Recent graduates Alison Yun-Fei Jiang and Ailsa Lipscombe have been appointed positions in Canada and New Zealand, respectively. Jiang received her PhD in Composition and Lipscombe received her PhD in Enthnomusicology June 2022.
Alison Yun-Fei Jiang Joins the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as RBC Affiliate Composer
Canadian composer Alison Yun-Fei Jiang has been selected as the TSO’s new RBC Affiliate Composer. Described as a composer who creates “musical narratives and experiences with a lyrical, dynamic, and storytelling nature”, Ms. Jiang explores “the intersections of cultures and genres by drawing inspirations and influences from an array of sources such as East Asian aesthetics, Chinese opera, natural landscapes, Buddhism, art, film music, popular music, and literature.”
The TSO’s Affiliate Composer position is a significant and prestigious opportunity for an emerging composer in Canada as it provides a chance to compose works for one of the country's finest orchestras, and allows for valuable insights into the inner workings of a major symphony orchestra, with full integration into all areas of the organization.
“Alison’s music is full of originality and colour, and she has an important voice to share with our orchestra and audiences,” says Music Director Gustavo Gimeno. “We were impressed by Alison's blending of cultures and genres into exciting melodies and textures and look forward to the works that she will write in the seasons ahead.”
During her two-year term with the TSO, Ms Jiang will compose two works for the Orchestra. She will also participate in educational work with young audiences as part of the TSO’s community-engagement programs, and will help facilitate the TSO’s NextGen Composer initiative and other programs involving local and regional composers, including the TSO’s acclaimed Explore the Score new music reading session.
Read the full announcement on the TSO website.
Ailsa Lipscombe appointed Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Victoria University of Wellington
Ailsa Lipscombe has been appointed a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. In addition to the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Ms. Lipscombe was also awarded a Research Assistantship. She will join a team of Digital Culture researchers who are establishing closer links with indigenous communities. Ms. Lipscombe is excited to spend her time in New Zealand in such a fulfilling role before transitioning back to academia in the United States in a few years.