Tan Dun

views updated

Tan Dun (b Si Mao, Central Hunan, 1957). Chinese composer. While working as rice-planter, collected folk-songs. In 1975 became fiddle-player and arranger with provincial opera troupe. Entered Central Cons., Beijing, 1978. Wrote 1st Sym., Li Sao, at age of 22 and became leader of ‘new wave’ in Chinese mus. His str. qt. won Weber prize in Dresden 1983 (first Chinese composer since 1949 to win int. prize), but his mus. was criticized in China for its Western inclination and was banned for 6 months. Went to Columbia Univ., NY, 1986, and his mus. was featured in Glasgow, 1988, in BBC festival of new mus. from China. Awarded Suntory prize commission 1992. His later mus., combining Chinese and Western methods, is influenced by Cage.

More From encyclopedia.com