葉聰TSUNG Yeh（1950～）
葉聰，指揮家、作曲家、教育家。現任新加坡華樂團榮譽指揮、美國印第安那南灣交響樂團桂冠指揮及新加坡國家青年華樂團顧問。曾任西北印第安那州交響樂團音樂總監、香港小交響樂團的音樂總監、聖路易交響樂團助理指揮，佛羅里達州管弦樂團駐團指揮、紐約奧爾班尼交響樂團的首席客座指揮。他也受委為中國中央民族樂團、無錫民族樂團和澳門中樂團的首席客座指揮，上海音樂學院賀綠汀中國音樂高等研究院學術委員，以及捷克共和國國際指揮學院教員。1950年，葉聰出生於上海，五歲開始學習鋼琴，1979年在上海音樂學院攻讀指揮，兩年後獲全期獎學金往紐約曼恩斯音樂學院進修，師從夏夫。1983年，他赴耶魯大學攻讀碩士課程，隨梅勒學藝，亦曾跟隨魯道夫、史勒堅及薛林深造指揮。1991年4月，美國交響樂團聯盟及芝加哥交響樂團合辦“指揮家深造課程”，葉聰獲選與芝加哥交響樂團、該樂團的音樂總監巴倫邦及首席客席指揮布列茲緊密合作。1995年，葉氏和南灣交響樂團更獲頒美國作曲家、作家及出版商協會大獎榮銜。由1999至2000年樂季開始出任香港小交響樂團音樂總監，他亦同時擔任美國南灣交響樂團與西北印第安那交響樂團的音樂總監。葉聰活躍於國際樂壇，曾與北美洲、法國、北京華夏室內樂團等多個樂團合作演出；亦曾應邀擔任中、港、台各地樂團的客席指揮。葉聰在指揮教育界聲譽日隆。自1992年起，他已是捷克交響樂指揮工作坊的藝術總監，並曾數次在美國“指揮家聯盟”工作坊擔任講員，自1997年始他更應邀每年在瑞士舉行的國際現代音樂指揮大師班擔任主講。
2002年1月應邀出任新加坡華樂團的音樂總監。2013年10月，榮獲文化界最高榮譽的“新加坡文化獎”。葉聰光榮地結束了20年的新加坡華樂團音樂總監一職，從2023年1月1日起，他成為新加坡華樂團的榮譽指揮。
2007年，葉聰擔任新加坡國慶典禮的音樂總監，他為這個舉國歡騰的慶典節目作了全新的音樂設計，發揚具有南洋地區音樂與新加坡特色的華樂作品，並提高國際音樂界對此類華樂作品的認識。
葉聰曾與無數著名樂團合作。1988年至2016年，擔任美國南灣交響樂團音樂總監。1995年，他與南灣交響樂團更獲頒美國作曲家、作家及出版商協會大獎榮銜。葉聰退休離開南灣交響樂團之後，榮獲印第安那州州長頒發的印地安納州最高平民獎 “Sagamore of the Wabash Award”。此外，南灣市市長Pete Buttigieg 也宣佈2016年5月7日為“Tsung Yeh Day”( 葉聰日)。葉聰現被定為南灣交響樂團協會桂冠指揮。
葉聰曾與北美多個樂團合作，計有三藩市、塔克遜、紐黑文交響樂、卡爾加里和羅徹斯特管弦樂團等。他也經常應邀擔任亞洲多個樂團的客座指揮，包括中國、日本（東京）和日本、台灣、俄羅斯，以及捷克。他曾被挑選參加由芝加哥交響樂團主辦的“指揮家深造計劃”，並接受其音樂總監巴倫邦及首席客座指揮布萊茲的指導。葉聰也參與在上海大劇院舉行的上海民族樂團2020年新年音樂會，他重返母校，擔任上海音樂學院客座教授。他曾在美國“指揮家聯盟”與北美交響樂團聯合會舉辦的工作坊擔任講師。他也積極參與在中國、香港、台灣和新加坡舉辦的大師班。2016年，葉聰榮獲由中國民族管弦樂學會頒發的“傑出民族管弦樂指揮”稱號；並被委任為中國“千人計劃”專家之一。
Tsung Yeh (1950~) is a conductor, composer, and educator. He currently serves as the Honorary Conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, Music Director Emeritus of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in Indiana, and Advisor to the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra. He has previously held positions as Music Director of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Assistant Conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Resident Conductor of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Albany Symphony Orchestra in New York. He has also been appointed as the Principal Guest Conductor of the China National Traditional Orchestra, Wuxi Traditional Orchestra, and Macau Chinese Orchestra. He serves as an Academic Committee Member of the He Luting Chinese Music High-Level Research Institute at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and as a faculty member at the International Conducting Institute in the Czech Republic.
