Praised by the San Jose Mercury News for his “lushly romantic” style and “grandeur,” Phil Young (杨智华) is a versatile composer whose works encompass a wide range of forms, from symphonic and chamber works to electronic, vocal, and film music. His works reflect a distinctive and original voice by fusing Chinese and Western musical, philosophical, and cultural influences. Young’s ballet music, Middle Kingdom Ancient China, composed for Ballet San Jose and the Chinese Performing Artists of America, is one of many works that have been well received by audiences and critics. His music has been performed at prestigious music institutions and venues, such as the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, UNC-Chapel Hill, the Royal Northern College of Music, King’s College in England, the Vladimir Music Expedition Festival, the Mariinsky Theater Concert Hall in Russia, Mas i Mas in Barcelona, the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, and the Shanghai Symphony Concert Hall Auditorium. His compositions have been presented by renowned music ensembles, including the Seattle Symphony, Ballet San Jose, Silicon Valley Orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra, South Bay Chamber Orchestra, Toledo International Youth Orchestra, Thuringer Symphony of Germany, Russian National Orchestra Wind Quintet, the Symphony Orchestra of the Beijing Song and Dance Troupe of China, the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan, and the Hong Kong Harp Chamber.
His music for violin and piano, Reverie, has been included in the publication A Century of Violin Works by Chinese Composers by the Shanghai Music Publishing House. His commissioned piano solo piece, Reflection on a Tang Poem, premiered by pianist Dr. Clara Yang in England (King’s College) and Spain (Mas i Mas in Barcelona) in October 2014, is part of Yang’s album Folding Time, published by Albany Records. The album won the Global Music Awards gold medal and was named “Best of 2016” by the American Record Guide. Reflection on a Tang Poem has also been chosen in the publication Selection of Chinese Original Piano Works in the New Era by the People’s Music Publishing House in China. His composition for cello and piano, Consolation – for all the people suffering from the Pandemic, has been included in San Francisco Bay Area’s KDFC Classical Music Station’s programming.
A graduate and scholarship recipient of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Phil Young studied composition with Professor Elinor Armer. In 1985, he won the Conservatory Composition Competition for his symphonic work Fantasy for Orchestra, which premiered at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco. The premiere concert, which included an interview with the composer, was broadcast live by KQED radio station. His composition for violin and piano, Lament, was selected as a finalist in the international composition competition Città di Udine in Italy in 2014. His harp music, Suzhou River, was chosen as part of the repertoire for the 2018 Fourth Hong Kong Harp International Competition.
Before studying at the San Francisco Conservatory, Phil Young studied composition with Professor Luo Zhongrong (罗忠镕) in China and worked as an instrumentalist and a composer for the Symphony Orchestra of the Beijing Song and Dance Troupe (now known as the Beijing Symphony Orchestra). His ballet music, Sea Waves and Fire Dance, composed in the 1980s for renowned choreographer Jia Zuoguang, won a Music Award at the China National Dance Competition. Additionally, Sea Waves has been selected as one of the Dance Classics of the Chinese Nation in the 20th Century.
Phil Young currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and is actively involved with various local performing groups, including previously serving as the Music Director of the Chinese Performing Artists of America and as the Conductor of the CPAA Youth Chamber Orchestra.
PHIL YOUNG 杨智华 | composer 
