kawai shiu biography -compositions- -discography- -send a message-
As a composer, conductor, producer, writer, lecturer, and teacher, Kawai Shiu has received numerous awards in recognition of his work. Composition awards presented to Kawai include a Special Commendation in the Vienna Modern Masters' Orchestral Recording Award, an Honorable Mention in the ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Award, three Frederic Goossen Composition Prizes, the SCI/ASCAP Student Composition Commission Award (Southeast Region), ASCAP Annual Awards, Kent Kennan Scholarships, and funding from the American Music Center. In addition, he has received numerous travel and research grants from different academic institutions including Capstone International Center. Recent major engagements include a South Bank Centre (London) commission for Endymion at the Purcell Room and a commission from the Cheltenham Festival (UK) .
In 2001, the University of Alabama established the Kawai Shiu Music Composition Fund, dedicated to the composer's commissioned work bir[d] w[h]istle for solo flutist and ensemble. Its premiere performance was conducted by eminent British composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle with flutist Sheryl Cohen. Other commissions and performances include those from clarinetist Alan Hacker for the International Clarinet Course in Spain and Dartington Festival in U.K., saxophonist Jonathan Noffsinger for the World Saxophone Congress in Canada, pianists, Albert Tiu and Kenneth Saxon, and the Alabama Wind Ensemble, among others.
Kawai was the featured composer at RTHK-4; a series of four one-hour programs were dedicated to his music and interviews with the composer. His music has been recorded by CRI (New World Records), Vienna Modern Masters, and Soy Sauce Records. Critical acclaim for Kawai's music has been offered by prominent music review publications including American Record Guide and Fanfare. Kawai's other published works include poetry, drama, and writings on music and art criticism. He is also a credited contributor to a number of pedagogical publications on instrumental methods.
In 1998, he founded his own ensemble, kawai and the musicians, which made its guest appearance at the Pacific Contemporary Music Festival in Los Angeles. For his contributions to the musical field, Kawai Shiu was selected for inclusion in International Who's Who in Music, Dictionary of International Biography, Who's Who in Hong Kong, and General Guide of Industrial Enterprises in China's Various Provinces.
In 2002, Kawai served as the Music Director of the British Royal National Theatre's critically acclaimed production of Euripides' Bacchai, directed by Tony Award winner Sir Peter Hall. As a researcher, Kawai attended Swiss Paul Sacher Stiftung as a Research Fellow with the foundation's grant. A lecture performance co-developed by Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Kawai on Swiss artist Paul Klee has been presented at Hayward Gallery (London), British Royal Academy of Arts, and Lucerne Festival. Kawai also taught at the University of Florida and the University of Alabama during his doctoral studies. In 2006, he was the Honorary Visiting Professor of Music at the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Tasmania. He is at present Assistant Professor at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.