Life & Work with Yijing Qiu of East Hollywood/Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yijing Qiu.

Hi Yijing, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I am a film music composer born and raised in Qingdao, China. Music has been part of my life from a very early age — I began learning the erhu at eight and sang in choir throughout my childhood, alongside formal training in music theory. Through playing, singing, and study, I built a strong musical foundation. As I grew older, my curiosity expanded beyond sound into storytelling. A defining moment came when I first heard Michael Giacchino’s score for the opening montage of Up. It was the first time I realized that music could function as an unseen character — shaping emotion, time, and memory without a single line of dialogue. That realization stayed with me and ultimately guided me toward film music.

Because music is inseparable from culture, my curiosity naturally widened to the world itself. I went on to live, study, and work across multiple countries, experiences that continue to inform how I listen and compose. I studied musicology in Barcelona, where immersion in a new cultural environment expanded my musical perspective. An exchange program in BC, Canada later introduced me to North America and exposed me to a broader range of performance and visual arts. During that time, my first encounters with the region’s film culture left a strong impression and further solidified my interest in film scoring.

Wanting to work more directly with narrative, I later spent several years in Beijing working in musical theatre and independent film. I collaborated with local theaters, directed children’s productions, and worked closely with filmmakers from the Beijing Film Academy, scoring short films and documentaries. One of these projects, Our Snowstorms, was released on DVD this year, and several of my early works received recognition at international film festivals. These experiences deepened my understanding of how music supports narrative structure and emotional arcs on screen.

In the summer of 2025, I completed a Master’s degree in Film Music Composition at the Seattle Film Institute, where I studied under Emmy Award–winning composer Hummie Mann, alongside Jarryd Elias,  Ryan Ike and Anton du Preez. After graduating, I moved to Los Angeles to continue building my career and co-founded Viora Music with my collaborators Geet Chaudhari and Ron Leonardi. As an international team with roots in China, India, and the United States, we bring diverse musical perspectives into a shared creative language, making collaboration central to my artistic identity.

Los Angeles is a city where creative voices naturally converge — where stories bloom and the world feels close at hand. I hope to grow alongside this city, to tell stories that resonate across cultures, and to compose music that carries emotional truth beyond borders. In many ways, my journey has never been only about the places I’ve lived, but about listening deeply — to people, to cultures, and to the evolving sound of who I am becoming.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It definitely hasn’t been an easy path. Inspiration doesn’t always arrive on demand, and there are moments when the process becomes stressful or discouraging. The uncertainty — tight deadlines, constant revisions, or realizing that a piece of music isn’t quite aligned with a director’s vision — is an ongoing challenge in this field.

Beyond external pressures, there’s also an internal struggle. Self-doubt is a very real part of being a composer — questioning whether you’re capable, or how to translate emotion and story into music in a way that feels honest and effective. Those moments can be difficult, but they’re also part of the creative process.

What has helped me most is collaboration. Working closely with musicians and filmmakers transforms the experience from something isolating into something shared and supportive. Exchanging ideas, responding to different perspectives, and building a project together not only strengthens the music, but also reinforces confidence and creative clarity.

I’ve also been fortunate to learn from inspiring teachers and to receive steady support from my parents, friends, and collaborators. Being part of teams that encourage each other during challenging moments has helped me move through periods of doubt and continue growing as a composer. In the end, those challenges have shaped my resilience and deepened my commitment to the work.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I write film music with a focus on uncovering the emotional core of a scene and shaping it through sound. Collaboration is central to my process — I love working closely with directors, editors, and fellow musicians to create something cohesive, where the music doesn’t just accompany the image but becomes a living, active part of the story. I thrive in environments where listening deeply and understanding intention are just as important as composing the notes themselves.

My artistic identity is rooted in the erhu and informed by folk traditions and natural timbres. I’m drawn to raw, expressive sounds that feel closely connected to human emotion, and I enjoy blending those elements with contemporary film scoring techniques. That combination — traditional roots, global influences, and cinematic sensibility — often defines my work. Collaborators describe my music as emotional, warm, and grounded, and I think my ability to adapt across cultures helps me connect with creative teams and approach stories from multiple perspectives.

Currently, I’m composing for two films in the 10-10-10 program at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where my work will premiere this February. These projects are creatively challenging and allow me to collaborate closely with emerging filmmakers, which I find deeply inspiring. Beyond that, I continue to develop projects across the U.S., Europe, and China, while cultivating long-term creative partnerships.

Any big plans?

For the future, I hope to keep working, learning, and expanding my musical world. I want to collaborate with inspiring musicians and filmmakers, and continue writing music that feels honest, emotionally resonant, and deeply meaningful—music I can stand behind with confidence.

I also hope to keep exploring the world, staying present, and remaining open to the small, everyday moments that quietly shape creativity. Whether it’s something intimate or large in scale, I believe inspiration often comes from noticing beauty where it’s least expected, and allowing those experiences to inform the way I write.

Above all, I want my music to offer something positive—to create emotional connection, comfort, and inspiration for the people who hear it, even in subtle ways. My goal is simple but enduring: to keep growing, keep creating, and keep sharing music that carries care, intention, and humanity into the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://play.reelcrafter.com/hGmuMC3ZTQ-Wx4axbc5vqg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yijingqiumusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yijingqiumusic
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yijing-qiu-980845379/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/vikki-qiu