Bio

As a composer, Ky Nam Nguyen (b.1996) have always been deeply passionate about crafting music that transcends cultural boundaries and connects people. Since the early days of her composition career, she has sought to merge her Vietnamese heritage with the Western classical education that she received from a young age. This blending of Eastern and Western cultures is a central theme in many of her recent works.

In 2021, her work for percussion quartet, The Wrath of Water Spirit, inspired by a Vietnamese legend and the severe consequences of climate change in her homeland, was premiered by the Furman University Percussion Ensemble. In 2022, her choral composition Buddhist Poems from Vietnam, featuring English translations of poems by respected Vietnamese monks during the Medieval era, was premiered at North Park University, where American audience was first introduced to the Vietnamese praying bowls. She later presented this work at the 2023 Composition in Asia Symposium and Festival held at the University of South Florida. One of her other recent works, The Boat and the Sea for alto saxophone, percussion, and live electronics, was recorded by the New York-based experimental duo Popebama and got elected as one of the final selection of the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI) Super Regional Summer Mixtape 2023. The piece draws inspiration from a poignant poem by Xuân Quỳnh, a renowned female poet in Vietnam during the twentieth century, which beautifully captures the journey of a woman’s heart through the different stages of love. Another of her latest works, A Vietnamese Mother’s Letter to Nixon for mezzo-soprano, chamber ensemble, and live electronics, was premiered by the Florida State University Polymorphia New Music Ensemble. This piece has been presented at the Center for Southeast Asia and its Diasporas at the University of Washington and at Sound Check! A Festival of Asian American Music, Sound, and Scholarship in Seattle, WA. These experiences deepened Nguyen’s passion for amplifying the voices of Vietnamese people, particularly women, who faced immense challenges during and after devastating historical events. 

To grow as a musician and as a human being, Ky Nam took part in multiple activities to explore people and cultures. In the summer of 2016, she went to the Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Thailand for a three-month internship course, in which she earned the Diploma in Value-Based Education and worked as a volunteer music teacher. In the summer of 2021, she worked as the Professional Music Consultant for Lullabies of the Rivers Project, funded by the British Council in the run-up to the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). These experiences shape her vision of creating music to heal people and promote multicultural understanding. 

Ky Nam Nguyen is currently a DMA candidate in Music Composition at Florida State University. Nguyen earned her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from North Park University and Master of Music in Composition at Texas Tech University.