Zhiyi Wang (b.1980) is a multi-award-winning composer for contemporary classical and film genres.

Wang's compositions represent an intricate blend of Oriental influences, Western avant-garde, and classical traditions. He has created a wide range of music spanning different genres, including contemporary classical, film and TV scores, modern ballet, musicals, world music, and pop music. His music has been performed by renowned artists like Yuri Bashmet, Sarah Brightman, Lang Lang, Li-Wei Qin, and various orchestras and ensembles such as China National Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic, NCPA Orchestra, The Orchestra of China National Opera House, The Orchestra of Shanghai Opera House, Brno Philharmonic, China Broadcast Symphony Orchestra, Senzoku Gakuen New Philharmonic, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Lviv Chamber Orchestra, Eighth Blackbird, Moscow Soloists, Sound Ways Ensemble, Ensemble Les Amis, ConTempo Quartet, Baroque Camerata, Lemberg Sinfonietta, Villiers String Quartet, and many others across Asia, North America, and Europe.

Wang was a core member of the music crew for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He created a variety of musical programs for the Opening Ceremony, including the Fanfare for the Ceremony, which was performed during the opening speeches of Jacques Rogge (President of the International Olympic Committee) and Liu Qi (President of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games). Wang's arrangements consisted of four programs: the theme song You and Me (performed by Sarah Brightman and Liu Huan), the duet song Dream of the Five Rings, Ritual Music, and Lighting of the Olympic Cauldron. The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee has acknowledged Wang's immense contribution to the spirit of the ceremonies. In addition, he transcribed the orchestral version of the Beijing Olympic Theme Song You and Me for the 2012 New Year's Concert at the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, conducted by Lorin Maazel. Furthermore, Wang was appointed as a composer for the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibitions Opening Ceremony.

In the contemporary domain, Wang has been recognized with top awards from numerous international competitions, including Red Note International Composition Competition, International Alfred Schnittke Composition Competition, Senzoku Gakuen International Composition Competition, Malta International Composition Competition, International Franz Liszt Competition for Composers, International Sergei Slonimsky Composition Competition, and International Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition. He has also received the Grawemeyer Fellowship and has served as Composer-in-Residence at several institutions, including the Shanghai Opera House, the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan, Sacrarium International Composers' Forum in Ukraine, and the International Contemporary Arts Academy in Romania. Wang is frequently commissioned to create music by various orchestras, festivals, and organizations. Since 2019, the Winter International Arts Festival in Sochi has commissioned him to create new music for Yuri Bashmet and Moscow Soloists for its opening and closing concerts. Notably, Wang's piano work, Etude for Concert, was performed by Anna Kislitsyna at Carnegie Hall in June 2022.

Wang has collaborated with some of the most prominent directors in Chinese cinema, such as Kaige Chen, Yimou Zhang, and Hark Tsui, in the realm of film music. He has composed an original score for many films, including But Always and Highway of Love, which earned him a nomination from the 15th World Soundtrack Awards. He was awarded the Gold Medal from the Global Music Awards in 2017 for his original film score for Dali Holiday. Wang's score for The Guiding Star (from My People, My Country) was nominated for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards in 2021. His score for The Battle at Lake Changjin received the Outstanding Music Award from the 19th Huabiao Film Awards and was nominated for Best Original Music at the 35th Golden Rooster Awards. This film became the world's second highest-grossing film in 2021 and the new champion of China's all-time box office. In addition to films, Wang has also composed the original music and theme songs for various TV series and documentaries. His work includes Romantic Attachment for the documentary The Louvre Meets the Forbidden City, which is included in the music textbook for middle schools throughout China. His score for the documentary series Seal in Time was nominated for the Best Music Award from the 11th China Academy Awards for Documentary Film.

Wang is also a renowned figure in the pop music industry. He was nominated for Best Arranger in the 25th Golden Melody Awards twice for his exceptional work on the album Li Jian Classic Remake Collections. Wang has collaborated with many well-known singers from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. He has made significant contributions to China's most popular singing reality shows, including I Am a Singer, Grammy Salute to China Star, and X-Factor, where he showcased his talent by creating his versions of classic songs. The instrumental song, Where the Heart Is, won him three awards, including the Grand Award of the 2023 Akademia Music Awards, Best Instrumental Work from the 2024 Clouzine International Music Awards, and Best Instrumental Composition from the 2023 World Entertainment Awards.

Born in China, Wang holds a BM and MM in music composition from Oberlin College Conservatory and the University of Louisville, where he studied under Randolph Coleman and Marc Satterwhite. He has been honored with an Alumni Award from both institutions. Wang is a member of The Recording Academy and World Soundtrack Academy. He is an honored listee in Marquis Who's Who. He serves on the jury at the LIT Music Awards and Tencent Wave Music Committee. Wang is an appointed Industry Mentor at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and has been a guest faculty at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He now directs the composition summer program at the Leon Fleisher Academy. He is based out of Los Angeles.

Zhiyi Wang

Composer

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