Dorothy Chang (born 1970) is an American-born composer and a professor of music at the University of British Columbia.[1]

Early life and education

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Chang was born in Winfield, Illinois.[2] Her parents' families had fled to Taiwan from China during the Chinese Civil War, before immigrating to the United States.[3] She graduated from the University of Michigan and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2000 with degrees in composition.[4] She married Canadian flautist Paolo Bortolussi, and the pair moved to British Columbia.

Career

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In 2003, Chang joined the music faculty at the University of British Columbia.

Chang composed a number of works for solo flute, including "Mirage II" and "Wrath".[5]

In 2007, Chang was the composer-in-residence of the Albany Symphony Orchestra.[6] Her work "Strange Air" was performed at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in 2008.[7]

Chang was one of several Canadian composers commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in 2017 to create the orchestra and dance piece True North: Symphonic Ballet, to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday.[8] Chang composed the fourth movement, "Northern Star".[9] The complete work was performed at Calgary's True North Festival, and "Northern Star" was later performed by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and at the Orpheum in Vancouver.[10]

Chang wrote the first concerto for the combination of piano, erhu, and orchestra ever written, Gateways, in 2017–18. The work was commissioned for PEP (Piano and Erhu Project) by the Henan-Canada Friendship Association, Philharmonia Northwest, and PEP. The world premiere of the chamber orchestra version of Gateways was given by PEP and members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Vancouver in April 2018; the world premiere of the full orchestral version of Gateways was given by PEP and Philharmonia Northwest in Seattle in March 2019.[11]

Selected compositions

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  • Streams[12]
  • Northern Star
  • Strange Air
  • Flight (concerto for flute and orchestra)
  • Gateways (2017–18) - the first concerto for piano, erhu, and orchestra ever written[13][11]

References

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  1. ^ '"Transfigured Light" at end of the tunnel'. Vancouver Observer, Lincoln Kaye, May 19th, 2017
  2. ^ "Dorothy Chang". Song of America. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  3. ^ Chang, Dorothy; Bortolussi, Paolo (2007). "Flight to Freedom" (Interview). Interviewed by Rosemary Phillips. Quill Quotes and Notes.
  4. ^ "Dorothy Chang". Orford Music. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  5. ^ The Flutist Quarterly: The Official Magazine of the National Flute Association. Vol. 31. The Association. 2005. p. 26.
  6. ^ "Composers competition has ears on the prize". MPR News, Karl Gehrke · St. Paul, Minn. · Apr 20, 2007
  7. ^ "Rouse Music". MetroActive, 08.06.2008 By Scott MacClelland
  8. ^ "DeLong: CPO's True North showcases Canadian talent". Kenneth DeLong, Calgary Herald, October 30, 2017
  9. ^ "21C Festival finds fresh use for half an orchestra". Toronto Star, By John Terauds, Jan. 17, 2019
  10. ^ Newman, Geoffrey (November 2, 2018). "A Very Impressive Showing from Conductor Xian Zhang". Vancouver Classical Music.
  11. ^ a b "in performance: A New Erhu & Piano Concerto at Philharmonia Northwest | Sybaritic Singer". sybariticsinger.com. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  12. ^ "Music in Motion". Georgia Straight, by Alexander Varty on February 21st, 2007
  13. ^ "Piano and Ehru Project (PEP)". Latitude 45 Arts. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
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