Prelude — Prayer
Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra performed this work under Maestro Philip Simmons at the University of Chicago Oriental Institute on March 20, 2022.
COMPOSER · PRODUCER & PUBLISHER · VIOLINIST
“Music should spark our passion, awaken our hope, refresh our feelings, and enlighten our hearts!”
ON STAGE
CARNEGIE WEILL HALL · APRIL 4, 2024
Composed by Gong Qian Yang
Carnegie Weill Hall Gala Concert presented Gong Qian Yang’s composition Fantasy for Violin, Piano with String Orchestra on April 4, 2024. Steven Song performed the violin solo, Ante Bozic-Kudric the piano solo, with the New York Chamber Players Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Giacomo Franci. For Gong Qian Yang’s interview with James Welch following the concert, visit the Media section ↓.
ORIGINAL COMPOSITION · ORCHESTRA MANHATTAN
Gong Qian Yang’s Agitato, recorded by Orchestra Manhattan under Maestro David Wroe in 2024, features an expressive violin solo by the concertmaster.
It is with great pleasure that I share a recent recording of my composition Agitato, performed by the esteemed Orchestra Manhattan under the masterful direction of Maestro David Wroe. When I first completed this piece, it was without a title — its spirit unformed in name, yet fully realized in its music. It was only later, as I reflected on its intense emotional landscape, that I named it Agitato, a title that I feel truly encapsulates the restless, fervent energy that pulses through the work.
Collaborating with Maestro Wroe and the extraordinary musicians of Orchestra Manhattan has been an absolute joy — an enriching and transformative experience. The thrillingly expressive violin solo by the concertmaster is always a highlight, a voice that rises with such beauty and intensity, it fills the heart with emotions. This journey together, in the recording production and presenting this piece, has been a profound and unforgettable one...
— Gong Qian Yang
EARLIER PERFORMANCES & PREMIERES
Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra performed this work under Maestro Philip Simmons at the University of Chicago Oriental Institute on March 20, 2022.
At Bravo Chicago International Summer Music Festival’s gala concert at DePaul University, the symphonic work brought orchestra, choir and audience together.
American Music Festivals and Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra premiered the work with violinist Claire Arias-Kim and pianist Jaroslaw Golembiowski. The concert received coverage from NBC and WGN.
American Music Festivals, Lincolnwood Chamber Orchestra and Chicago Public Library presented Yang’s original compositions to a standing ovation.
SELECTED WORKS
From sweeping symphonic works to quiet soundscapes, each selection is an original composition by Gong Qian Yang.
EXPLORE THE MUSIC →ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Gong Qian Yang composes across modern classical music, orchestral works, choral music, soundscapes and music for film and other visual media. His works have been recorded by the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra in Europe and Orchestra Manhattan in New York.
A two-time first-prize winner of the Starling International Scholarship Foundation, he studied violin with Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus. Experiences on tour, the rhythms of nature and the connections between people continue to shape his musical language.
READ THE FULL BIOGRAPHY ↗THE ARTIST
Gong Qian Yang’s catalog moves between orchestral music, choral writing, soundscapes, jazz-influenced pieces and music for visual storytelling. He has released seven albums of original music, and his work has been recorded by the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestra Manhattan.
His music draws on the relationship between nature and human feeling. Ideas have come to him while traveling through the Appalachian Mountains, on the road to Nashville, and in moments spent close to the natural world.
Yang won first prize twice from the Starling International Scholarship Foundation. His violin studies included work with Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus at Aspen and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, along with Kathleen Lenski and Robert Lipsett in California. He holds a master’s degree in music.
At Cincinnati, composer Joel Hoffman’s class and the mentorship of conductor and composer Gerhard Samuel helped shape his approach to contemporary music. Yang continued composing while performing as a soloist and concert artist.
“Music should spark our passion, awaken our hope, refresh our feelings, and enlighten our hearts.”
MUSIC LIBRARY
Select to hear Gong Qian Yang’s original music excerpts
VIDEO ARCHIVE
Watch original compositions and violin performances here in the video archive.
DISCOGRAPHY
01Sonic PoemIncludes the symphonic poem Nature and Me, bringing voices, flute, horn and orchestral colors into a landscape of sound.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
02Sonic SpringHome to Morning Lake and In Love, moving from the quiet energy of dawn to a relaxed jazz setting.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
03Sonic WaveIncludes Foggy Lake and an earlier version of Dawn — Awakening, exploring both atmosphere and symphonic scale.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
04Lean on MeFeatures the title piece and the Awakening movement of Dawn — Awakening.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
05Music for Yoga and MoreA collection that includes the reflective work Zen.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
06Sonic FusionAn exploration of sound, defined and open pitches, and the emotional possibilities of contemporary composition.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗
07Space and StarsNature, the sea, the night sky and imagined journeys beyond Earth inform pieces including Seashore Postcard and DunHuang Prelude.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD ↗MEDIA & INTERVIEWS
Conversations, concert recordings, competition honors and an Icelandic classical music feature.
CARNEGIE HALL · 2024 INTERVIEW FEATUREA MUSICAL RETROSPECTIVE
A film from Gong Qian Yang’s media collection, bringing his musical moments together.
OPEN THE ORIGINAL VIDEO ↗
Explore the Icelandic classical music feature about his violin career and Sonic Poem.
Scroll through the gallery picture. Click the picture to open the Hugi.is page.
OPEN HUGI.IS GALLERY ↗Following the 2024 Carnegie Hall performance, Yang reflects on the concert and his composition.
A discussion of Agitato and the recording with Orchestra Manhattan.
RECOGNITION
Yang’s compositions received recognition in 2025 from the Erik Satie, Vivaldi, Debussy and Beethoven international music competitions. He received a Platinum Prize in the orchestra category at the Erik Satie International Music Competition.
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