Commissions & Premières
Born in Hong Kong in 1979, Samson Young is an artist and composer. Behind each project of his is an extensive process of research, involving a mapping of the process through a series of “sound sketches” and audio recordings. His drawing, radio broadcast, performance and composition touch upon the recurring topics of conflict, war, and political frontiers.
Young was the inaugural winner of the BMW Art Journey Award at Art Basel Hong Kong 2015, and in 2017 he represented Hong Kong at the 57th Venice Biennale. Other solo presentations include Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (Japan, 2015), Team Gallery (New York, 2015), Para/Site (Hong Kong, 2016), Experimenter (India, 2016); Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (Germany, 2016) and Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (Manchester, 2017). Upcoming projects include the 21st Biennale of Sydney (2018), the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum in New York (2018), and the Talbot Rice Gallery as a part of the 2019 Edinburgh Festival.
Young is the member of multiple bands and has collaborated with ensembles worldwide. He has participated in international music and performing art festivals including Manchester International Festival, Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik Darmstadt, Fusebox Festival (Austin), New York Electronic Art Festival, Tonlagen Festival (Dresden), Transart Festival (Bolzano), and MONA FOMA Festival of Music and Art.
Such Sweet Thunder (2018)
for Recorded Bell Sound, Narration and Orchestra
Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta with sponsorship from CASH Music Fund
25 February 2018 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Hong Kong Sinfonietta | Conductor: YIP Wing-sie | Narrator: Sean Curran
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Instrumentation:
1st & 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses
2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (doubling 2 Bass Clarinets), 2 Bassoons (doubling 2 Contrabassoons)
1 Trumpet (doubling Fluegelhorn)
2 Percussion: Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Marimba, Tubular Bells, Feng Gong
Piano, Narrator, Tape
Twelve Contemplations on Jesus Christ and Mystical Love (2011)
for Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Piano/Keyboard, Percussion, Video and Installation
Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta
11-12 November 2011 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Hong Kong Sinfonietta | Installation Artist: Samson Young | Video Artist: Adrian Yeung
ArtisTree, Hong Kong
Electric Kinderszenen (2010)
for Piano, Site-specific Installation and Electronics
Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta
18 June 2010 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Piano: Colleen Lee | Installation Artist: Samson Young
ArtisTree, Hong Kong
Electric Counterpoint (2009)
for Nintendo Gameboy, Electronics and Orchestra
Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta with sponsorship from CASH Music Fund
24 February 2009 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Hong Kong Sinfonietta | Conductor: YIP Wing-sie
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
Instrumentation:
1st & 2nd Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses
2 Flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons
4 Horns, 2 Trumpet, 2 Trombones
Timpani
2 Percussion: tam-tam, tubular bells, tambourine, glockenspiel, vibraphone, woodblocks, bass drum, bongos, finger cymbal, triangle, tom-toms, crotales
Nintendo Gameboy, Electronics
Afterglow (2008)
for Orchestra and Electronics
Commissioned by Hong Kong Sinfonietta with sponsorship from CASH Music Fund
19 April 2008 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Hong Kong Sinfonietta | Conductor: YIP Wing-sie
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall
How Perfumes are Transmitted by Feathery Telegraph (2005)
for Orchestra
21 October 2005 WORLD PREMIÈRE
Hong Kong Sinfonietta | Conductor: YIP Wing-sie
Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall