Bio
Considered “among the most important composers writing in this country” (D. Ariaratnam, The Record), Alice Ho is a Hong Kong-born Canadian composer acclaimed for her “distinctly individual” style and “organic flow of imagination.”
She has written in many musical genres and received numerous national and international awards, including the 2014 Prince Edward Island Symphony Composers Competition, 2014 Kitchener Waterloo Symphony Friendship Orchestral Composition Competition, 2013 Dora Mavor Moore Award “Outstanding Original Opera” for her opera Lesson of Da Ji, 2013 Boston Metro Opera International Composition Competition, K.M. Hunter Artist Award, du Maurier Arts Ltd. Canadian Composers Competition, MACRO International Composition Competition, Luxembourg Sinfonietta International Composition Prize, and International League of Women Composers Competition. Her work “Glistening Pianos” for two pianos (Centrediscs label) was nominated for the 2015 JUNO Award Classical Composition of the Year. A new recording of her opera “Lesson of Da Ji” will be released by Centrediscs in November, 2015.
Often featured at national and international new music festivals such as ISCM World Music Days, Ottawa Chamberfest, Denmark’s CRUSH New Music Festival, Asian Music Week in Japan, etc.; her works have also been performed by many major ensembles and soloists including China National Symphony, Polish Radio Choir, Finnish Lapland Chamber Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra, the Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Victoria, and Windsor Symphonies, Amsterdam’s Neuw Ensemble, Penderecki String Quartet, Toronto’s New Music Concerts, Continuum New Music, percussionists Sumire Yoshihara and Beverley Johnston, violist Rivka Golani, and St. John’s Duo Concertante. Her discography includes releases on the Centrediscs, Blue Griffin, Electra and Phoenix labels.
Ms. Ho holds a Bachelor of Music degree in composition with high distinction from Indiana University and a Master of Music degree in composition from the University of Toronto. Her teachers have included John Eaton (USA), Brian Ferneyhough (Germany), and John Beckwith (Canada).
She is a noted classical pianist and an active advocate of contemporary music. She had performed in many new music festivals, including a solo piano recital recorded by CBC Radio 2 in which she premiered Tan Dun’s solo piano work “Traces II”. She now makes her home in Toronto.
List of Works
Choral Works
also see Vocal/Choral Works at end of lists
City Night (2010) — SSA women chorus (10')
VIVA Songs (2008) — song cycle for soprano saxophone obligato, children chorus and piano duration: (9’)
Lamia — (2008) — double chorus and piano (11')
Orchestral
Strange Luminescence (2015) — solo piano and chamber orchestra (20')
Hakka Tea Bliss (2015) — solo oboe and orchestra (11')
Ocean Child (2014) — soprano and orchestra (16')
Nirvana Sketches (2013) — female voice and orchestra (10')
Sun Goddess (2010) — concerto for drumming quartet and orchestra (18')
Sun Spell (2010) — orchestra (15')
Mélange (2010) — percussion quartet and string orchestra (15')
Dark Elements (2009) — full orchestra (17')
Dance Concerto (2008)— flute, percussion, strings, classical Chinese dancer opt. (45')
Mountain of Eight Spirits (2008)— Chinese Orchestra (11')
Red Temple (2006) — full orchestra (17')
Dark Waters (2006) — woodwind quintet and string orchestra) (7’)
Seraphim (2005) — woodwind quartet, brass quartet, and strings (13')
Evolving Elements (2005) — concerto for solo marimba and strings (20′)
Capriccio Ballo (2005) — concerto for violin, piano, and strings (15′)
Double Concerto (2000) — Viola and String Bass (18′)
Concerto (2000) — Cello and Orchestra (17′)
Mira (1999) — solo violin and string orchestra (7′)
Elysian Fields (1998) — concerto for piano and orchestra (16′)
Scintillar (1997) — full orchestra (11′)
Pearl of Asia (1997)— soprano solo, chorus, orchestra (30′)
Chimaera (1995) — full orchestra (12′)
Radiantia (1995) — concerto for percussion and orchestra (12′)
