Los Angeles pianist and composer, Huang Yingyi, has once again been recognized by the Music Teachers’ Association of California, winning second place in the Contemporary Composer Competition (with the first prize being vacant). The award ceremony is set to take place at the Music Teachers’ Conference on June 29, where Huang will also perform her award-winning piece, “Journey of Life Impromptu” trio.
Having participated in the “Asian American Classical Initiative” event held at Mount Saint Mary’s University on April 13 and 14, Huang expressed her delight in being part of this global showcase of works by Asian American composers. She collaborated with Korean-American violinist Andrew Kwon and cellist Daniel Lim to perform “Journey of Life Impromptu.”
Pianist Dr. Hui Wu praised the trio, saying, “The music is powerful and moving, demonstrating a great sense of depth. It’s very enjoyable to listen to.”
This year has been both fulfilling and busy for Huang. On February 28, she took part in the “Taiwan Soul Day” and 228 Memorial Concert, where she performed “Journey of Life Impromptu” with violinist Ren Yingjie and cellist Yan Ling, marking the first public performance of the piece.
Huang mentioned that the inspiration for “Journey of Life Impromptu” comes from the concept in the Tao Te Ching that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – emphasizing the importance of taking that first step in any endeavor. The composition is a tribute to her music mentor, Zhou Lili.
One attendee, Isabelle, at the 228 Memorial Concert expressed that listening to “Journey of Life Impromptu” was uplifting and enjoyable. She described Huang’s musical composition as “heart-stirring,” where the pianist and music seamlessly meld together during the performance. Isabelle appreciated Huang for creating and performing such a wonderful piece.
It’s hard to imagine that Huang, who has only been composing for four years, has won the Contemporary Composer Award from the Music Teachers’ Association of California for three consecutive years. Despite her deep-rooted 40 years of piano performance expertise, she only recently delved into composing, demonstrating a case of slow but steady progress in music creation.
For Huang, winning awards serves as great encouragement for her creative endeavors. Her musical inspirations often stem from observations of life and reflections on existence. For instance, “Times to Say Goodbye Birdies” was inspired by the sight of pigeons flying away from her backyard. “Rebirth,” which won third place in the 2022 Contemporary Composer Competition, was composed to uplift her brother who was battling cancer. “Angels in Harmony,” which won second place in the 2023 contest, was a response to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, aiming to spread peace through music globally.
Huang frequently encourages her students to actively compose and arrange music, using notes to express their feelings about life, humanity, and nature. By doing so, they can better comprehend the creativity of classical music composers and immerse themselves more deeply in the world of music. She also uses music to soothe hearts, organizing fundraising concerts promptly in times of societal crises. Huang actively participates in various non-ethnic peace music commemorations, hoping to bridge gaps caused by wars and hatred.
On May 5, Huang will participate in the “Yom Hashoah” Memorial Concert in Pasadena, commemorating the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust and the victims of the Armenian Genocide carried out by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915 to 1917. With the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Huang believes that holding such a concert is especially meaningful. She hopes that people will remember the lessons of history, let go of hatred, respect each other’s cultural differences, bolster regional religious freedom, combat discrimination, and promote equality to create a better world through art and culture.
Currently, Huang is actively organizing a fundraising concert for earthquake relief in Hualien on April 3. Many members of the Huang Yingyi Music and Education Foundation have already made donations, and the Acevedo Music & Art Education Foundation, hosted by Huang, will contribute $1,000 on April 24.