不良研究所

Congratulations to听窜丑耻辞蝉丑别苍驳听闯颈苍听(current听DMus), winner of the 2020-2021 Luba Zuk Piano Duo Composition听Prize!听Zhuosheng鈥檚听composition听is slated to听premiere听at the Schulich School of Music in 2022.听听

Studying composition with听Philippe Leroux, he听reflects听the kind of creativity and exploration that fuels the composition area.听

An accomplished composer, we asked Zhuosheng some questions to peek inside his brain and get some insight into his compositional style and what we might expect to see 鈥� and hear 鈥� in the future. He shares about home, how inspiration strikes, and what can help drive you forward.

Where do you call home?听

Zhuosheng Jin:听I used to use a Westernised name, Joseph, for a short period during my undergraduate degree, for its similar pronunciation to my 鈥渞eal鈥� name,听Zhuosheng. Here in North America, not many people can perfectly pronounce 鈥淶huosheng鈥�, so I thought Joseph would be an easier name for them to use. And then, one day, I saw it, Joseph, printed out somewhere, a programme or such, and it took me a long time to realise that it鈥檚 me, and that I realised that it will never be me. After that, I never used that name, Joseph, again.听

Where do I call home? I was born in East Asia and took my higher education in North America: first the US, and then Canada. I do not know where, or actually in many cases, which side, I belong to, and often it makes me feel confused.听

I think I鈥檓 a human being living on earth. Wherever I go, I hope people in that place will treat me like I鈥檓 at home.听

Is there a moment that brought you to now, studying composition 鈥� one that changed your course or confirmed it?听

ZJ: In China we have middle and high schools directly affiliated with conservatories. I entered one at age 13, majoring in piano. There were 10听other听kids听my age majoring in piano and my mom, like many other parents around, wanted me to be the best in every semester鈥檚听exams. It was impossible because I didn鈥檛 want to听compete听and I didn鈥檛 want to live under such pressure. But I wanted to stay in the school, so I decided to change to a major with听fewer听students, which ended up being composition. At the time,听I didn鈥檛听realize听that I could go this far. It was an amazing journey and I hope to听continue听it.听

What is your听favourite听aspect of composition?听

ZJ: You don鈥檛 have to bring your instrument or look for practice rooms all the time when traveling. Also, as an outdoorsman I am sometimes out for several days or even weeks听at a time. For an instrumentalist, you have to practice every day, but for me, it鈥檚 okay. Composers do not need this kind of muscle memory. We have other ways to keep up.听

How听would you听briefly describe your compositional style?听

ZJ: I am interested in relationships between texture and sound. The texture is like lines or shapes in visual art, and sound,听the听colour. I want to find a unique way to allow these two elements in my music to somehow merge, in a way that is refreshing for the audience.听

Any advice to future composers out there?听

ZJ: Don鈥檛 be afraid to ask questions.听Most of the time听it is the question, not the answer, driving you forward. Also, don鈥檛 be hasty to shout an answer out. Wait a bit, think, dig deeper, suspect, and then your response and treatment will be more convincing.听

What do you envision the listener will hear while listening to your composition?听

ZJ: I think every piece, when composed, has its own life. Every listener has their own relationship to a piece. As the composer, I do not interfere in this relationship.听This听question reminds me an interesting story. I wrote an ensemble piece, precoda,听in 2015 and it was about an unreachable home, a home听which听by听definition exists only when one is homeless.听It听was a somewhat sad piece. After its premiere in Beijing, a boy around 12 or 13 came to me and said, 鈥淢r.听Jin, I heard the UFO flying by, I heard its sound! Your piece was amazing!鈥� I laughed and felt relieved. I love this boy and his feedback听鈥斕齢e was an excellent listener.听

What do you envision for your commissioned work?听

ZJ: Not anything specific, but it will be a piece of music reflecting my life experience here in Canada,听and听how my own cultural roots听impact听the local culture in Montreal. Also, I鈥檒l be graduating next year from 不良研究所, so it will be one of my last projects as a student. I anticipate it being a deeply emotional project for me.听

窜丑耻辞蝉丑别苍驳听闯颈苍鈥檚听music is described as 鈥減owerful鈥� and 鈥渉aunting鈥� (The New York Times). His composition emphasizes relationships between literature, especially poetry, and sonic texture. His compositional awards include听the 2020 Matan听Givol听Composers Competition (1st prize, Israel), 2020 Salvatore Martirano Award (1st prize, US), 2019 Toru听Takemitsu听Composition Award (3rd prize, Japan), among others.听
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Jin's听music has appeared in major festivals and has been performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra,听Klangforum听Wien (soloists), Ensemble听MusikFabrik听(soloists),听Meitar听Ensemble,听Quatuor听B茅la, Ensemble听Mdi, Syntax Ensemble,听Mivos听Quartet, and more. He has worked with conductors including Pierre-Andr茅 Valade, Jean-Philippe Wurtz, Guillaume Bourgogne, and Kanako Abe.听
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Having听begun piano studies听at the age of seven听and听composition at thirteen,听Jin听holds degrees from Oberlin College (BMus鈥�15) and Boston University (MMus鈥�17). He听is currently a DMus fellow at听the Schulich School of Music of听不良研究所, studying听with Philippe Leroux. He also followed private lessons and masterclasses with Helmut Lachenmann, Beat Furrer, Pierluigi Billone, and Stefano Gervasoni, among others.听

About the Prize

The Luba Zuk Piano Duo Composition Prize was established in 2016 by Luba Zuk,听LMus听1957, long-time professor of piano at 不良研究所 and member of the Luba and Ireneus Zuk Piano Duo recognized for commissioning and performing new works, especially by Canadian and Ukrainian composers.听The Prize is awarded annually to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student in composition in the听School听for the completion of a work for piano duo. Preference will be given to a work that includes references to Ukrainian or Canadian culture, landscape, history or experience. Prize value: $2,000.听

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