Today we’d like to introduce you to Yi-Fan Chen.
Hi Yi-Fan, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Originating from Taiwan, I am a multimedia composer driven by a passion for crafting music that evokes captivating melodies, profound emotions, and rich timbres. My musical journey commenced at the age of 11 with a focus on concert pieces, which has led to most of my music being rooted in orchestral settings while infused with electronic synthesis and sampling. My experience in scoring extends across a wide spectrum of projects, encompassing shorts, feature films, video games, advertisements, and TV series.
Although my creative journey began at an early age, it wasn’t until the first time I heard my art song being rehearsed by my musician friends at senior high school that I realized being able to become a composer is such a blessing. I was so fascinated and moved when hearing the music I conceived days and nights that eventually came to life.
Throughout the rehearsal process, we engaged in lively exchanges of ideas, striving to achieve ever-improving interpretations. Each small progress brought us immense excitement as we worked tirelessly to bridge the gap between the music I had envisioned and its realization. Seeing my musicians gradually connect with the emotions I aimed to convey through the music brought me unparalleled joy. This sense of fulfillment ignited my passion and drove me to pursue a career as a composer.
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?
As mentioned earlier, my creative journey began at the age of 11 with writing concert music. Gradually, I realized that this was my true passion, prompting me to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory and Concert Composition. However, during my college years, my confidence wavered when I encountered Milton Babbitt’s article, “Who Cares if You Listen?” It raised questions about the relevance of my music to modern life and its meaning for audiences nowadays. I began to ponder how I could use my compositions to make a meaningful impact on society.
These questions have lingered in my mind ever since, particularly as I’ve encountered similar challenges outlined in Babbitt’s article: “The general public is largely unaware of and uninterested in the music, so it is little performed.” Despite my love for composing contemporary concert music, I’ve faced frustrations at times, struggling to find musicians to perform my works and facing limited opportunities for my music to reach wider audiences. This is precisely why I decided to focus my studies on scoring for multimedia.
I’m captivated by how screen music embraces diverse styles and transcends traditional performance settings and audience boundaries. With advancements in technology, composers can now create sophisticated mock-ups using Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), eliminating the need for live performances. Additionally, my passion for storytelling, nurtured since childhood through a love of reading, has naturally led me to favor composing music for narratives.
In essence, the emotive power of music combined with visual storytelling has solidified my determination to pursue a career in multimedia scoring.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Recently, I achieved recognition as the winning composer of Best Student Orchestral Score at the 2024 Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) and was honored with an invitation to join the jury team at the Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF). Additionally, I was privileged to be selected as the scholar of the Game Audio Network Guild, attending the GameSoundCon 2023 in Los Angeles.
Exploration is at the heart of my creative process, and I relish the opportunity to traverse various musical genres, especially when I can showcase my strength in writing tense and uneasy or exotic and mysterious cues, like the one I collaborated with the director Chris Del Río Solorzano on the film Prey. This work made its debut on the 2023 NYU Steinhardt Film Scoring Composition Competition winners concert at Symphony Space by NYU Orchestra in New York.
I’m particularly passionate and specialize in orchestral music since I find joy in experimenting with instrument groupings to craft unique timbres and textures. One of my orchestral pieces, ‘Just Tell Me Who It Was,’ earned me 2nd place in The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York’s Emerging Composers Competition and was nominated as a runner-up in One Found Sound’s 2022 Emerging Composer Award.
My dedication to honing my craft has led me to participate in various music events, including the JMH (Joy Music House) Score Production Workshop, the Young Artist Summer Program at the Curtis Institute of Music, the Composer Collaborative Project sponsored by New Music USA, and the Atlantic Music Festival.
In terms of professional experience, I’m now the composer at Strike Audio and have gained valuable insights through internships at Music and the Moving Image Conference XIX, NYU Screen Scoring Summer Workshops, and ForGood Sound (Score Production Studio).
Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in Screen Scoring at New York University under the guidance of Professor John Kaefer, furthering my commitment to excellence in music composition and production.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Aside from my fervent passion for music and literature, I have developed a deep-seated love for coding and gaming. Throughout my college years, I found immense satisfaction in utilizing Max/MSP to compose computer music through coding. This innovative approach allowed me to explore unique textures and timbres that are beyond the realm of traditional instruments, sparking my creativity and pushing the boundaries of my musical expression.
In my leisure time, I immerse myself in a diverse array of games. Ranging from indie games to triple-A titles and from cerebral puzzles to thrilling adventures, I indulged in a variety of gaming experiences. Each game offered a new realm to explore, a fresh challenge to conquer, and a unique narrative to uncover, further fueling my fascination with the medium.
It is this profound appreciation for coding and gaming that has ignited my curiosity about game scoring. Through my studies and participation in events such as GameSoundCon and GDC (Game Developers Conference), I have had the privilege of delving deeper into the intricacies of game design and the pivotal role of music in shaping immersive gaming experiences. The vibrant and collaborative nature of the game development community has left an indelible impression on me, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie that I deeply cherish.
Driven by my passion for both music and gaming, I am wholeheartedly committed to pursuing a career as a game composer. I am eager to leverage my diverse skill set and creative vision to contribute to the dynamic and ever-evolving game industry. With each new project, I seek to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling, crafting memorable soundscapes that enhance gameplay and evoke emotional resonance with players around the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: yifanchenmusic.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/cyfzz/
- Facebook: facebook.com/judy.chen.71697/
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/yifanchenmusic
- Youtube: youtube.com/@yi-fanchen2889
- Other: https://play.reelcrafter.com/yifanchen/VoyageLA
