan Tung
– erhu, cello, percussion (2016)
– erhu/voice, zheng, percussion (2009); for erhu, clarinet, bass & drum (2012)
This piece is released on the Orchid Ensemble’s CD Life Death Tears Dream, and won The Most Eclectic Song of the International Independent Music Awards
Xiao He《小河》 (2008 & 2009) – Lan Tung, Ron Samworth, Neelamjit Dhillon
– flexible instrumentation
Asian Market – Chapter 1. China (2008) – Lan Tung
－ flexible instrumentation
Traveling with My Sixth Sense《第六感之旅》(2004) – Lan Tung
－ Graphic notation, flexible instrumentation, 4 players
401 – Lan Tung, Mei Han, Jonathan Bernard (2002)
Meeting in the Yurt《敖包隨想曲 》– Lan Tung, Mei Han, Jonathan Bernard
Bengalila – Prashant J. Michael, R. Raine-Reusch & Orchid Ensemble
iii) Theatre
Weaver Woman Suite《織女》 (2014-2015) – Lan Tung, Commissioned by Tomoe Arts Society, with a Canada Council for the Arts Music Commissioning Grant
1. Morning Glittering 2. Circling 3. Xiao He Tang Shui 4. Laundry 5. Cold Mountain 6. Swing 7. Yasodhara’s Flowers 8. Celestial Bridge 9. Morning Symphony 10. Flood 11. Dream 12. Reconciliation
Red Snow (2010) – Lan Tung
iV) Film Music
Wind Desires the Clouds《風想雲》(2009) – Lan Tung
－erhu, vocal, zheng, percussion;
－erhu & percussion
v) Dance Music
Crossing Mountains & Seas《穿越山海經》(2019)－ Lan Tung
– erhu, voice, zheng, percussion
1-hr inter-disciplinary performance, choreography Julia Taffe & chengxin Wei (2019)
Dream《夢》(2014)－ Lan Tung
– erhu, cello, percussion
choreography Colleen Lanki & Matthew Romaintini (2014)
Cold Mountain《寒山》(2014)－ Lan Tung
– vocal, cello, percussion
choreography Colleen Lanki (2015)
Swing《盪》(2014)－ Lan Tung
– erhu, cello, percussion
choreography Colleen Lanki (2014)
Xiao He Tang Shui《小河淌水》(2010, 2014)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu, cello, percussion
choreography Colleen Lanki (2014)
Circling (2010)－ Lan Tung – erhu, cello, percussion
choreography Matthew Romaintini (2013)
401 (2002)－Lan Tung, Mei Han, Jonathan Bernard
choreographed by Jessican Jone and Chengxin Wei of Moving Dragon for Triaspora (2007 & 2009)
Arrangements
i) Chamber Ensembles
Autumn Moonlight on the Peaceful Lake《平湖秋月》(2013)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu, piano, (percussion)
– erhu & cello, (percussion) (2016)
– erhu, cello, zheng, percussion (2018)
Sunan Tune《蘇南小曲》(2013)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu, piano, (percussion)
Horse Racing《賽馬》(2013)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu, piano, (percussion)
Song Lang《送郎》(2012)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– vocal & zheng; vocal & piano
Gan Sheng Ling《趕牲靈》(2012)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– vocal, erhu, cello (2016)
– vocal & zheng; vocal & piano
– vocal, erhu, cello, zheng, percussion (2018)
Poem of Spring《春詩》(2012)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu & zheng
O World《世界》(2011)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– vocal, erhu, zheng, percussion
Flowing River《江河水》－ Arr. Lan Tung (2010)
– erhu & marimba
Beaming with Joy《喜洋洋》(2010)－ Arr. Lan Tung
– erhu, tar, danbau, guitar, bass, percussion
– erhu, zheng, marimba
Xiao He Tang Shui《小河淌水》(2010)－ Arr. Lan Tung
－ vocal, pipa, ruan, marimba;
－ vocal, zheng, marimba
Temple Bells《藍調禪院鐘聲》(2008) – Arr. Lan Tung, Ron Samworth, Neelamjit Dhillon
－ erhu, electric guitar & tabla
Temple Bells colors the Cantonese melody with blues chords. It is released by Birds of Paradox on its 2009 debut CD.
Purple Bamboo《紫竹調》(2007) – Arr. Lan Tung
－ vocal, erhu, guitar, marimba, vibraphone
Three Variations on Plum Blossom《梅花三弄》– Huan Yi (appr. 350 AD), Arr. Lan Tung (2006)
－ erhu, zheng & percussion;
－ erhu, flute, zheng & percussion
Tune of Mulberry《秦桑曲》– Zhou Yanjia (1979), Arr. Lan Tung (2007)
－ zheng accompanied by erhu & percussion
Hujia《胡笳》– Cai Wenji (b.177 AD), arr.: Lan Tung (2001)
－ vocal, erhu, zheng & percussion
Three Treasures《三寶佛》– Traditional, Arr. Lan Tung (2001)
－ erhu, zheng & percussion;
－ erhu, zheng & percussion (1998);
－ erhu, pipa, ruan, percussion (2010)
New Year’s Eve《良宵》– Tian-hua Liu, Arr.: Lan Tung (1998)
－ erhu & cello (2016)
－ erhu, zheng & percussion (1998);
－ erhu, pipa, ruan, marimba (2010);
－ erhu, marimba (2015)
Harvest Season《豐收秧歌》– Ming Kao, Arr.: Lan Tung (1998)
－ erhu, zheng & percussion (1998);
－ erhu, pipa, ruan, percussion (2010)
ii) Choral
Taiwanese Folk Song Medley《臺灣民謠聯奏》– Arr. Lan Tung (2005)
－ choir (SMA, SAB or SATB), erhu, zheng & percussion
Ting Song《聽松》– Huan Yan-jun (1890-1950), Arr. Lan Tung (2004)
－ erhu with choir (SMA, SAB or SATB), zheng & percussion