East Asian Music in the Contemporary World (EAMCW) Initiative is a creative-research initiative founded in 2025 by Hippocrates Cheng and fellow colleagues, in collaboration with North America–based musicians specializing in East Asian instruments and scholars focusing on East Asian music and its contemporary expressions.
The project aims to promote contemporary music for East Asian instruments and provides a vibrant platform where performers, scholars, students, and community members can experience, reflect on, and engage in dialogue about East Asian music in fresh and innovative contexts. Looking ahead, EAMCW plans to commission new works and present existing compositions by composers from around the world, further expanding and showcasing the repertoire for East Asian instruments. EAMCW also aims to cultivate collaborations with musicians and scholars in North America and beyond.
You can find and reach out to EAMCW via Instagram and Facebook for any inquiries.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 1, 2026. Chinese Instrumental Music Symposium (CIM-S). York University, Toronto , ON, CA.
Apr. 13, 2026 to Apr. 20, 2026. NEW YORK TOUR 2026
- Apr. 13-15. Artist Residency. Binghamton University, NY, USA.
- Apr. 17. Artist Talk. Presented by the American Musicological Society (AMS). New York University, NY, USA.
- Apr. 18. Concert: Re/sonic – New Music for East Asian Instruments. Marc A. Scorca Hall at National Opera Center, NY, USA.
- Apr. 19. Concert: Re/sonic – New Music for East Asian Instruments. Anderson Center for the Performing Arts, Chamber Hall. Binghamton University, NY, USA.
- Apr. 19. Post-concert talk. Anderson Center for the Performing Arts, Chamber Hall. Binghamton University, NY, USA.
- Apr. 20. Music Workshop. Cornell University, NY, USA.
- Apr. 20. Concert: Re/sonic – New Music for East Asian Instruments. Hockett Family Recital Hall at Ithaca College, NY, USA.
Past Events
Feb. 11, 2026. Lunar New Year Celebration. Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library. Toronto, ON, CA.
Jan. 29, 2026. Book Talk – Kingaku Hakki: Elucidations on Qin Studies. In collaboration with University of Toronto Music Library, Toronto, ON, CA
Jan. 18, 2026. Old and New Tunes for East Asian Instruments. York Woods Library Theatre, Toronto, ON, CA.
Nov. 21, 2025. EAMCW Composer in residence. Northern Illinois University, IL, USA.
- Composing New Music for East Asian Instruments—Composition Seminar, MB202
- Re/sonic—Composition recital for East Asian Instruments, recital hall
Nov. 17, 2025. Composing Seminar—Composing New Music for East Asian Instruments. Western Illinois University, IL, USA.
Online Workshop Series
Online workshops on composing for East Asian instruments offered by composers and East Asian music artists.
Conversation with Artists and Scholars
Interviews with East Asian music artists. Detailed to be announced.
Collaborators (Musicians)
| Chinese Instruments | Japanese Instruments | Korean Instruments |
| Dizi Hong-da Chin (Chicago, IL, USA) Erhu Amely Zhou (Toronto, ON, CA) Beitong Liu (New York, USA) Guqin Feng Chi (Bloomington, IN) Juni L. Yeung (Toronto, ON, CA) Guzheng Feihong Nan(Toronto, ON, CA) Pipa Yang Jin (New Jersey, USA) Yang Wei (Chicago, IL, USA) Yangqin Di Zhang (Toronto, ON, CA) | Hichiriki Thomas Piercy (New York City, NY, USA) Koto Toki (Chicago, IL, USA) Shakuhachi Michael Firman (Chicago, IL, USA) Kevin Zi-Xiao He (Toronto, ON, CA) Ryūteki Lish Lindsey (New York City, NY, USA) Shō Harrison Hsu (New York City, NY, USA) | Daegeum Cheong-ra Ha (Chicago, IL, USA) Woosung Jung (New Jersey, USA) John Lee (Toronto, ON, CA) (Also Korean drum) Gayageum Hyunchae Kim (Chicago, IL, USA) Eunsun “Sunny” Jung (Carmel, IN, USA) Junghwa Lee (Los Angeles, CA, USA) Roa Lee (Toronto, ON, CA) Haegeum Sunghee Lee (Atlanta, GA, USA) |
Collaborators/ Presenters/ Sponsors (Organizations)
In alphabetical orders
- American Musicological Society (AMS)
- Binghamton University
- Canadian Chinese Orchestra (CCO)
- Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library
- Cornell University
- Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
- New York University
- Northern Illinois University School of Music
- Ontario Chinese Cultural Network (OCCN)
- Random Access Music (RAM)
- Stringway
- Tokyo to New York
- Toronto Chinese Orchestra
- University of Toronto Music Library
Useful Resources
- Music in Asian America: An Overview, by The Music of Asian America Research Center (MAARC).
- Korean Music Global Network, by Stringway and Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago (KPAC).
Acknowledgement
The EAMCW gratefully acknowledges the partial financial assistance provided for this project through the generosity of donors to the Harpur College Advocacy Council Faculty Development Endowment: an endowed fund that invests deeply in the research, creative activities, and professional development of Harpur College of Arts and Sciences faculty at Binghamton University.