BIOGRAPHY
Malaysian composer Adeline Wong’s involvement in new music scene in the late 2000’s resulted in a number of compositions including Snapshots (2005), Chermin (2006), Empunya yang beroleh Sita dewi (2007), Longing (2010; revised 2012), Interweaves (2016), Nexus (2016) amongst others. Adeline’s music has often been described as bold, with textural energy and kaleidoscopic colours. Although her music has no direct Malaysian influences, one can hear its undertones set in western soundscapes.
Adeline has written for music theatre, orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo instruments and voice, as well as music for film. Works have been performed by the Belgian National Orchestra, Orkest de ereprijs, the Netherlands, Bang on A Can USA, The Song Company, Australia, MiNesemblet Norway, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Adeline has worked with conductors Matthias Bamert, Pascal Rophé, Kevin Field, James Wood, Brad Lubman, Roland Peelman and Kenneth Young.
Adeline was specially commissioned by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) in 2007 to compose two prestigious works. The first, Empunya yang beroleh Sita Dewi was a collaboration between the MPO and Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet theater) to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and the second, an opening fanfare, Ria! for the inaugural gala opening of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Her film score Chermin was premiered in March 2007 and featured at the Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival in Korea and Australian Malaysian Film Festival in Melbourne.
In 2010, she was commissioned to write a new work, Lengt-Longing: a multi-media work for solo cello, string quartet and electronics, in collaboration with Norwegian visual artist, Are Andreassen. Lengt was performed by the MiNensemblet, (Norway) and premiered at the Norland Music Festival, Norway in August 2010.
On the local front, Adeline was the winner of the 2005 Cameronian Arts Awards for Malaysia’s Most Promising Artist Award and Best Original Composition in 2005 and 2003. She was also recently featured in the Top 10 of Asia list of the New Generation Music Composers in 2014.
Adeline studied at the Eastman School of Music, USA and later received a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music London, where she was awarded the Cobbett and Hurlstone Composition Prize. Composition teachers have included Edwin Roxburgh, Joseph Schwanter, Christopher Rouse, David Liptak, Augusta Read Thomas. Adeline is currently a faculty member of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore where she teaches music composition and theory.
LISTEN
WORKS
Orchestral
Empunya yang beroleh Sita Dewi (2007)
For Orchestra and Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) Ensemble
Performed by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and Kumpulan Wayang Kulit Anak Seri Baju Merah Dalang Saupi bin Isa tok dalang/Matthias Bamert, conductor
Ria! (2007)
Fanfare for Orchestra
Performed by the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra/Kevin Field, conductor
Snapshots (2005)
Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra
Performed by Steve Retallick and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra/Kevin Field, conductor
Starburst (2004)
Performed by the Belgian National Orchestra/ Pascal Rophe, conductor
Steel Sky (2004)
Performed by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra/ Kevin Field, conductor
Performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra/ Kenneth Young, conductor
Chamber Works
Nexus (2016)
For Low Brass Quintet
Performed by musicians from Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
Interweaves (2016)
Performed by SKYE String Quartet
Waktu (2006)
Performed by the Bang on A Can Fellows 2006 USA/ Brad Lubman, conductor
Voices (2005)
Performed by Orkest de Ereprijs, the Netherlands/Wim Boerman, conductor
Synclastic Illuminations (2003)
Performed by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra/Kevin Field, conductor
Performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Li Xincao, conductor
Sojourn (2002)
Performed by Sinfonia 21 London/James Wood, conductor
Cahaya (2002)
Performed by Millennium Ensemble (Welsh College of Music and Drama)/Noriyoshi Hirano, conductor
Fractured Images (2002)
Trio: vln, fl, piano
Variations (2002)
Quartet: Bb cl, vln, vla, vc
Shock Wave (1998)
3 hns 2 tpts 1 trb 1 bass trb 1 tuba 3 perc harp pno
Metamorphosis (1998)
Quintet: cor anglais, cl vln vla vc
Dream Labyrinths (1998)
Duo for flutes and percussion
Time (1997)
Duo for voice and harp or voice and piano
Solo
Paces (2005)
Solo piano and electronics
Pierced (2004)
Solo cello and electronics
Mind the Gap (2005)
Commissioned by ABRSM Spectrum 4 Series
Solo piano
Alternating Current (2000)
Solo piano
Penang (1998)
Solo marimba
Sphere (1997)
Solo clarinet
Film Score
Chermin (2006) Zarina Abdullah, director
Instrumentation: Strings, Voices, Piano, Rebab, Gendang, Electronics
Visits – Anybody Home – (2004) Ho YuHang, director
Instrumentation: Electronics
Unheimliche Geschichten – Mysterious Stories – (2003) Richard Oswald, director
Commissioned by Goethe Institut Kuala Lumpur to compose new music for this classic German silent film, 1919
Instrumentation: Violin, Cello, Piano, Prepared Piano and Electronics
Music for Theater
Five Letters from an Eastern Empire (2004)
Instrumentation: Boy soprano, Cello, Electronics
Music for Multi-media
Lengt-Longing (2010; revised 2012)
Instrumentation: Solo Cello with String Quartet, Electronics, Digital Art and Dancer
CONTACT
Drop me an email for any inquiry or just to say hello!