Chung Wan Choi
Composer, drummer, sound engineer and graphic designer Chung Wan Choi, born in Hong Kong in 1987, grew up listening to her mother playing various classical masterpieces on the piano. Chung Wan began studying piano at age four, and later took up both violin and trumpet. In 2000, she became a student of chinese percussion with Ronald Chin, and was captain of Ding Ding Cha Cha Percussion Group for two years. Under her leadership, the team won prizes from the Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition in 2004 and 2006, including an award for best interpretation.
In early 2004, without any formal training, Chung Wan began composing music for conventional instruments. Later that year, she spent a year in Germany, as an American Field Service Exchange Program student. While there, she attended the specialized music high school, Helmholtz Gymnasium in Karlsruhe, where she studied music, and the german language, and continued to compose. Her cello trio was performed twice, including the school's annual concert "Studio Evening" (Studioabend).
After returning to Hong Kong to complete her seven years of visual arts education, Chung Wan came to the United States to pursue formal musical training. She studied western percussion with Scott Simpson and traditional Japanese percussion with Kimisen Katada. Chung Wan was accepted at Mannes College of Music as an undergraduate to study composition with David Loeb in 2009.
Chung Wan's works consist of various instrumental and vocal combinations. Besides traditional chamber settings, such as a string quartet and cello sonata, her original compositions includes a chamber concerto for vibraphone, a bassoon quartet with marimba, a trombone quartet, and art songs set for soprano, clarinet, and piano.
Chung Wan currently resides in New York City. Asides from composing, she enjoys backpack traveling, coffee, cooking, and biking around the city. She volunteers as music instructor at The Doors, is also an active drummer at the Manhattan Taiko, where she has performed traditional folk Japanese drumming in venue including Elise Island, Governors Island, "Sound of Brazil" , NYC Marathon and various Asian Festivals.