Ice Path (1994) — full orchestra (10′)
Under the Quavering Moon (1993) — full orchestra (12′)
On the Wing (1993-97) — full orchestra; alternate version for flute, horn, piano/harp, strings (6′)
Jubilation of Spring (1991) — string orchestra and percussion (6′)
Resurrected Angel (1986) — 33 strings (9′)
Escapade (1985) — full orchestra (13′)
Chamber
Tale of M’Whell — (2014) soprano, violin, bass clarinet, piano (16')
Drunkard Rhapsody (2013) — yangqin, percussion, 2 erhu, zhonghu, cello
Moon’s Lament (2013) — Chinese harp and voice (9’)
Coquette (2013) — saxophone quartet (8’)
Four Seasons Ballade (2013) — erhu and piano (10')
The Mysterious Boot (2013) — violin, cello, piano (12')
Éxtasis (2012) — violin and piano (6’)
Si Yi 四藝 – The Four Arts (2012) — solo violin, piano, yangqin and strings (17')
Breath of Fire (2012) — Bb clarinet, accordion, and cello (16')
Ballade for An Ancient Warrior (2011) — solo percussion, female voice, and mixed chamber ensemble (20')
Coeur a Coeur (2011) — violin and piano) (12')
Woman Runs With Wolves (2011) — solo percussion and electronics (15')
Solace (2011) — mandolin and guitar (13')
Solace (2011) — two guitars (13')
TorQ Machine (2010) — percussion quartet with optional electronics (10')
Tempered Moon (2010) — Erhu, Guzheng, and Pipa (10′)
Drunk Moon (2008) — flute, Dizi, Erhu, cello, Guzheng, and piano (12')
WAR! (2008) — electronics, two pianos, percussion, and speaking voices (8’)
Kami (2006) — solo marimba and three percussion (11')
Angst II (2006) — piano and large chamber ensemble (12')
Dark Waters (2005) — woodwind quintet and string quintet (7’)
Two Seasons (2005) — erhu and piano (6’)
Evolving Elements (2005) — marimba and string quartet (20′)
Bao Miao (2004) — flute, marimba, vibraphone, harp, and viola (10′)
Cothurnus (2003)— flute, cello, piano; or flute, bassoon, piano (12')
String Quartet No. 2 (2003) (15′)
Ming (1999)— solo percussion (15′)
Seraphim (1996) — woodwind quartet, brass quartet, string quartet (13′)
Seiren (1996) — alto flute/flute/piccolo, cello, piano (13′)
MaViBa (1995) — marimba, violin, cello (7′)
Circlet (1994)— trumpet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion (12′)
Caprice (1994) — solo violoncello (5′)
Chain of Being (1994) — violin, cello, and piano (10')
Chain of Being (1999) — flute and two pianos (10′)
Suite for Flute and Piano (1992) (10′)
Suite for Violin and Piano (1992) (10′)
Achavi (1992) — accordion, harp, and vibraphone (7′)
Forest Rain (1991) — solo marimba and solo vibraphone (11′)
Piano
Solus (2013) (10')
Qim (2012) — solo harpsichord/solo piano (8’)
Aeon (2012) (8’)
Heart to Heart (2011) — two pianos (10')
Glistening Pianos (2009) — two pianos (14’)
Garage (2005) (8’)
Seed of Passion (1997) (13′)
Caprice (1997) (6′)
Cyclone (1994) (4′)
Musical Tableau (1989-94) (12')
An Eastern Apparition (1992) (12’)
Fire of Imagination (1991) (13’)
Shade (1989) (4’)
Opera
Lesson of Da Ji (2013) (60’)
Opera in one act commissioned by Toronto Masques Theatre; Librettist Marjorie Chan
The Imp of the Perverse (2000-02) (80’)
Opera in two acts based on the life of Edgar Allan Poe. Librettist Micheal O’brien, commissioned by Tapestry New Opera Works
Vocal/Choral Music
Four Seasons Balldae (2013) — soprano and piano (12')
Small Argument (2011) — soprano, flute, piano (20')
City Night (2010) — soprano, flute, and harp (12')
City Night (2010) — SSA women chorus (10')
Thoughts on a Still Night (2009) — SATB choir (5’)
Madcap’s Diary (2008) — soprano, alto flute, harpsichord (7’)
VIVA Songs (2008) — song cycle for soprano saxophone obligato, children’s chorus, pno (9’)
Lamia (2008) — double chorus and piano (11')
Wolf Woman (2007) — drama for solo soprano voice (20')
Three Songs from the Tang Dynasty (2007) — soprano/ mezzo sop., flute, violin, cello
City Night six urban Haiku (2003) — soprano or mezzo soprano and piano (12′)
Angst (2000)— unaccompanied solo soprano (11′)
Autumn (2000) — sop., mezzo sop., fl., viola, double bass, two perc. (10′)