alison yun-fei jiang, composer

Photo taken by Allan Cabral on Toronto Symphony Orchestra's tour in Southam Hall, Ottawa, 2024

Based in North York, Canada, Canadian composer/music-maker Alison Yun-Fei Jiang explores the intersections of cultures, genres, people, memories, and emotions in music. By drawing inspirations and influences from personal life experiences as well as an array of sources such as East Asian aesthetics and philosophies, Chinese opera, Buddhism, natural landscapes, art, film music, popular music, and literature, she creates musical narratives and experiences in a lyrical, dynamic, and storytelling nature.Alison has served as the RBC Affiliate Composer with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (2022-24) and a Carrefour Composer-in-Residence with the National Arts Centre Orchestra (2020-22). She has collaborated with ensembles and performers such as the Esprit Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, JACK Quartet, the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, Imani Winds, and Molinari Quartet. Her music has been performed in Canada, the US, and Europe, featured on CBC Radio, the Royal Conservatory of Music 21C Festival, as well as the University of Toronto New Music Festival. Awards and recognitions come from the SOCAN Foundation, the Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers, International Alliance for Women in Music, among others.Alison holds degrees in music from the University of Chicago (Ph.D.), New York University (M.M.), and Manhattan School of Music (B.M.). Her work has been generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, SOCAN Foundation, the RBC Foundation, the Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation, New Music USA, and the Johan Franco Composition Fund.In her spare time, Alison enjoys listening to J-pop, taking long walks, reading, and grocery shopping in Asian supermarkets.