Donemus Webwinkel — Yu, Donald

Man-Ching Donald Yu (余文正) (b.1980), Hong Kong born composer and pianist. His recent music is refined by the interweaving of post-minimalist and modernist traits; subtle transformation of various musical parameters in different suspended times and spaces is one of the important underlying principles in his recent works. Fanfare Magazine hails his music as "forming an arresting and personal intermixing of tonal and atonal languages, with the musical colors and gestures of his native country infiltrating the mix." (2012)
As a prolific composer, his nearly two hundred compositions encompass a spectrum from instrumental and vocal works to chamber opera, choral works, and symphonies. Globally recognized, his works have been showcased in more than 20 countries with 50 cities throughout the North and South America, Europe, and Asia, gracing stages at prominent venues and events such as the Musikverein (Wien), 2022 Contrasts International Contemporary Music Festival, the International Review of Composers (Serbia), the EurAsia International Music Festival (Yekaternburg Russia), the International Festival of Modern Art: Two Days and Two Nights of New Music, the International Kiev Music Fest, the International Spring Orchestra Festival (Malta), the 2015 Expo Milano (Italy), and many others; Esteemd ensembles like Lviv National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, Gloria Chamber Choir, Lugansk Philharmonic, Chernivtsi Philharmonic, Uzhgorod Philharmonic with chorus, Opera Hong Kong Chorus with Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, Icarus Ensemble (Italy), Orlando Contemporary Music Orchestra have performed and recorded his pieces. His scores are exclusively published by Donemus (Netherland) and Universal Edition (Wien), other publishers include Babelscores (France), Edizioni Sconfinarte (Italy), Da Vinci Edition (Japan), etc; most of his recordings are exclusively available at Donemus Records, and other labels include Phasma Music, Ablaze, Albany and Zimbel Records as well as Association New Music (Ukraine), etc. Besides his compositional outputs, his theory papers were presented at various international music theory conferences in Serbia, Poland, and UK as well as published in scholarly book and music journals. As an academic staff, he has taught music theory, musicology, and composition in tertiary universities in Hong Kong since 2007.
Yu received his early formal musical training at early ages and made his concerto debut at age 16, leading him to Baylor University to study piano performance with renowned pianist and artistic-in-residence Krassimira Jordan of the Russian piano school where he completed his Bachelor of Music. Afterwards in 2007, he studied composition with stipendium at the International Summer Academy Mozarteum Salzburg with a diploma in Austria and later in 2010, he earned a Ph.D. in composition and music theory with the support of a full postgraduate research assistantship at Hong Kong Baptist University. He also holds Fellowship in composition from Trinity College of London, Licentiate diploma in piano from Royal Schools of Music as well as Super Soloist Performance Zertifikat in piano from Wiener Musik Prüfungskommission. Since 2007 he has been the recipients of various awards and honors from different organizations including ASCAPlus Awards (since 2007), Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship, Honorable Mention-Newly Published Music Competition (U.S.), Clouzine International Music Awards-Best Contemporary Classical Album, First Great Award of the 5th Vienna International Music Competition, 3rd prize of the Amadeus Composition Award, etc. Notably, his orchestral piece "Unravelling" was awarded Gold Medal (Awards of Excellence) in two categories-Best Contemporary Classical and Composition of the 2022 Global Music Awards.

Awards:
- First Great Award of the Vienna International Music Competition, Vienna Austria. (2024)
- Third Prize, Orchestral Category. Amadeus Composition Award, Austria. (2023)
- Album "Surrealistic Soundscapes" (2012), "Best Contemporary Classical Album" of the Clouzine International Music Awards (2023 spring).
- Orchestral piece "Unraveling" was awarded gold double medal (Awards of Excellence) in two categories-Best Contemporary Classical and Composition of the Global Music Awards (2022).
- Bronze-hands award, Carles and Sofia International Piano Competition (2021)
- ASCAPLUS Award, concert division (Composition), American Society of Composers, Authors and Publisher. (11 consecutive years from 2007 to present)
- Fellowship in Music Composition, Trinity College London, U.K. (2018)
- Honorable Mention, Newly published music competition. National Flute Association, United States. (2014)
- Full Scholarships (PhD degree), Hong Kong Baptist University (2007-2010)
- Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship, Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council, Hong Kong (2008)
- Scholarship, composition, International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum University of Salzburg (2007)
- Scholarships, piano performance, Baylor University’s School of Music (2000-2004)

Other pursuits - Referred Academic Conferences (Music Theory and Analysis):
- Yu, M.C. (2016, March). Interpreting Some Transformational Aspects of Pentatonicism in Post-tonal Chinese Music on Dual Interval Space. International Conference “Music of Orient.” Academy of Music in Łódź, Poland. (8-10th March)
- Yu, M.C. (2015, July). Investigating Transformational Voice-Leading of Diatonic Materials in Ligeti's Etude No. 15 "White on White." The Keele Music Analysis Conference 2015 (the Society for Music Analysis), Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom. (8-10th July)
- Yu, M.C. (2013, October). Transformation and Structural Phenomena in Mozart's K 540. The 8th International Scientific Conference: Serbian Language, Literature, and Arts, the University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
- Yu, M.C. (2011, May). Pitch-class Formations in Joseph Schwantner's Distant Runes and Incantations. The 9th International Music Theory and Analysis Conference, the University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia.

Selected Journal Publication/Book Chapters (2012-2017):
- Yu, M.C. (2013). "Transformations of Diatonic Materials and Tonal Procedure in Ligeti's Etude No. 15 "White on White." New Sound: International Journal of Music 41: 117-138.
- Yu, M.C. (2013). Motivic Organizations in Joseph Schwantner's Distant Runes and Incantations. Milos Zatkalik, Denis Collins, Milena Medic, Histories and Narratives of Music Analysis (420-450). United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
- Yu, M.C. (2014). "Pitch-Class Analysis: Some Aspects of Ic5 and Ic1 Design in Ligeti’s Piano Etudes." New Sound: International Journal of Music 43: 173-190.
- Yu, M. C. (2017). Interpreting Some Transformational Aspects of Pentatonicism and Post-tonal Chinese Music on Dual Interval Space. The Orient in Music-Music of the Orient, 201-221. United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Education:
- S.S.P.Z., (Equivalent to Master level) Piano Performance, Vienna Music Examination Board. (2020)
- LMus.T.C.L., Music Literacy, Trinity College London, U.K. (2019)
- F.T.C.L., (Equivalent to Master level) Composition, Trinity College London, U.K. (2018)
- L.R.S.M., Piano Performance, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, U.K. (2011)
- Ph.D. Music Theory and Composition, Hong Kong Baptist University, thesis: A Portfolio of Original Compositions and An Analysis of Joseph Schwantner’s “Distant Runes and Incantations” (2010)
- Dip., International Summer Academy Mozarteum University. (2007)
- M.A., Composition, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong (2007)
- B.M., Piano Performance, Baylor University, U.S.A. (2004)