Vivian Fung

Vivian Fung (Born in 1975)

JUNO Award-winning composer Vivian Fung has a unique talent for combining idiosyncratic textures and styles into large-scale works, reflecting her multicultural background. NPR calls her “one of today’s most eclectic composers.”

Fung is currently at work on a new flute concerto for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, a piano trio for L’arc Trio, and a piece for the UK’s Tangram Collective. The Metropolis Ensemble commissioned (Un)Wandering Souls for Sandbox Percussion to premiere at the Bongsokol Festival in December 2020. In July 2020, the CBC Virtual Orchestra gave the online world premiere of Fung’s Prayer, led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He led The Philadelphia Orchestra in a virtual performance of Prayer in fall 2020.

Recent highlights include the UK premiere of Birdsong, performed by violinist Midori; the premiere of a trumpet concerto by Mary Elizabeth Bowden and the Erie Philharmonic; The Ice Is Talking, commissioned by the Banff Centre, using ice blocks to illustrate the fragility of our environment; A Child Dreams of Toys, commissioned by the Winnipeg New Music Festival; and String Quartet No. 4 “Insects and Machines,” commissioned by the Red Bank Chamber Music Society and premiered by the American String Quartet.

With a deep interest in exploring different cultures, Fung has traveled to Cambodia, Southwest China, North Vietnam, Spain, and Bali to connect with her roots and collect research for her compositions. Passionate about fostering the talent of the next generation, Fung has mentored young composers in programs at the American Composers Forum, San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players, San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra, and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. 

Born in Edmonton, Canada, Fung received her doctorate from The Juilliard School. She currently lives in California and is on the faculty of Santa Clara University.