About VivianExploring our Global Voices
Composer Vivian Fung has contributed to numerous Metropolis crowd favorite concerts and world premieres over the years, including Glimpses, Renderings, Music for Voice, Cymbeline, and Double Helix. Her "Violin Concerto" was awarded the 2013 Juno Award “Best Classical Composition of the Year,” recorded at Tanglewood with Metropolis and violinist Kristin Lee.Vivian has a unique talent for combining idiosyncratic textures and styles into large-scale works, reflecting her multicultural background and deep interest in exploring cultures and is passionate about fostering the talent of the next generation.
Current Metropolis ProjectA New Opera
VIvian Fung and librettist Royce Vavrek are writing an opera based on family oral history and mental health in collaboration with Edmonton Opera and Metropolis Ensemble. World Premiere dates to be announced soon. The project builds on two operatic scenes — “Grover and Friends” and “Alarm” — that debuted in Fall 2021.“Vivian Fung’s Dreamscapes is magnificent with virtuosic performances… a spectacular sounding album… by one of today’s most eclectic composers.”
NPR reviewed Metropolis Ensemble's commissioned concertos released on Naxos in 2012.
Other Career Highlights
In 2020, Vivian Fung was commissioned by CBC Music and Toronto Symphony Orchestra to create "Prayer," a critically-acclaimed elegy for the pandemic that premiered with a virtual orchestra across ten Canadian provinces and has since toured across the United States and Canada.“The premiere of Vivian Fung’s bold new harp concerto was a fortunate grouping of young musicians dedicated to contemporary music and sharing a truly visionary outlook.”
The Washington Post reviewed the 2014 Metropolis concert at The Phillips Collection.Previous Metropolis Projects
2023Infinite Staircase
Metropolis and pianist Han Chen commissioned Vivian Fung to create a new work inspired by composer György Ligeti’s iconic piano etudes, presented in a solo recital at National Sawdust. New York Classical Review called Vivian’s contribution “one of the finest of the new works, refined and full of personality.”
2020Cambodian Living Arts Festival
Cambodian Living Arts and ArtsEmerson commissioned a new work from Vivian Fung, performed by Sandbox Percussion and produced by Metropolis, inspired by Bangsokol: A Requiem for Cambodia, the groundbreaking production by renowned composer Him Sophy and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rithy Panh.
2018Companions
Metropolis presented Vivian Fung's 2017 deconstructionist work "Humanoid" with cellist Michael Katz alongside works by John Stulz, Salvatore Sciarrino, Maurice Ravel, and Andrew Norman performed by a string-trio in collaboration with VIVO Music Festival.
2016Metropolis Ensemble Tenth Anniversary
Metropolis presented multi-sensory musical performances including excerpts from Vivian Fung's works, sound installations, projection mapping, and performance art alongside sixty composers and performers to celebrate ten years of music innovation.
2014Phillips Camerata
Metropolis partnered with The Phillips Collection to perform Vivian Fung's Metropolis co-commissioned "Harp Concerto" with soloist and Camerata member Bridget Kibbey, alongside works from composers Steve Reich, Elliott Carter, Nathan Shields, and Christopher Cerrone.
2014Double Helix
Violinist Kristin Lee curated a Metropolis Resident Artist Series concert at Le Poisson Rouge, featuring the world premiere Metropolis commission from Vivian Fung, “Twist,” performed by Kristin and guitarist Jason Vieaux. The concert also featured violin duos from composers Andy Akiho, Jakub Ciupinski, Shobana Ragavan, and Patrick Castillo.
2014Cymbeline
Metropolis presented New York premiere of the newly co-commissioned “Harp Concerto” by Vivian Fung for solo harp (Bridget Kibbey), strings, and percussion at Le Poisson Rouge. Each new work in the concert featured performances re-imagining instruments for new contexts and contemporary genres.
2012Dreamscapes Celebration
Marking the release of the Metropolis studio album, Vivian Fung’s Dreamscapes, on Naxos Canadian Classics, with performances at Americas Society, including excerpts from “Dreamscapes” with violinist Kristin Lee and pianist Conor Hanick, and an interactive discussion with Vivian, artistic director Andrew Cyr, and album producer Tim Martyn.2012Dreamscapes Album
Vivian Fung’s "Violin Concerto" was awarded the 2013 Juno Award “Best Classical Composition of the Year” performed by Kristin Lee with Metropolis Ensemble. The album was recorded at Tanglewood, performed by Metropolis with conductor Andrew Cyr, produced by Grammy-winning producer Tim Martin, and released in collaboration with NAXOS Canadian Classics.
2011Inaugural Benefit
Metropolis celebrated with founding visionaries and donors at Tom Colicchio’s Riverpark with cocktails, dinner, auction, and performances including the Cadenza from Vivian Fung’s “Violin Concerto” with soloist Kristin Lee.
2009Reverb
Metropolis presented a concert of commissions at Le Poisson Rouge, exploring different sources for composition and a different conception of the future of music, including the world premiere of Vivian Fung’s Piano Concerto “Dreamscapes” with solo piano Jenny Lin and electronics.
2009Glimpses
A concert forum of new chamber music from composers Vivian Fung, Jakub Ciupinski, and Cristina Spinei at Americas Society, including Vivian's "Glimpses" for prepared piano with soloist Jenny Lin and a performance by Gamelan Dharma Swara.