Yangfan Xu (b. 1998) holds a deep passion and love for cats. Whenever she hears a string player glissando in the upper registers, she can’t help but think of a cat's meow. In addition to her feline obsession, Xu is a Chinese-born US-based composer who comes from a musical family in Lanzhou, Gansu province, with a spoiled cat who eats better than everyone else.

Xu is the winner of the 2023 Boston New Music Initiative Commission Competition and the winner of the Society for New Music's 2021 Israel/Pellman Award. Xu was awarded the 1st Prize in the 2020 Hausmann Quartet Quarantine Composition Competition. She won the 2021 New Juilliard Ensemble (NJE) Composition Competition, and her commissioned work Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas premiered at the Lincoln Center in a concert by NJE in 2022. Xu has received commissions from the Impulse New Music Festival, saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky and the New York Choreographic Institute affiliated with the New York City Ballet. Her music has been enjoyed by audiences in cities such as New York, San Francisco, San Diego, Beijing, Sydney, and Paris. Her compositions have been performed by professional orchestras and ensembles such as the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Contemporary Orchestra, Friction Quartet, Hausmann Quartet, SFCM New Music Ensemble, Choral Chameleon, Keyed Kontraptions, and Ravel Virtual Studios.

Xu has worked with composers including Phillip Lasser, Xiaofu Zhang, Ping Jin, and Michel Merlet. Xu received a bachelor’s degree in composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying with Mason Bates. She studied musicology at the high school affiliated with the Central Conservatory of Music in China. Xu earned her master’s degree in composition at the Juilliard School, studying under Robert Beaser. She is a current DMA student at the New England Conservatory of Music with studio teacher Kati Agócs.

Life as a composer

Available Recordings:

Now Listen - dance film | ca. 8'
New York Choreographic Institue & New York City Ballet
Released in June, 2022.
Bya - orchestra | ca. 12’
Created by Ravel Virtual Studios in November 2021
Released in December, 2021.
Shiraz Nights - violin and viola | ca. 6’
Commissioned and recorded by Cenoria for RDJ Refugee Center
Released in June, 2021.

Shen Hua - orchestra suite | ca. 15’
Created by Ravel Virtual Studios in November 2019
Released in December, 2019.

Luo Jiang Yuan - A bit Blue - string quartet | ca. 8’
Recorded by Friction Quartet on November 11, 2019
Released in December, 2019.

Ecstatic Burial - pipa and string quartet | ca. 12’
Recorded by Shuxin Meng and Friction Quartet
Released in July 2018, available on more than 15 music stores.

2018 - Present

Uplifting Melodies of the Summer Wind - piano trio
Commissioned by the Impulse New Music Festival 2023
Premiered on 10/7/2023
Bya - orchestra
Australian premiere by the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra, 10/6/2023
Premiered by the New Jersey Symphony, 7/15/2023
Now Listen - ballet and music
Choreography by Shane Urton
Commissioned by New York Choreographic Institute & NYCB
Premiered on 3/7/2023 at New York City Ballet Studios, Lincoln Center
Dryocopus into the Forest - piano solo version
Performed on 4/24/2022 at Society for New Music, Syracuse
Fantastic Creatures of the Mountains and Seas - New Juilliard Ensemble Commission
Premiered by the NJE conducted by Joe Sachs on 4/11/2022 at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
Australian premiere by the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra on 7/7/2023
Dogon Masks - viola and piano
Premiered by Yuchen Lu on 4/3/2022 at Juilliard
Performed on 4/5/2022 during Rodland Viola Studio Collaborative Project at Juilliard
Performed on 5/8/2022 at Juilliard Composers Concert
Performed in 2023 at Kaufman Center
In a Mellow Mood - solo violin
Premiered by Shaleah Feinstein on 3/19/2022 at Chelsea Factory, NY
Collaborative Project & Concert hosted by Creative Associate Grammy-winning violinist Jennifer Koh
You Bi - solo violin
Premiered by Erika Hubbard on 2/13/2022 at Juilliard
Soberless Dance (in the Mountains) - solo guitar
Performed by Ziggy Johnston on 11/22/2021 at Juilliard
Touching the Sun - string quartet and choreography
Online premiere in April 2021 at Juilliard
A Folk Dance - prepared piano | ca. 3’

Premiered by the composer on November 7, 2019 at SFCM Prepared Piano Masterclass with Kate Campbell in San Francisco

