Biography of Alice Ping Yee Ho 何冰頤
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.
Alice Ho’s website: http://www.alicepingyeeho.com
Choral Works (also see Vocal/Choral Works at end of lists):
- City Night (SSA women chorus) duration: 10’ 2010
- VIVA Songs (song cycle for soprano saxophone obligato, children chorus and piano) duration: 9’. 2008
- Lamia (for double chorus and piano) Duration: 11’. 2008
ORCHESTRAL
Strange Luminescence (solo piano and chamber orchestra) 20’ 2015
Hakka Tea Bliss (solo oboe and orchestra) 11’ 2015
Ocean Child (for oprano and orchestra) 16’ 2014
Nirvana Sketches (for female voice and orchestra) 10’ 2013
Sun Goddess (concerto for drumming quartet and orchestra) 18’ 2010
Sun Spell (for orchestra) 15’ 2010
Mélange (for percussion quartet and string orchestra) 15’ 2010
Dark Elements (full orchestra) 17’ 2009
Dance Concerto (flute, percussion, strings, classical Chinese dancer opt.) 45’ 2008
Mountain of Eight Spirits (Chinese Orchestra11’ 2008Red Temple(full orchestra) 17’ 2006
Dark Waters (woodwind quintet and string orchestra) 7’ 2006
Seraphim (for woodwind quartet, brass quartet, and strings) 13’ 2005
Evolving Elements (concerto for solo marimba and strings) 20′ 2005
Capriccio Ballo (concerto for violin, piano, and strings) 15′ 2005
Double Concerto for Viola and String Bass 18′ 2000
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra 17′ 2000
Mira (solo violin and string orchestra) 7′ 1999
Elysian Fields (concerto for piano and orchestra) 16′ 1998
Scintillar (full orchestra) 11′ 1997
Pearl of Asia (soprano solo, chorus, orchestra) 30′ 1997
Chimaera (full orchestra) 12′ 1995
Radiantia (concerto for percussion and orchestra) 12′ 1995
Ice Path (full orchestra) 10′ 1994
Under the Quavering Moon (full orchestra) 12′ 1993
On the Wing 6′ 93-97 ( full orchestra; alternate version for flute, horn, piano/harp, strings)
Jubilation of Spring (string orchestra and percussion) 6′ 1991
Resurrected Angel (33 strings) 9′ 1986
Escapade (full orchestra) 13′ 1985
Chamber
Tale of M’Whell (soprano, violin, bass clarinet, piano) 16’ 2014
Drunkard Rhapsody (yangqin, percussion, 2 erhu, zhonghu, cello) 0’ 2013
Moon’s Lament (Chinese harp and voice) 9’ 2013
Coquette (saxophone quartet) 8’ 2013
Four Seasons Ballade (erhu and piano) 10’ 2013
The Mysterious Boot (violin, cello, piano) 12’ 2013
Éxtasis (violin and piano) 6’ 2012
Si Yi 四藝 – The Four Arts (solo violin, piano, yangqin and strings) 17’ 2012
Breath of Fire (Bb clarinet, accordion, and cello) 16’ 2012
Ballade for An Ancient Warrior 20’ 2011
(solo percussion, female voice, and mixed chamber ensemble)
Coeur a Coeur (violin and piano) 12’ 2011
Woman Runs With Wolves (solo percussion and electronics) 15’ 2011
Solace (mandolin and guitar) 13’ 2011
Solace (two guitars) 13’ 2011
TorQ Machine (percussion quartet with optional electronics) 10’ 2010
Tempered Moon (Erhu, Guzheng, and Pipa )10′ 2010
Drunk Moon (flute, Dizi, Erhu, cello, Guzheng, and piano) 12’ 2008
WAR! ( electronics, two pianos, percussion, and speaking voices) 8’ 2008
Kami ( solo marimba and three percussion) 11’ 2006
Angst II (for piano and large chamber ensemble) 12’ 2006
Dark Waters (for woodwind quintet and string quintet) 7’ 2005
Two Seasons (erhu and piano) 6’ 2005
Evolving Elements (marimba and string quartet) 20′ 2005
Bao Miao (flute, marimba, vibraphone, harp, and viola) 10′ 2004
Cothurnus (flute, cello, piano; or flute, bassoon, piano) 12’ 2003
String Quartet No. 2 15′ 2002
Ming (solo percussion) 15′ 1999
Seraphim (woodwind quartet, brass quartet, string quartet) 13′ 1996
Seiren (alto flute/flute/piccolo, cello, piano) 13′ 1996
MaViBa (marimba, violin, cello) 7′ 1995
Circlet (trumpet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion) 12′ 1994
Caprice (solo violoncello) 5′ 1994
Chain of Being (violin, cello, and piano)10’ 1994
Chain of Being (flute and two pianos) 10′ 1999
Suite for Flute and Piano10′ 1992
Suite for Violin and Piano10′ 1992
Achavi (accordion, harp, and vibraphone) 7′ 1992
Forest Rain (solo marimba and solo vibraphone) 11′ 1991
PIANO
Solus (solo piano) 10’ 2013
Qim (solo harpsichord/solo piano) 8’ 2012
Aeon(solo piano) 8’ 2012
Heart to Heart (two pianos)10’ 2011
Glistening Pianos (two pianos)14’ 2009
Garage (solo piano) 8’ 2005
Seed of Passion (solo piano)13′ 1997
Caprice (solo piano) 6′ 1997
Cyclone (solo piano) 4′ 1994
Musical Tableau (solo piano) 12’ 89-94
An Eastern Apparition(two pianos) 12′ 1992
Fire of Imagination (solo piano)13′ 1991
Shade (solo piano) 4’ 1989
OPERA
Lesson of Da Ji 60’ 2013
Opera in one act commissioned by Toronto Masques Theatre; Librettist Marjorie Chan
The Imp of the Perverse 80’ 00-02
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 (soprano and piano) 12’ 2013
Small Argument (soprano, flute, piano) 20’ 2011
City Night (soprano, flute, and harp) 12’ 2010
City Night (SSA women chorus)10’ 2010
Thoughts on a Still Night (SATB choir) 5’ 2009
Madcap’s Diary (soprano, alto flute, harpsichord) 7’ 2008
VIVA Songs (song cycle for soprano saxophone obligato, children’s chorus, pno 9’ 2008
Lamia (for double chorus and piano) 11’ 2008
Wolf Woman (drama for solo soprano voice) 20’ 2007
Three Songs from the Tang Dynasty soprano/ mezzo sop., flute, violin, cello) 0′ 2007
City Night six urban Haiku for soprano or mezzo soprano and piano 12′ 2003
Angst (unaccompanied solo soprano) 11′ 2000
Autumn (sop., mezzo sop., fl., viola, double bass, two perc.) 10′ 2000
