Perth Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce our 'Composer in Residence 2024': Jonathon Jie Hong Yang.
Jonathon is a versatile Australian composer, creating music for film, orchestra, chamber groups, and solo instruments. His works have been featured on the radio and performed at prestigious venues, including the Perth Concert Hall.
Graduating with First Class Honours in Music from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2020, Jonathon has rapidly advanced in his career. Notable projects include composing a track for the Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile game, creating music for Barking Gecko Theatre's adaptation of Shaun Tan's award-winning book Cicada, and premiering his piece To the Greatest Heights at the Perth Concert Hall.
We recently caught up with Jonathon to gain some insight into his creative world:
1. What inspired you to pursue a career in music composition, particularly for film, television, and games?
During my high school years, I was profoundly inspired by the musical compositions of various Japanese composers for animation and video games. The seamless integration of music and visual storytelling deeply resonated with me, igniting a passion to pursue a career in this field. My aspiration is to create and contribute to similarly impactful and moving experiences for others through the art of music composition.
2. How has your education at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts influenced your career and composition style?
At the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), I was encouraged to explore a wide range of musical styles without limitations. This freedom allowed me to experiment and engage with diverse musical genres. Although I may not utilize all the skills I acquired on a daily basis, the underlying principles and techniques I learned continue to inform and enrich my creative process today.
3. We absolutely love your orchestral piece you composed during the pandemic that included a full choir, saxophone section and classical guitars, featuring 124 musicians from WAAPA, with every individual part recorded on the musicians phones whilst in isolation. Can you please tell us more about your experience and the process behind composing "Brave the Wave" during the COVID-19 pandemic?
"Brave the Wave" was an exceptionally rewarding and fulfilling project that showcased the collaboration of numerous talented musical and creative individuals. The project encompassed not only the composition of the piece but also the logistical challenges of enabling remote recording, audio mixing and mastering, and the creation of the accompanying video. This collaboration resulted in a polished final product. An interesting fact that many may not know is that this piece initially began as a casual composition for fun. It evolved into its current form when Tim White OAM, the Head of Classical Music at WAAPA, approached me with the idea to develop this project.
4. How do you approach orchestral arranging, and what challenges do you face when arranging for different orchestras?
My approach to orchestral arranging follows a systematic process. Initially, I establish the overall tonal character of the composition. Given my background as a string player, I begin by orchestrating the string section, which serves as a foundation for the arrangement. Subsequently, I expand the orchestration to include wind and brass sections, before finally incorporating percussion textures to complete the sonic palette.
5. How did it feel to have your music performed by the Perth Symphony Orchestra at the Romance on the Green concert?
I have had the privileged and honour of having my piece 'Cartographer's Expedition' performed twice by Perth Symphony Orchestra at the Romance on the Green concert on two separate occasions. It was a real dream come true moment when I saw my piece played by such an excellent orchestra in front of such a large audience. Fun fact, Cartographer's Expedition was actually I piece I wrote for an assignment when I was in first year at WAAPA! To think that it has now been performed twice gives me immense joy!
6. We are so excited to have you as our ‘Composer in Residency’ for 2024. Tell us a bit more about how you’re feeling about this?
Perth Symphony Orchestra has been very kind to me over the years since I started my musical journey and has allowed me to learn much about orchestration and preparation of music for a live orchestra. I am delighted and honoured to once again be working with PSO as Composer in Residence for 2024 and look forward to continued collaborations!
7. Can you give us a little insight into what you’re currently working on with PSO?
Currently, I am engaged in creating arrangements for the Perth Symphony Orchestra's WA Stories concert series. This project has provided me with a unique opportunity to thoroughly examine and analyse works by numerous exceptional composers, offering insights that I might not otherwise encounter. Through the process of arranging these compositions, I find myself refining my orchestration skills as I adapt and study each piece in depth. This experience has proven to be an invaluable learning opportunity, contributing significantly to my growth as an arranger and orchestrator.
Now a few fun questions:
8. What is your favourite go to snack when you’re needing a break from all of your hard work?
Weirdly enough...cheese! I could not tell why but it is what it is!
9. Who are your top 3 artists rotating through your headphones at the moment?
My top 3 artists rotating through my headphones are composers for film and video games. Specifically, Yu-Peng Chen, John Powell, and the musical team Hoyo-Mix!
Head down to the PSO's first WA Stories concert our of the series: The Bishop of the Bush, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August to hear some of Jonathon's beautiful arrangements.
Purchase tickets here.
This Residency is supported by West Australian Academy of Performing Arts as part of the WAAPA and Perth Symphony Orchestra Partnership. PSO are excited to be partnered with this iconic institution, as together we can provide pathways for emerging West Australian talent and build the capacity of our creative sector together.