Taiji Said - violin, cello, clarinet, piano | ca. 11’40’’ Performed in February 2019 in San Francisco

Dryocopus into the forest - piano solo version | ca. 8’ Premiered in November 2018 in San Francisco

Dryocopus into the forest - string quartet | ca.3’

Premiered in July 2018, at European American Musical Alliance Institute in Paris, France

QingYi - trumpet and SATB choir | ca. 3’

Premiered by Nathan Plante and Choral Chameleon, June 2018 in Brooklyn New York

Ecstatic burial - pipa and string quartet | ca. 12’

Performed by Shuxin Meng and Friction Quartet at 2018 Hot Air Music Festival, San Francisco

Ji - contrabass flute and contraforte | ca. 4’

Premiered by Keyed Kontraptions at 2018 Hot Air Music Festival, San Francisco

Ji’ - contrabass flute and contraforte | ca. 4’

Performed by Keyed Kontraptions, April 2018 in San Francisco.

Two movements from suite Shen Hua: Red Lantern Dance | ca. 3’ & A Finishing Touch | ca. 4’ - piano version

Premiered by the composer in March 2018.

2017

Shangui - flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion | ca.15’

Premiered in April 2017, San Francisco Conservatory Of Music

Fuyou - SATB choir | ca.4’

Premiered by Choral Chameleon, July 2017 in Brooklyn New York

Ecstatic burial - pipa and string quartet | ca. 12’

Premiered by Shuxin Meng, Leah Froyd, Rachael Lindsey, Mitso Floor, Maclean Pachkowski in November 2017, at San Francisco Conservatory of music

Nyenchen Tanglha - brass quintet | ca.3’

Premiered in November 2017, at San Francisco Conservatory of music

Life as a pianist

2016-present

Currently studying piano minor with SFCM piano faculty Corey McVicar.

- Will have: Yangfan Xu’s Senior Piano Recital on February 6, 2020.

A Folk Dance - prepared piano, by Yangfan Xu

Performed on November 7, 2019, at SFCM Prepared Piano Masterclass with Kate Campbell.

Starry Night - soprano and solo piano, by Jeffery Moiser

Performed in 2016 at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Synced - piano, violin, viola, cello, percussion and electronics, by Dariush Derakhshani

Performed & Recorded in 2018 at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Roadshow for Otto - flute, clarinet, cello, piano, by Carl Schimmel

Performed in 2018 Hot Air Music Festival.

Dream Suite - solo piano, by Jonah Gallagher

Performed in Jonah Gallagher Graduate Composition Recital, in 2018 at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Sinfonia - Two Pianos and Percussion, by Colin Martin

Performed in Colin Martin Graduate Composition Recital, in 2018 at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Awards:

Won Golden Prize at the piano competition of Singapore Chinese Arts Festival.

Won Golden Prize at the piano competition of Kobe Osaka International Music Festival.

Won Excellent Prize for Art Director at Kobe Osaka International Music Festival.

Life as a choir singer

2016-present

Singing Alto in San Francisco Symphony Chorus, led by director Ragnar Bohlin, concert season 2019-2020

Will perform:

Handel Messiah on December 13&14, 2019

SF Symphony Holiday Concerts A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 21, 22 & 23, 2019

Brahms A German Requiem on May 22, 23 & 24, 2019

Wagner The Flying Dutchman on June 11,13 & 15, 2019

Mahler Symphony No.8 on June 25, 26, 27 & 28, 2019

Singing Alto in Mouthscape Contemporary Chorus concert season 2019-2020

Singing Soprano/Alto in the Choir of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, directed by Timothy Zerlang.

Sang in the chorus with San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra for Julia Wolfe workshop in 2018.

Sang Alto in San Francisco Conservatory Chorus from 2017 to 2018.

Performed Mozart 'Requiem' with California Symphony, conducted by Donato Cabrera

Performed Arvo Pärt 'Te Deum' with California Symphony, conducted by Ragnar Bohlin.

Performed Christmas Concert at San Francisco Conservatory in 2017 with conductor Ragnar Bohlin and Eric Choate.

Sang Soprano in Mouthscape Contemporary Chorus concert season 2017

Performed in 2018 Hot Air Music Festival.

Performed 'Charm me asleep' in composer David Conte's Composition Recital in 2018.

Performed in composer Raja Orr’s recital in May 2018.

Performed work by Nicholas Denton-Protsack at SFCM Composition Department Recall in 2018.