The Conservatory of Music at Baldwin-Wallace College is pleased to announce the selection of the new composer-in-residence, Fang Man (Mandy), following a national search.
“Mandy Fang brings a unique set of experiences to the Baldwin-Wallace College campus,” said Conservatory Director Peter Landgren. “Her enthusiasm for teaching and her mode of personal expression through composition captivated the Conservatory students and search committee. We look forward to welcoming her to the Greater Cleveland musical community and we plan to celebrate her music during B-W’s biennial FOCUS Festival of Contemporary Music on October 29-31, 2010.”
A native of China, Mandy Fang received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She holds an MFA in composition from Cornell University, and studied for one-year at the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM) in Paris, France. She will complete her doctorate at Cornell in May.
She has received numerous fellowships and awards for her work, most recently a scholarship from the Darmstadt Summer Music Festival 2010, Darmstadt, Germany and an ASCAPlus Award in 2009. Her work has been commissioned by organizations around the world including Orchestre National de Lorraine under Jacques Mercier and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen. Her 2010 commissions include those from Dolce Suono Ensemble Mahler-Schoenberg Project 2010 (Philadelphia), Ensemble Integrales for 2010 festivals in Dresden and Hamburg, Asian Young Composers for Canadian Borealis String Quartet (Taiwan) and Interlochen Academy Symphony Orchestra (Michigan). Also she is currently collaborating on a music and video project with Kasumi, a faculty member at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
Speaking about her philosophy of contemporary composition, she recalled a statement of Jackson Pollock: “New needs need new techniques…and each age finds its own technique.”
“Because the rapid development of technology influences the world we live in and create for, I am enthusiastic about using technology in collaborating with visual artists and scientists in various fields. Composers and painters have admired and influenced each other for hundreds of years. Color and form—elements common to music and art—were extensively discussed and practiced in the 20th century. My artistic and academic goal is to continue bridging the gap between the two,” Fang said. You can find more information about Mandy Fang and her music at her website: http://www.fangmanmusic.com/
Mandy Fang succeeds Loris O. Chobanian as B-W’s composer-in-residence. Chobanian is retiring after a 40-year career with the Conservatory.
“We are fortunate to follow the great talents and inspiration that Dr. Chobanian has shared with our community with someone of Mandy Fang’s enthusiasm and credential,” said Landgren. “His legacy set the bar very high for our search.”
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