Chinary Ung

Short bio Chinary Ung

Birthday: 1942 in Takeo, Cambodia

Active: 1990s

Genre: Classical,Avant-Garde

Period: 20th Century, Contemporary

Full biography Chinary Ung

Chinary Ung is an internationally renowned Cambodian-American composer, who has gained acclaim for his innovative works that incorporate both traditional Cambodian music and Western classical music. Born in 1942 in Takéo Province, Cambodia, Chinary Ung grew up in a family that valued both tradition and education.

He received his early musical training at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh where he studied both music and English. However, his studies were interrupted by the civil war and the Khmer Rouge regime, which caused him to flee to the United States in 1964.

In the United States, Chinary Ung continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music, where he earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in composition. Over the years, he has taught at several universities including Columbia University, the University of California San Diego, and the University of Pennsylvania, among others.

Chinary Ung's music has been celebrated for its depth of feeling and unique approach, which incorporates Cambodian musical traditions with Western compositional techniques. He has composed more than 120 works, which have been performed by renowned orchestras, ensembles, and soloists around the world.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 1989, and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation Award, which he received twice, in 1986 and 1995. Chinary Ung is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, an honor bestowed upon only a select few composers.

In addition to his work as a composer, Chinary Ung is also a dedicated educator who believes in sharing his knowledge and passion for music with the younger generation. He has established scholarships for students who are interested in pursuing composition, and has also founded the Khmer-American Association for Music, which promotes the study and performance of Cambodian classical music.

Overall, Chinary Ung's legacy as a composer is marked by his pioneering vision, which has helped to bridge the divide between two distinct musical traditions, and his unwavering commitment to sharing his art with others.

Compositions featuring Chinary Ung

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Therigatha Inside Aura, for 2 sopranos, clarinet, viola & percussion	22:06 min	Vocal Music	2018
2	Singing Inside Aura, for singing violist & chamber orchestra	14:32 min	Vocal Music	2013
3	Spiral XIV "Nimitta", for clarinet, piano & 2 percussionists	16:57 min	Chamber Music	2012
4	Spiral XII "Space Between Heaven and Earth", for chorus & vocalizing chamber orchestra	39:09 min	Choral	2008
5	In Memoriam, for piano trio	11:11 min	Chamber Music	2007
6	Spiral X "In Memoriam", for amplified string quartet	11:44 min	Chamber Music	2007
7	Aura, for 2 female vocalists & chamber ensemble	42:25 min	Vocal Music	2006
8	Oracle, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion & voices	14:52 min	Vocal Music	2004
9	Seven Mirrors, for piano	19:48 min	Keyboard	1997
10	Luminous Spirals, for flute, guitar & cello	11:14 min	Chamber Music	1997
11	Grand Alap (A Window in the Sky), for voices, cello & percussion	17:36 min	Vocal Music	1996
12	Antiphonal Spirals, for orchestra	11:02 min	Orchestral	1995
13	Still Life After Death, for soprano & chamber ensemble	9:03 min	Vocal Music	1995
14	Water Rings Overture, for orchestra	6:46 min	Orchestral	1993
15	Spiral VI, for violin, clarinet, cello & piano	10:22 min	Chamber Music	1992
16	Spiral III, for string quartet	10:02 min	Chamber Music	1990
17	Grand Spiral, for symphonic band ("Desert Flowers Bloom")	13:08 min	Band Music	1990
18	Spiral II, for mezzo-soprano, piano & tuba	9:57 min	Vocal Music	1989
19	Inner Voices, for orchestra	20:25 min	Orchestral	1986
20	Child Song, for flute, violin (or viola), cello (or harp) & piano	19:52 min	Chamber Music	1985
21	Khse Buon, for viola	14:05 min	Chamber Music	1980
22	Khse Buon, for cello	17:44 min	Chamber Music	1980
23	Mohori for soprano & chamber orchestra	12:43 min	Vocal Music	1974
24	Tall Wind, for sporano, oboe & cello	7:07 min	Vocal Music	1970
25	Spiral for piano, cello & percussion	14:50 min	Chamber Music	-
26	Cinnabar Heart, for marimba	4:43 min	Chamber Music	-
27	Anicca, for orchestra	8:26 min	Orchestral	-

Albums featuring Chinary Ung

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Space Between Heaven And Earth(2×CD, Album)	2020	Bridge Records (4)
2	Music Of Chinary Ung Vol. 3(CD, Album)	2011	Bridge Records (4)
3	Chinary Ung - Da Capo Chamber Players – Luminous Spirals (Chamber Music Of Chinary Ung)(CD, )	2010	Bridge Records (4)
4	Khse Buon, Child Song, Seven Mirrors(CD, Album)	2008	Bridge Records (4)
5	Seven Mirrors(CD, )	2005	New World Records
6	Grand Spiral(CD, )	1996	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
7	McPhee / Ung / Harrison - American Composers Orchestra, Dennis Russell Davies – Tabuh-Tabuhan / Inner Voices / Suite For Symphonic Strings	1995	Argo (2)
8	Chinary Ung / Conrad Cummings – Tall Wind / Khse Buon / Beast Songs / Summer Air(LP, Album)	1983	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)
9	Cambodia I Traditional Music - Volume One: Instrumental & Vocal Pieces(LP)	1978	Folkways Records
10	Hodkinson / Heiss / Ung – Three Stylists (Megalith Trilogy / Inventions, Contours And Colors / Mohori)(LP)	1976	Composers Recordings Inc. (CRI)