Bio

As a composer, Ky Nam Nguyen (b. 1996) has 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 combine her Vietnamese heritage with the Western classical education that she received from a young age.

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 mduring the Medieval era, was premiered at North Park University, where American audiences were 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 selections 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. These experiences deepened Nguyen’s passion for amplifying the voices of Vietnamese people, particularly women, who faced immense challenges during devastating historical events. 

Besides composing and playing music, Nguyen took part in multiple activities to explore the impact of music and the arts on society. In the summer of 2016, she went to the Institute of Sathya Sai Education in Thailand for a three-month internship course, worked as a volunteer English and music teacher, and earned the Diploma in Value-Based Education. In 2021, she served as the Professional Music Consultant for the 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). Those experiences have encouraged Nguyen to be more conscious of the influence of arts on communities.

Ky Nam Nguyen holds a Doctor of Music in Composition from Florida State University, a Master of Music in Composition from Texas Tech University, and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from North Park University.