significant Chinese composer; b. Si Mao, central Hunan Province, Aug. 18, 1957. While working among peasants during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Tan Dun began collecting folk songs. After playing VIOLA in the Beijing Opera orchestra in 1976-77, he entered the recently reopened Central Conservatory in Beijing in 1978 to study composition, obtaining both B.A. and M.A. degrees.

In 1983 Tan Dun's String Quartet won a prize in Dresden, the first international music prize won by a Chinese composer since 1949. However, his interest in Western compositional styles led to a six-month ban on performances or broadcasts of his music soon thereafter.

In 1986 Tan Dun settled in N.Y, where he accepted a fellowship at Columbia University and studied with Chou Wen-Chung, Mario Davidovsky, and George Edwards.

Tan Dun's early works are romantic and florid, while after 1982 they reveal a progressing advancement of dissonance and sophistication, while retaining Chinese contexts. Among his works are 9 Songs, a ritual opera for 20 singers/performers (1989). He has written several orchestral works, including Li Sao, a symphony (1979-80), Piano Concerto (1983), Symphony in 2 Movements (1985), On Taoism (1985), Death and Fire: Dialogue with Paul Klee (1991-92), and Yi, a cello concerto (1993-94).

Among Tan Dun's chamber pieces are two works for string quartet, Feng Ya Song (1982) and 8 Colors (1986-88), and Lament: Autumn Wind for any six instruments, any voice, and conductor (1993). His piano compositions include CAGE (1993), in honor of JOHN CAGE, whom he greatly admired.