Kuan Nai-chung

Kuan Nai-chung was born in Beijing in 1939.  He began his formal and stringent training in music under his father, the famous violinist Guan Zixiang, and the German pianist, Professor Kubelik. He entered the China Conservatory to study Composition at the age of seventeen, graduating in 1961.   

Kuan was the Conductor and Resident Composer of the Dongfang Song and Dance Troupe of China, Resident Composer of the China Arts Troupe and conductor of the Beijing Arts Troupe and the China National Song and Dance Ensemble before he resettled in Hong Kong in 1979. He was the Music Director of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra between 1986 and 1990. He resettled in Taiwan in 1990 and was the Conductor of the Kaohsiung City Chinese Orchestra. Kuan resettled in Canada in 1994 and continued composing music. He was often in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Macao etc. to conduct and cut records. 

His symphonic suite, Journey to Lhasa, won the CASH Golden Sail Most Performed Works Awards – Local Serious Work category three times. His other works such as Festive Lanterns, Bumper Harvest and Hilly Country Image have also won the same award. His symphonic poem The Peacock was rated a ‘20th Century Chinese Music Classic’.