Tsung Yeh was born in Shanghai in 1950 and began studying piano at the age of five. In 1979, he pursued conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and two years later received a full scholarship to study at Mannes College of Music in New York under Maestro Carl Bamberger. In 1983, he studied at Yale University with Otto-Werner Mueller and also received guidance from Leonard Bernstein, Sergiu Celibidache, and Herbert von Karajan. In April 1991, he was selected to participate in the Conductor’s Workshop jointly organized by the American Symphony Orchestra League and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he closely collaborated with Maestro Georg Solti and Principal Guest Conductor Pierre Boulez. In 1995, Tsung Yeh and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra were awarded the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Award.
Starting from the 1999-2000 season, Tsung Yeh served as the Music Director of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta while concurrently holding the position of Music Director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with numerous orchestras worldwide, including those in North America, France, and the Beijing Huaxia Chamber Orchestra. He has also been invited as a guest conductor by orchestras in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Tsung Yeh has gained a reputation in the field of conducting education. Since 1992, he has been the Artistic Director of the Czech Symphony Orchestra Conducting Workshop and has served as a speaker at several workshops organized by the Conductors Guild in the United States. Since 1997, he has been invited annually as the main lecturer at the International Master Class for Modern Music Conductors held in Switzerland.
In January 2002, Tsung Yeh was invited to be the Music Director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. In October 2013, he was honored with the highest cultural award in Singapore, the “Cultural Medallion.” Tsung Yeh concluded his 20-year tenure as Music Director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and became its Honorary Conductor from January 1, 2023. In 2007, he served as the Music Director for Singapore’s National Day Parade, where he designed new music emphasizing the unique characteristics of Nanyang music and Singaporean culture, increasing international recognition for Chinese orchestral works.
Tsung Yeh has collaborated with numerous renowned orchestras. From 1988 to 2016, he served as the Music Director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. In 1995, he and the South Bend Symphony Orchestra were awarded the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Award. After retiring from the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Tsung Yeh was honored with the “Sagamore of the Wabash Award” by the Governor of Indiana. Additionally, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend declared May 7, 2016, as “Tsung Yeh Day.” Tsung Yeh is currently designated as the Music Director Emeritus of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra.
Tsung Yeh has collaborated with several orchestras in North America, including the San Francisco Symphony, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. He is also frequently invited as a guest conductor by orchestras in Asia, including those in China, Japan (Tokyo), Taiwan, Russia, and the Czech Republic. He was selected to participate in the Conductors Workshop organized by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and received guidance from Maestro Daniel Barenboim and Principal Guest Conductor Pierre Boulez. Tsung Yeh also participated in the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra’s 2020 New Year Concert held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, where he returned to his alma mater, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, as a Visiting Professor. He has served as a lecturer at workshops organized by the Conductors Guild and the North American Orchestras Association. He actively participates in masterclasses held in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, andother countries.
In addition to his conducting career, Tsung Yeh is also a composer. He has composed a wide range of works, including orchestral pieces, chamber music, and choral works. Some of his notable compositions include “Symphony No. 1: New World,” “Concerto for Chinese Percussion and Orchestra,” “The Beauty of the Heart,” and “The Moon Represents My Heart.” His compositions often combine elements of Western classical music with traditional Chinese music, showcasing his unique musical style.
Tsung Yeh is dedicated to music education and has been involved in conducting workshops and masterclasses around the world. He has served as the Artistic Director of the Czech Symphony Orchestra Conducting Workshop and has been a faculty member at the International Conducting Institute in the Czech Republic. He has also been a guest lecturer at various workshops and masterclasses, sharing his knowledge and experience with aspiring conductors.
Throughout his career, Tsung Yeh has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of music. In addition to the Cultural Medallion bestowed upon him by the Singaporean government, he has been recognized with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Award and the “Sagamore of the Wabash Award” by the Governor of Indiana, among others.
Tsung Yeh’s passion for music, his innovative compositions, and his dedication to music education have made him a highly respected figure in the world of classical music. His work continues to inspire and enrich the global music community.