Ka Shu (Kenneth) Tam
This information is accurate as of the fellowship year indicated for each fellow.
Ka Shu Tam is an independent composer based in Hong Kong. He draws most of his musical inspiration from daily auditory experiences. His music is characterized by irregular forms and fluctuating linearities, and his works cover different genres, ranging from music for traditional forces to multimedia creations.
Tam will be working on his instrumental solo series Reaction during his fellowship at Harvard Radcliffe Institute. The music series explores the entropic process through sound based on extramusical models such as stock indexes or animal migration charts.
Tam has collaborated with some of the best musicians and ensembles, such as the Arditti Quartet (United Kingdom), the Ensemble Mise-En (United States), HANATSUmiroir (France), the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (Hong Kong), and Vertixe Sonora (Spain), to name a few. His works have been performed and have received radio broadcasts around the globe. They have also been featured in various international festivals and conferences, including the Asian Composers League Conference and Festival, the International Computer Music Conference, the International Rostrum of Composers, June in Buffalo, and MUSLAB, among others. Tam earned his PhD in music composition at the University at Buffalo. He completed his bachelor’s at Hong Kong Baptist University and his master’s at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His primary teachers include David Felder, Christopher Keyes, James Mobberley, and Chen Yi.
