Scherchen, Tona (1938–)

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Scherchen, Tona (1938–)

Swiss-born French-Chinese composer. Name variations: Tona Scherchen-Hsiao. Born Mar 12, 1938, in Neuchatel, Switzerland; dau. of Hermann Scherchen (German conductor) and Hsiao Shusien (Chinese composer); became naturalized French citizen (1972).

Spent teenage years in China and studied Chinese classical music and Chinese lute; in Europe, studied composition with Ligeti, Messiaen and Henze, and won Premier Prix du Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris (1964); lectured in Europe and US and worked as radio producer and sound engineer in New York; works include Tzang (1966), Shen (1968), Khouang (1966–68), Vague-T'ao (1974–75), Oeil de chat (1976), L'illégitime (1985–86) and Fuite (1987); created multimedia projects, including Between '86 (1978–86) and Cancer, Solstice '83 (1983–87).

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