Huang Tzu (; 23 March 1904 - 9 May 1938),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theo ...

Jinwu (), was a Chinese musician of the early 20th century.Huang Tzu (黄自)
Office of Local Chronicles of Shanghai (上海市地方志辦公室).

Life

Huang was born in Chuansha, Shanghai, in the final years of the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

. He was a distant relative of

Huang Yanpei Huang Yanpei (; 1 October 1878 – 21 December 1965) was a Chinese educator, writer, and politician. He was a founding pioneer of the China Democratic League. Life Huang was born in Neishidi, Chuansha, Jiangsu (now part of Pudong, Shanghai) duri ...

. He was accepted into

Tsinghua College Tsinghua University (; abbr. THU) is a national public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. The university is a member of the C9 League, Double First Class University Plan, Project 98 ...

in 1916 and was introduced to Western music there. After his graduation in 1924, Huang went on to study psychology in

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest coeducational liberal arts college in the United States and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational institute of highe ...

in Ohio, United States. In 1928, he was accepted into

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

, where he studied Western music. In Yale, he composed the

overture Overture (from French language, French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Be ...

''In Memoriam'', which is the first large-scale orchestral work by a Chinese composer. In 1929, Huang returned to China and taught in the

University of Shanghai University of Shanghai, also known as Shanghai College and Hujiang University (), was a university established by the American Baptist Missionary Union and the Southern Baptist Convention in Shanghai. It was the predecessor of University of Sh ...

, National Music College and other music schools. In 1935, he established the Shanghai Orchestra, the first all-Chinese orchestra. Some of his students, including He Luting,

Ding Shande Ding Shande (; November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1995) was a Chinese composer, pianist, and music teacher. Biography Ding was born in Kunshan, Jiangsu. He studied music with teachers including Huang Tzu at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. ...

Zhu Ying Zhu or ZHU may refer to: *Zhu (surname), common Chinese surnames *Zhu River, or Pearl River, in southern China *Zhu (state), ancient Chinese state, later renamed Zou *House of Zhu, the ruling house of the Ming dynasty in Chinese history *Zhu (stri ...

, Jiang Dingxian, Lin Sheng, Lin Shengxi and Liu Xue'an, became famous musicians later. Huang's best known works include: ''Philosophical Song'' (天倫歌); '' Plum Blossoms in the Snow'' (踏雪尋梅), a 1933 large

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning o ...

based on

Bai Juyi Bai Juyi (also Bo Juyi or Po Chü-i; ; 772–846), courtesy name Letian (樂天), was a renowned Chinese poet and Tang dynasty government official. Many of his poems concern his career or observations made about everyday life, including as g ...

's poem '' Chang hen ge''; ''Flower in the Mist'' (花非花); ''Lotus Song'' (採蓮謠); ''Benshi'' (本事). He also composed the

National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China The National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China (), also unofficially known as the "National Banner Song", is a patriotic song typically played during the raising and lowering of the flag of the Republic of China. Domestically, the flag a ...

. Huang died of

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over severa ...

in Shanghai in 1938.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Huang, Tzu Chinese male composers 1904 births 1938 deaths Republic of China musicians Musicians from Shanghai 20th-century classical composers Chinese classical composers Chinese music educators 20th-century male musicians