About.
Born in Beijing, China, Quan Wen (b. 2003) is a composer, educator, conductor, and marketer. Quan is currently pursuing undergraduate degrees in music composition and technology & music education with an Integrated Marketing and Communication Certificate at Northwestern University. Quan attended the China Central Conservatory’s Young Musician Program in 2018, Eastman Summer Classical Studies in 2020, and Eastman School of Music’s Paris summer studies (Theory and Analysis of Contemporary Music) in 2022.
His music has also been recognized through commissions from musicians and art institutes such as Northwestern Institute for New Music, members of the Dunshan Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Bienen school of music’s young composers’ festival, Vienna Summer Music Festival, Mostly Modern Festival, Zafa Collective String Quartet, American Modern Ensemble, and Ensemble Linea. He has studied conducting with Daniel J. Farris and Mallory Thompson, music theory with Robert Reinhart and Robert Hasegawa, and composition with Samuel Adler, Jay Alan Yim, Alex Mincek, Hans Thomalla, and Paul Coleman.
His profound passion for avant-garde music genres such as psychedelic rock, shoegaze, and various forms of heavy contemporary music has significantly influenced his approach to composition. Quan's creative process is characterized by a deep exploration of timbral intricacies and structural complexities. In his ongoing and recent projects, he is dedicated to capturing the immediate and immersive essence that has long defined popular music. He strives to eliminate the perceived boundaries between the source of sound and the listener, crafting a musical experience that transcends traditional boundaries. This commitment to sonic innovation drives him to push the boundaries of conventional composition, creating works that resonate with a powerful and profound sense of sonic connectivity.
